Leadership the Next Generation

Leaders wanting employees or family members to grow need to aim them in the right direction. Companies are very much like a family both functional and dysfunctional. To increase productivity and the ability to function properly leaders have the responsibility to nurture, and grow people. Leaders can accelerate or stifle a person’s gifts. They can also spend time, money, and energy providing benefits. The goal of companies and of families is that by putting time and energy into employees and family their will be a better chance of loyalty. In the last newsletter Vol. III No. 36, discussed how leaders are often aimed toward leadership but not given the authority to lead. In addition, we discussed the fact that larger companies are realizing the old corporate ladder didn’t create loyalty for the newer generations seeking advancement for their skills rather than for their years of service. So that today we need to stop operating out of habit and start operating with intention. Leaders have an obligation to the next generation to prepare them.

One of the first areas in which companies can fall short when promoting individuals within their organizations is in providing leadership skills necessary to help the organization function effectively and productively Many times people the goals have not been formally identified and communicated to employees. Too often companies wait until the unthinkable happens such as a leader having to take emergency and is on medical leave etc. Successful organizations are always preparing the next generation of leaders so that if a leader leaves, an equally talented and prepared employee is ready to step in and assume the responsibilities of the position. Without blinking an eye, a company should be able to send in a backup who will keep the team moving forward. Identifying and developing employees for leadership positions is essential.

How does a company establish a system for developing talent within its organization? Defining who is and who is not a leader in an organization largely depends upon the organization itself. Identification begins with a look at the company philosophy and objectives, as well as the fit of the person with the current people in leadership positions. Be careful to look for people who compliment yet who are not clones of the people already leading the company, diversity is essential to success. In a study conducted by SHRM and Personnel Decisions International in 2000, only 45 percent of the responding organizations reported having development plans for non-exempt employees. What these numbers indicate is that more than half of these organizations lacked formal leadership development plans for their rank and file–a critical part in identifying the next generation of leadership. As you are reading this, you may realize that your organization suffers from this problem. Companies such as Fed Ex, Avon, and Pampered Chef succeed because leaders are constantly seeking new people to become involved in the company and they are continually preparing there leaders by providing educational programs that are customized to their company.

If your organization is lacking in training it isn’t alone. A study conducted jointly by Anderson Consulting and the Economist Intelligence Unit confirmed that there is a lack of comfort that most organizations feel when it comes to the topic of leadership development. Ninety percent of the CEO’s reported that their organizations leadership development process was in its infancy phase and had definite room for improvement. FedEx, a Fortune 500 company based in Memphis, Tennessee in the USA, values training its employees. FedEx found that training was directly linked to its competitive advantage in the marketplace. As a result, its internal commitment to the philosophy of P-S-P (people-service-profit) has been at the center of this company’s training measures and initiatives. Establishing the link between training and profitability. Companies such as Fed Ex learn that leadership training is at the heart of an effective business model. Realizing the payoff is seen in quality, profitability and in retention. For the future leaders and employees, the payoff is equally as great, as they are offered training and development opportunities.

Great leaders and managers do not necessarily start with the basic skills needed to make them great. Companies that consistently, uniformly and regularly offer classes in management and leadership for up-and-coming employees find that promotion decisions are a lot easier because the training has taken place and people are ready to take on added responsibility. Another survey shows that eighty-two percent organizations are having a hard time finding qualified leaders. This leads us to ask questions: What does your current leadership training initiative look like, and is it working for your company? Does your organization identify people with potential leadership skills? What types of training and development opportunities are in place for these employees?

Leadership development—broadly defined as formal and informal training and professional development programs designed for all levels of executives and management employees to assist them in developing the leadership skills and styles required to deal with a variety of situations. Effective leadership development encompasses two key areas: 1) the ability to move future leaders forward and begin developing their leadership talent; and 2) determining cost effective leadership methods such in-house training programs, or hiring outside trainers to either build the program or do the training. Leaders like parents have a responsibility to prepare for the future. As leaders, we must look at ourselves closely and make sure that we reflect courage and are willing to encourage our organizations to make positive changes to develop leaders for the future. Too often companies find great people promote them and then see if they can lead.