How do you train future leaders in your organization?

Two steps here... 1. Reflect: What impact are your leaders having on the work and their staff? To what extent is the org having a positive impact on stakeholders? To what extent do staff feel cared for, developed and successful? 2. Derive: Which leader competencies & orientations need to be developed? Competencies may include people leadership skills, strategic thinking skills, or functional knowledge. Orientations are your values in action. Ex: Staff share that workloads prevent them from learning or feeling cared for. Knowledge Gap Share capacity planning frameworks Skill Gap Train leaders on realistic goal setting and division of labor modeling Orientations Gap Coach leaders to deepen empathy & solutions orientations

1. Planning: Know your desired outcomes and have a goal to head towards 2. Persistence: Leadership training is like reps and the gym. A little each day produces long term results. You can’t switch the training on and off when the workload gets too busy 3. Patience: Commit to the process, results might not be visible on day 1, week 1 or month 1. Leaders develop at different times. There is no fixed time frame.

How do you train future leaders in your organization? Before a leader can be trained on the horizontal axis with skill development, he or she must take a deep dive into the vertical axis. This is the space to discover one’s design and the intrinsic splendor of the innate potential within…self-awareness. Emerging out of self-awareness one is better able to have a focus on the freedom of operating within her or his “sweet spot.”

There are 2 ways to identify leadership requirements 1. Identify current gaps in leadership based on issues and concerns that arise 2. Identify future requirements based on the organizational goals Succession planning is a critical tool to identify current gaps and provide a framework for leadership development For future requirements, it is important to build a road map,identify leadership roles that will arise and identify potential talent that can take up these roles after development

I am interested in the term "train". First, what are the attributes or elements of leadership characteristics that you are training people on/to become. In what context? Personal leadership attributes (Self and EI)? Personal as it meets the institution and people within it, or its clients (EI and Situational), and then there are institutional macro needs of leadership traits for Strategic Thinking and Institutional needs. (EI, Situational, Vision) There are a lot of skills...which skills? Examining this as an iterative process and meeting people where their leadership training needs are, is perhaps the best approach. A boutique approach.

This might get a bit controversial, but the Pygmalion Effect is scientifically proven. How we label and treat people becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. EVERYONE has the potential to be a leader, and many without manager or executive titles, already are. The minute you say someone does not have that ability, others will treat them as such, and that too becomes a powerful, disengaging self-fulfilling prophecy. The entire organization should be trained on the same leadership principles, not only because there's potential in everyone to become a leader, but also because it holds everyone accountable to those standards of behavior and company values.

I'd encourage folks in organizations to consider their criteria for "high potential" candidates and ensure that they align with the values they espouse. For example, if an organization's value includes DEI, you need to look at the type of work being rewarded. Are there worker bees doing the less visible but critical work? Are there folks building a fantastic culture in your organization by keeping their teammates engaged? What you promote is what you will get more of. If you constantly promote hi-po's that work to the point of burnout, you'll create a culture that includes more burnout. Be strategic and thoughtful about this piece!

Commenting on Sam's thoughts. Yes, I agree wholeheartedly... Character is more important than glitz. Unfortunately, if you see what catches people's valuable attention, it's glitz, show and flash. In my years from the military into the business world, I can truly say that out of the hundreds of leaders I've been around, character is the single most influential concept for me: do you say what you're going to do and then do it... In other words, can I trust you to deliver?

The thing I love the most about working at Hilti is how many people are resources are dedicated to learning and development. I started in sales and am now in a leadership development role. Along the way, I was given opportunities to learn and develop through mentorships, and classroom training, but mostly on-the-job training. One key to my success and others has been the freedom to try new things provided that I/they possess the core competencies to do the job. The rest comes with time. We have people from finance and sales who have moved into HR roles because they have proven those core traits needed. Once in the role, we offer tons of support. Now, we have people who have worked in all major functions able to make better decisions.

One of the most overlooked leadership development opportunities is being an Employee Resource Group (ERG) Leader. This role provides a large variety of skill-building including program management, goal-setting, budgeting, and inclusive leadership. It also opens opportunities for executive sponsorship and expanding your network internally and externally.

Self-leadership serves as the foundation for organizational leadership to flourish. By helping potential leaders push beyond their personal limitations, they can elevate themselves to become more effective leaders. Coaching is one of the most effective forms of leadership development because it helps leaders cultivate self-awareness regarding their limitations and fosters them to become resourceful and competent in developing themselves.

We use a leadership development mentoring program we've cultivated called Grow and Lead. The core point is that the best leaders seek to grow into leadership. They are intentional and personal about taking on the servant leader's mantel and growing in key leadership virtues of integrity, compassion, and courage. They need skills and vision and techniques and other capabilities but, fundamentally, they need to want to leaders enough that they seek to become more "grown up in leadership" versions of themselves. Extroverted or introverted, energy fueled by tasks or relationships, and many other alternative pairs can be found among great leaders. Seek others to serve rather than be followed by and leadership may well be in your future.

To develop future leaders, organizations must adopt a multifaceted approach. This includes formal leadership programs that cover essential skills such as communication, conflict resolution, and critical thinking, alongside pairing aspiring leaders with experienced mentors for personalized guidance. Additionally, providing hands-on experience, continual feedback, and ongoing development opportunities is crucial.

They should also have temporary assignments that are very far from their current role, department, etc. In order for them to both extend their span of technical skills (from marketing to finance, from IT to Sales, etc.), and to strengthen their management skills with people that have different profiles than their current teams.

One of the most effective ways to develop leaders within an organization is to be intentional with job assignments to reinforce and develop specific leadership skills. The key is intentional focus throughout the year. Development is an ongoing process to enhance skills through experience. The process of watch me, do it, get feedback, and do it again is a proven approach to truly develop. Attend conferences, read book, listen to podcasts, etc, but at some point, you have to do it for it to become part of who you are. Real development changes you and changes others. It is more than theory. Leadership is a verb and growing as a leader is an intentional action!

I 100% agree with this. In today's world, there's little to no recognition for the wins a leader achieves. Creating small digestible task makes progress steady. After a month of small task, a lot has been done & moral is high from contribution!

People are already feeling overworked and burnt out. Adding another project to the mix may not send the right message. Instead consider what the person can say "no" to in order to take on a new opportunity. Or, review their existing work for growth potential.

Creating challenges and supportive assignments fosters leadership development by pushing individuals outside their comfort zones. Challenges encourage problem-solving, resilience, and innovation, while supportive assignments provide a safety net for learning. This combination cultivates skills like adaptability and decision-making, shaping individuals into capable and confident future leaders within the organization.

Leadership means helping people face their toughest challenges (from Ron Heifetz) , and you can do this regardless of your role or status in the hierarchy. An organizational culture that supports facing constructively into challenges, being open about the real issues that are faced and encouraging experimentation and learning from both mistakes and successes provides fertile ground for the growth of leaders at all levels. Such a culture is self-reinforcing - senior leaders set the groundwork, provide feedback and encourage curiosity and openness - and that makes it easy for others to follow. Sounds simple, but it takes courage and humility to do this. A coaching style of leading is the best way to make such a culture self-generating.

Fostering a culture of leadership is crucial for future leaders as it promotes an environment where initiative, collaboration, and innovation are valued. This culture empowers individuals to take ownership, develop their leadership skills, and contribute meaningfully to the organization's success.

Leaders build leaders. Transparency helps if people in the organization see pathways they thought were closed to them. If they understand and have input into the priorities and there is enough trust to be able to bring issues forward. Coaching and mentoring are key as are informal opportunities to have conversations. Leaders are visible and walk/roll to see all aspects and that way if there is an issue or someone is thinking about next steps they don't have to come to your office

To foster a culture of leadership, I like to implement continuous feedback loops in the company. Feedback and ideas should not just come from the top, but many organizations are inherently structured that way. Make sure there are clear channels and ways for team members to share their ideas and foster people to lead new projects as well.

One thing to consider is WHEN to evaluate? If this happens just after the programme you are simply evaluating the programme itself (delivery/content/experience) - to evaluate the impact or utility of the programme...calls for time and distance to truly see if it and the desired effect for the participants

Remember, the goal is not just to develop leaders but to cultivate a leadership culture that propels the organization towards its vision and objectives. Evaluating and improving your leadership development program is a continuous process that requires commitment and adaptability. By setting clear objectives, leveraging feedback, using metrics for evaluation, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and focusing on personalized development, organizations can ensure that their leadership development programs are effective, relevant, and aligned with their strategic goals.

Appreciate also that only so much can be done on an organisational training level. Encouraging Leaders, to find the intimately personal learning process that is theirs, beyond organisational context. When Leaders start developing themselves beyond organisational programmes, in their own time, is when they start enjoying their authentic ways of Personal Growth. The benefits of that personal investment will ripple out into any role they occupy in any organisation.

Evaluating effectiveness isn't something that should just come at the end of the program. It's something that needs to be built in the beginning, and throughout via feedback loops. Questions to ask up front in the design and then measure throughout include: - What behaviors and skills would leaders display if this program were effective? - How will we measure success? - What changes would we see in team/org outcomes? Taking a 360 approach throughout the program can help identify wins, necessary tweaks, and build momentum and motivation to keep going.

Totally agree @laura, reflection and time lapse post completion of the course is paramount. It's only then you get rich qualitative feedback from learners.

I would take a step back and highlight the importance of the company culture and environment. As studies and research show <learning cannot be forced>, or if you still do so, then you should count on underperforming and low engagement. So first of all, you need to make sure you establish and maintain a safe culture (#PsychologicalSafety) where people are encouraged to learn. As learning can only be encouraged not forced. In Amy Edmondson's book, The Fearless Organisation, it’s called out that to learn at work requires challenging goals and tasks that the person is accountable for and psychological safety! Make sure you have this environment when you start a #leadership and any employee #development program! #vadagnes #coaching

Leadership cultivation or leadership nurturing is a phrase that refers to the ongoing professional development of leaders. This approach emphasises a combination of formal and informal learning methods, such as the 70-20-10 model. The terms "leadership cultivation" or "leadership nurturing" imply a continuous process of fostering leadership skills and competencies through various learning approaches, such as on-the-job experiences, social interactions, and formal education.

In my experience, introducing coaching culture in the leadership helps create sustainable results. Various tools, techniques and training can help develop leadership. However, those would be outside-in approach. A coaching process allows the leaders to know, grow and own their leadership style and not be the ones that they are expected to be by the environment! Coaching is an inside-out approach where the leaders can find the inspiration from within...

The interesting part is people pay more attention to the trainer from out of town, than leadedship in the company. They hear company leaders so often they become numb to those same words and stories. Out of town trainers say the same thing but in different ways and with different stories. Those impact team members in ways that can go farther and deeper. Then adding the personalized element captures those impacts and takes people even farther. Those can be deeper conversations than people want to have with their peers or leadership. The power of coaching questions and conversations. I have seen such deep impact with my clients, and hear the same with other coaches.