Finding the right individuals to lead inside your organization isn’t as easy as it seems, and most organizations aren’t doing it right. Otherwise, around 50% of workers wouldn’t be quitting their jobs because of their bad bosses.
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Usually, decision-makers select their most productive employees to become managers and leaders because they have the best business track record, meaning, they have the highest sales, actively do things that increase the organization’s profits or reduce its costs, complete complex projects on time, etc. However, exclusively selecting employees who are top performers can be detrimental to an organization.
Often, top performers are very competitive and hold themselves to a very high standard. Although this can be good for a business, it may not always be good for the employees they manage.
All employees have different strengths and weaknesses, and too much competition from the top can cause employees’ motivation and creativity to waver. In addition, top performers won’t want to take time to manage other employees if it decreases or makes their own performance waver as a result.
Whether your candidates are top performers or not, here are a few things you should look for when considering them for your leadership development programs.
Ability to Communicate Effectively and Empathetically
Surprisingly, 69% of managers are uncomfortable communicating with their employees, but leaders who can’t effectively communicate are destined for disaster.
They cannot provide constructive and useful feedback and motivate their teams, and they won’t be empathetic to the needs of their employees. Furthermore, they won’t be able to intervene during tense situations or step in to resolve problems between employees, clients, partners, or customers.
Inclination to Seek Out Others’ Input and Help
The best candidates for leadership opportunities aren’t afraid to ask others for help. They are great at delegating tasks to other individuals who are best equipped to handle those tasks, and they always request input from others and work well on teams. They are also usually great at building strategic and positive relationships with colleagues, who enjoy working with them.
Self-Motivated
Natural leaders have an entrepreneurial spirit and don’t wait for others to tell them what to do and when to do it. They actively solve problems and get others on board to help with resolutions.
Insatiable Drive for Quality
Above all else, individuals best suited for leadership roles will always want to produce the best-quality work they can. In the process, they will inspire others to do the same, and they will never settle for producing mediocre products or services.
Motivated to Learn and Grow
Individuals who are best suited for leadership also understand that they need to continually learn and grow to be the best at what they do. They are always seeking new ways to do things and want to uncover new strategies and techniques to be better and lead better teams.
As you recruit and consider candidates for your leadership development programs, first consider the information parsed above.