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January 13, 2026

Neurology needs leaders—in patient care, education, research, and more. So what do you do if you want to be a leader, but aren’t sure where to start? Whether you’re just starting your career or a confident, established professional, there are a few universal tips that can help you build your leadership skills in neurology. 

Find those tips below, plus links to related Leadership University resources. These courses are free for AAN members and can help you build leadership skills at your own pace.

1. Find your mentors

Everyone knows that networking and mentorship are crucial for your career trajectory. But actually building a network and finding mentors? That can feel a lot easier said than done.

Jeffrey C. McClean II, MD, FAAN, is Deputy Commander for Medical Services at Brooke Army Medical Center, the US’s largest military hospital. At the AAN, he chairs the Leadership Development Committee and sits on the Board of Directors. Needless to say, he’s an experienced mentor—and he knows a lot about the roadblocks people face in this step. 

“Sometimes people fall into the trap of thinking that asking someone to mentor them may be a bother or an additional chore,” he said. “What I try to help people understand is that most leaders realize that they got there because of people who took the time to mentor them and they're happy to pass that forward.”

There are both formal and informal ways to find mentors. One option is to apply for a formal learning opportunity like the AAN’s free-but-selective Leadership Programs. These programs include options for various practice types and experience levels, from the Emerging Leaders Program to the Director Mentorship Leadership Program. Getting involved with the AAN, such as by joining a committee or a , can also connect you with more experienced AAN members who may be interested in mentorship. 

Some large institutions also offer mentorship programs, especially for new employees. Less formally, you can talk to your boss or other experienced coworkers about finding mentors in your workplace.

• Related resource: . Develop a personalized strategy for intentionally building and maintaining diverse professional relationships that align with your career goals and leadership aspirations.

Once you get started, try to build what McClean calls a “bench of mentors.” 

“If I’m working with someone, I may not be the best mentor for everything that they want their career to be,” he said. “I try to make sure that I'm helping them be very deliberate about seeking out all the right mentors for their career and growth.”

2. Build your sounding board

Mentors are important, but you also need support from your colleagues to help your leadership skills grow.

“It's helpful to have colleagues that you can rely upon as a sounding board as you face different challenges,” McClean said. “As you look at various projects or initiatives, you need someone who you can bounce ideas off of. They can help you hold yourself accountable, and they can rely on you as well.” 

• Related resource: . Effective feedback is individualized, specific, timely, and focused on behaviors to improve skills and outcomes. By fostering a growth mindset and culture of constructive feedback, we can improve patient care and support each other's professional development.

3. Challenge yourself

You’ve built your bench of mentors. You have a set of colleagues you trust. Maybe you’ve also started to learn from an AAN Leadership Program or . Now what? 

“Seek out things that make you somewhat uncomfortable,” McClean said. “If you’re not feeling challenged, then you’re probably not leading at your full capacity. Are you offering the best that you can? Are you bringing your full effort to the problems you want to solve?”

Opportunities to challenge yourself at work might include presenting to colleagues, heading a project that works across departments or disciplines, or volunteering for a high-profile role or project. You can also get involved with the AAN, such as through advocacy or a committee role.

Challenging yourself can also help you build confidence as a leader: By stepping outside of your comfort zone, you can prove to yourself that you’ve got what it takes to meet your goals.

• Related resource: . Foundational to being an effective leader at any level is self-awareness and reflection, along with ongoing, intentional effort to grow. Developing self-awareness is a lifelong and personal journey.

4. Know that you’re qualified

Self-doubt is a common roadblock for new leaders, but it can help to remember why you’re in your role to begin with.

“People don’t select you for leadership roles without having put thought into whether or not you’re ready for it,” he said. “In some ways, you have to trust that those who selected you for your role see something in you—they know you have what it takes, and they’ve entrusted you to do that.”

5. Be intentional and practice your skills

Even if you’ve learned all the tips and techniques for leadership, actually putting them into practice can be difficult. McClean says this is a lesson he had to learn early in his career: he’d read books and listened to talks on leading effectively, and it all made sense to him. But it wasn’t enough.

“What I was lacking was a true deliberate, intentional approach to help me put those things into practice consistently and hold myself accountable,” he said. “I had to learn and grow those skills over time so it wasn’t just vague ideas, but an actual part of how I practice and how I lead. That’s when things started to fall into place.”

Leadership skills aren’t just for taking on big projects and earning promotions. They’re also for the smaller things: volunteering, providing feedback, practicing self-awareness, , and navigating everyday conflicts. If you learn a few new skills and practice them little by little, you’ll be well on your way to the next step of your leadership journey. 

• Related resource: . With a clear strategy, you’ll be better equipped to lead with confidence, compassion, and clarity, turning challenges into valuable moments for team cohesion and improved patient care outcomes.

About AAN leadership resources

The AAN heavily invests in building effective, confident neurology leaders. Members can apply for a wide range of leadership programs, attend leadership-focused courses at the Annual Meeting and other conferences, and learn anytime for free through Leadership University.

Leadership University is particularly popular, having been used in six continents and 45+ countries. Sharing knowledge from world-renowned consultants and physician leaders, it provides a neurology-focused resource to start, continue, or enhance your leadership journey. Learn from the resources linked throughout this article, plus various others!