#29 - How to grow leaders!
18 Sep 24
Growing the next generation of leaders is your primary role as a senior leader.
It takes time and effort, but the returns are significant.
Your team becomes more robust and resilient. Your life becomes much easier as you start to develop strength in depth.
How many leaders have you helped today?
This edition is sponsored by Kajabi - the one stop shop solution for entrepreneurs hoping to start an online business. Use my affiliate link below to receive an increased trial period from 14 to 30 days - only for Springboard Spotlight readers!
Whether you're an aspiring or seasoned entrepreneur, Kajabi is the platform to help you monetize your skills & knowledge. It's an all-in-one platform that lets you transform your expertise into income through online courses, membership sites, community building, and personalized coaching tools.
#29 - How to grow leaders!
What?
The main task of a leader is to grow new leaders.
It's hard work and requires a bespoke approach for each individual. But the return on investment is huge.
Why?
The actual question o ask is 'Why would you not want to grow new leaders?'
Growing leaders at all levels within your organisation provides you with a resilient and sustainable operation.
If someone leaves, either planned or unexpectedly, you have someone else who is able to assume their responsibilities seamlessly.
You have cover when people are away on vacation
You have strength in depth because the investment you have put in, will be reflected back through the growth of a cadre of people who are both capable and confident.
How?
So what is the best way to achieve this?
There is no singular solution, more a combination of initiatives which create a compound effect if deployed throughout the team. These are as follows:
- Create a team that trains itself continually. Every event should be looked at as a training opportunity for those who are less experienced. The team should develop a self-correcting mindset.
- Create a coaching culture with key individuals equipped with the necessary skillset to encourage the conditions for others to thrive.
- Continually disseminate LfE (learning from experience) to ensure everyone is kept in the loop. A culture of continuous improvement should be the norm.
- Encourage the junior team members to volunteer to lead tasks, especially those tasks which stretch their capability and allow them to learn new skills. This builds their confidence
- Introduce them to 'cherry-picking'. This is where they observe those around them, cherry-picking the best practice ways of leading, adapting it to their style and personality, and discarding what does not work for them. Exemplary leaders and bad leaders are all good sources that can be used to develop and refine a leadership style.
- Encourage them to read - 'become a leader, become a reader'!
- Identify opportunities for them to shadow senior leaders. It is amazing what people can learn just by listening and observing.
- Create a roster for people to become your deputy for a set period. Assess how they respond to the added responsibilities.
- Encourage them to learn how to understand how 'people' work. Leadership is all about interactions with people, and yet so few people study the very resource that is the key component to any team.
- Get them to become acquainted with communicating accurately, yet succinctly. Communication is one of the key leadership skills. If you can't communicate, you're dead in the water!
- Get them in the habit of making decisions. It doesn't matter how big or small, or how insignificant or important they are. Leaders must become accustomed to decision-making becoming a natural extension to their daily habits.
- Attend courses by all means, but the best way to learn leadership...it by actually doing it, failing, reflecting and analysing, learning, adapting and implementing!
In Summary
I hope that you enjoyed reading this newsletter and that it has given you food for thought.
As you can see there are a number of ways in which leaders can be developed.
Most do not require finance. They just need a little thought and innovation to get them up and running. But the value gained is significant.
How many leaders have you helped today?
Have a great week!
Whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:
- Resources - Reading is an essential component to developing your own authentic leadership style. Check out my resources page for really inspiring books which I have found invaluable within my own leadership journey,
- Coach Station - Singular issue 60 minute coaching sessions,
- Coach Journey - Bespoke coaching packages of 6 or 12 sessions for transformative change,
- Schedule Optimiser - Online course allowing you to take back control of your diary.
Responses