To prepare employees for leadership make them aware that they must be ready to assume a variety of roles. For example, at various times, leaders are:
- Managers—They direct and oversee the work of others.
- Coaches—They guide and motivate others to perform at their best and achieve common goals.
- Planners—They develop strategies for achieving objectives and plans to meet future challenges.
- Team members—They work within teams to achieve goals, rather than working individually.
- Good communicators—They express themselves well, share information, listen to others, and communicate the organization’s mission to others.
In addition, leaders are often called to facilitate change by helping others accept and adjust to change and by guiding their teams to capitalize on the opportunities change offers so they can move to a higher level of achievement.
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Employees also need to realize that preparing for leadership means preparing for challenges that include:
- Working effectively through other people by delegating and motivating
- Handling more responsibility and being accountable for the results of others
- Navigating successfully through change and overcoming obstacles
- Dealing appropriately with workplace politics, negotiating with and influencing others
- Maintaining a positive, can-do attitude even in tough times
Outline for employees the following essential skills they must acquire to become effective leaders.
- Personal skills—Being confident, competent, flexible, willing to learn, comfortable with change, and ready for challenges
- Motivational skills—Teaching, encouraging, and helping employees grow and develop
- Collaborative skills—Working with others in a cooperative, positive way to achieve common goals
- Communication skills—Informing and listening as well as reading people well
- Decision-making skills—Making the best choices to achieve the best results in every situation, even under pressure
- Visionary skills—Envisioning the future and inspiring others with your vision
- Persuasive skills—Influencing others to follow your lead, rather than relying on status and power to compel them
- Ethical skills—Having personal integrity and a moral compass that always points the way to doing the right thing
- Interactive skills—Building good relationships with people throughout the organization
- Planning skills—Anticipating future events, needs, and challenges
- Time management skills—Making the most efficient use of time during the workday
The material in today’s issue is adapted from BLR’s 10-Minute HR Trainer session, “Preparing for Leadership.”
Train your line managers with BLR’s 10-Minute HR Trainer. There won’t be time for classroom boredom. Try it for free.
In tomorrow’s Advisor, we’ll look at seven key steps that can help employees prepare for their leadership role, and we’ll explore a dynamic resource that helps you train on dozens of key HR topics in 10 minutes flat.