Leadership Development Philosphy Be committed to bringing out the best in leaders

The strongest leaders have personal commitment to grow their capabilities. They recognize what they are good at, what needs some attention, and have the courage to say 'I can be better.'
Organizations that create a culture of leadership development - where leaders can leverage their strengths,- acknowledge what they need to work on,- and have the support and tools to do so --- have the strongest leadership teams

  • Ensure Leaders Know what is Expected of them

    • It is critical that organizations convey clear behavior expectations to their leaders. Let them in on the secret!
    • Simple, easy to remember expectations will bring out the best day-to-day performance of employees. Complex, academic models may look great in presentations, but won't help leaders in their real-world situations.
    • Manage expectations through a framework - such as leadership competency model or perhaps an annual leadership goal - for clarity, reinforcement and to hold leaders accountable.

  • Listen to Your Leaders (and the Teams they Lead)

    • The voices of leaders and the teams they lead are the best source of information for shaping leadership development programs.
    • Leaders know what capabilities they need to be successful in their role. And teams know what they want from their leaders.
    • Bring them into conversations when prioritizing leadership capabilities and building development programs. Keep listening to them to see if the programs are working and if they still reflect what is important to them.

  • Offer a variety of Development opportunities

    • Every leader is on their own leadership development journey with different goals, motivators and learning preferences; it is important to offer a variety of programs and approaches.
    • Offering a variety of learning opportunities will allow leaders to learn the way that suits them.
    • Consider a mix that includes self-directed learning, formal instructor led programs, learning cohorts, virtual programs, learning bursts, monthly webinars, workshops, mentorship programs and more.

  • Trust and Motivate Leaders

    • Make good assumptions about the intentions of leaders.
    • Some leaders may have always known that they want to lead others. Others may have been promoted into a leadership role because of a combination of subject matter expertise and potential. Either way, chances are they want to be good leaders.
    • Leaders want the business to succeed, and they want their teams to succeed.
    • Being a good leader requires a lot of positive energy. Motivate and inspire leaders by recognizing their effort, giving them space to learn and supporting them when they stumble.

  • prepare leaders for growth and Movement

    • It is vital for organizations to focus on the success of current leaders while simultaneously planning for future leadership needs.
    • Those in the most senior leadership roles have the greatest influence on the direction, culture and performance of an organization.
    • The best way to ensure that the strongest leaders occupy those roles is to identify successors and actively develop them for the role.
    • Fair leadership and succession planning processes should assess talent using consistent measures, reflect on the diversity of leadership teams, and consider the aspirations of potential successors.