Identifying Future Leaders
As a company grows from strength to strength, departments naturally form, and with that comes the need to identify future talent to step into team leader or management roles. There are also times when a team leader or manager leaves unexpectedly, placing the business in a reactive position due to sudden resignation.
More often than not, the next person in line is appointed and thrown in the deep end. They may struggle with the transition, or go full-on, believing their new role gives them the authority to boss people. This shift in behaviour can quickly become disruptive, not only for the department, but for the wider business.
When a team leader or manager is appointed, one of the most challenging tasks is managing people who were once colleagues. I believe this can be a setup for failure if not handled correctly, particularly if the team doesn’t agree with the decision of the appointed person.
When we collaborate with companies on strategy, we always ask a few questions: Where is your next line-up of future leaders? What succession planning have you put in place to support company growth? Do you have the right person or people who could lead and manage a team? Do they demonstrate leadership qualities? How are you going to train and develop them to set them up for success? And most importantly, how are you going to introduce this plan to the rest of your company in a proactive way?
Many companies struggle with the lack of planning for future leaders, especially smaller businesses. This is often because they are working in the business rather than on the business, and are extremely time poor. Wages are one of the biggest expenses in any organisation, and we regularly see companies disappointed when a good quality staff member leaves, especially when that person has shown real potential to become a future asset.
The key is to identify these people early and start having proactive conversations through a structured performance appraisal process. This starts the process of a professional development plan over the next six, twelve, or even twenty-four months. The goal is to identify future talent early, so they stay in your business rather than moving on to someone else’s.
Ask the question: What are your ambitions, and where do you see yourself in our company in the next 12 months, or two to three years? From there, work on a strategy to retain and develop key staff members and turn them into future successes of your business.
Creating an Emerging Leader
An emerging leader is someone you have identified to become part of the long-term solution in your business. With the right insight and foresight, you set them up for success rather than failure. By investing the time early and creating a pathway, they can gradually develop into one of the greatest assets within your company.
You identify leaders through the way they behave and contribute, not only to the business, but also to the people around them. These are individuals who help others unaided. When you recognise and acknowledge these behaviours, you reinforce their leadership qualities and the positive impact they are having on your business.
When you think about it, you are creating a career succession plan for them, while also building a strategic pathway for your company. As you develop them, involve them in additional responsibilities such as interviewing new staff, supporting the induction process, assisting with product and systems training, and attending management meetings. In time, this can also extend to off-site strategy sessions that contribute to the growth of your business.
Once you have identified this person, communicate it to your team and clearly set the expectations around how the business will support their development. Make it official and put a plan in place to support a successful transition, ensuring your emerging leader feels empowered. Look at external training courses that will excel them, as well as creating an internal mentoring program where existing leaders support their development.
The goal is to transition future leaders into emerging leaders, setting them up for long-term success.
At KBA, we developed an Emerging Leaders Program many years ago and have recently updated it. We have also created an Advanced Leadership Program that works alongside it. Together, these programs are designed to support future leaders as they become emerging leaders, and then confident, capable managers.
Program Overview
| Emerging Leaders Program | Advanced Leaders Program |
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The four key elements for success: – Leading Self – Leading Others – Leading a Team – Succession Planning |
The four key elements for success: – Leading and Managing Others – Implementing Business Strategy – Managing a Team – Leadership Development |
To find out more information, please refer to https://keyba.com.au/succession-planning
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- KBA Business Strategy & Growth – https://keyba.com.au/business-advice-strategy-and-growth/
- KBA People & Culture – https://keyba.com.au/people-culture-business/
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- KBA Leadership & Development – https://keyba.com.au/professional-sales-training/
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