To build leadership capability and be prepared for the future, business must actively identify people with leadership potential and identify ways to prepare them for future leadership roles. It won’t happen by chance. Succession planning is key to future business success.
Developing leadership capability will take time and resources, and if this investment is not made, there will be a shortfall when current leaders move on whether it be through opportunity or retirement. If you wait too long the ability to transfer knowledge; skill and behaviour will be lost.
Here are some tips to developing leadership capability in your business:
- Identify Leadership
Who are the people inside your business who show leadership potential? Who do you see coaching and mentoring other workers? Who is prepared to make decisions; contribute their ideas for change and improvement? Who is a positive role model through their actions and words? Who is calm in a crisis? Who communicates clearly, concisely and is prepared to listen?
Who wants and understands the responsibility of leadership?
- Start the conversation
Once you have identified the people with leadership potential, talk to them – start the conversation.
Tell them what you have observed, the pathway that may be available and the opportunities to develop. Be honest in that conversation.
Get their feedback – their own ambitions; areas for development; concerns.
If you both have the same vision, develop a Professional Development Plan to start the journey through opportunity; training; coaching; mentoring and experience. Set SMART goals (Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Relevant; Time based) and provide constant feedback.
- Provide Experience
Wherever possible, provide your future leaders with first-hand experience whether it be step up opportunities; exposure to other parts of the business; delivering workplace presentations.
Most of what we learn will come through experiential learning – reinforce the positives; identify the areas for improvement; learn from the mistakes.
- Understand the Need for Coaching and Mentoring
Coaching and mentoring is vital for developing your future leaders. Remember, there is a difference between the two.
Coaching is developing and/ or improving people’s skill sets. It may be coaching them to understand and use business systems and processes. Coaching may be in relation to people’s behaviours and understanding how to deal with difficult situations such as conflict.
Mentoring is guidance; sharing experiences; being a confidante; discussing options.
Together, coaching and mentoring are powerful ways to prepare people for future leadership roles and assist them when they commence their leadership journey.
Remember, there may be others from within the business that may assist to coach and mentor your future leaders. You don’t have to do it all yourself.
- It’s Not Just the Technical Skills
One of the mistakes we often make is to promote people based solely on their technical skills. Those skills are a great foundation, but remember once in a leadership position, the key for success will be how they deal with people.
What is their awareness of the own personality and associated behaviours. What is their awareness of other people’s personality and behaviours? Are they flexible in their approach? In other words, are they emotionally intelligent.
How are their communications skills – making presentations; delivering clear and concise information; preparedness to make timely decisions; listening to others; dealing with conflict; negotiation?
How is their resilience; are they able to stay calm in a crisis?
Are they are able to provide fair; honest; timely feedback – both positive and constructive?
Preparedness to develop these areas will increase leadership capability and have a positive effect on the culture of your business.
Leadership & Performance Partners provide a number of programs that may assist in the leadership development areas of your people:
- Leadership
- Emotional Intelligence
- Communication including Presentations Skills; Negotiations Skills; Dealing with Conflict
- Managing People Performance
- Change Management
- Resilience / Mental Health
We are able to implement both Coaching and Mentoring Programs into your business and as part of that are accredited to use the following behavioural assessment tools: DISC; LSI1 & LSI1; 360 Feedback; MBTI.
