Raising up employers who have strong leadership skills benefits everyone in a business. Training programs, mentorships, and leaders who recognize certain traits help foster an environment where people gain the knowledge needed to work their way up.
How Can a Company Improve Leadership Skills?
Companies with talented management experience better profitability and productivity. Leaders influence 70% of employees, engaging them and making them feel part of the team. Since leadership plays such an integral part in how successful a brand is, what are some things a business can do to foster stronger skills in this area and build up the next generation of managers?
1. Invest in Education
Building skills for a team helps to show who has particular abilities in different areas. Some personalities are better suited to head up a project or oversee other employees. Other people don’t have the desire to be in charge.
When a brand hosts workshops and attends conferences, it gives workers a chance to stretch beyond what their typical job responsibilities are. Both the employee and the leadership in the company can see who excels in what areas.
2. Develop a Positive Company Culture
Do workers feel free to go to leadership with new ideas or things they feel passionate about? One employee who worked their way up at Danaher mentioned growing is often uncomfortable and requires one to stretch way out of their comfort zones.
Employees should look for a position with a brand that keeps the lines of communication open and has a positive view of growing leaders. Companies should work to develop the right culture to attract top job candidates and retain skilled employees they already have.
3. Offer Constructive Feedback
Employees can’t grow unless they know what to improve. Constructive criticism looks at both strengths and weaknesses. The company’s current leaders might point out an area of concern but also offer the tools to improve in that role.
Those who embrace the advice and change over time are good candidates to move into leadership roles in the company. Even those who don’t ultimately move into management will improve their skills and thus the functionality of the company as a whole.
4. Reward Initiative
What is the number one thing employees want as a reward? For many, remote opportunities are a crucial component of where they choose to work. Researchers predict around 25% of all American jobs will be remote this year.
Remote work is one way to reward excellence. However, also talk to workers and see what rewards they prefer. Some might appreciate a cash bonus and others a few positive words of appreciation.
5. Develop a Mentorship Program
One of the best ways for leaders to train up the next generation of leaders is by implementing a mentorship program. Look at who the best managers are in the company. Who do employees respond to most often? Those who get results aren’t always the best leaders. If they use fear-based tactics or are abusive to their team, no one wants their attitudes getting passed on to new leaders.
Excellent leaders have a knack for spotting people with similar skills and building them up. When a trusted mentorship team supports new workers, anything can happen.
6. Hire the Right Employees
What skills are missing in a company? Once leadership understands gaps, they can hire workers to build them up in any weak areas. With 3.2 billion plus internet users, don’t be afraid to turn to online recruiting or hire managers to lead virtual teams.
Without the right attitude of doing whatever is needed to help the team, it’s hard to build the right skills in employees. One poor attitude can also corrupt other workers and destroy company culture in a matter of weeks.
7. Build Management Training Programs
Companies should offer management training programs for all employees. The ones a brand thinks might complete courses and be ready to move up the career ladder aren’t always the ones with the discipline to do so.
Charisma goes a long way but it can’t give a person the dedication to work through specific tasks, learn skills and then apply them to managing co-workers.
8. Set Goals
Everyone on the team should regularly set goals that help them grow. Whether the company attitude is a little improvement goes a long way or a preference for big leaps, management should work with staff to identify areas for improvement and specific steps to get to the other side.
Write out goals and make sure they follow the S.M.A.R.T. goal model. Goals should benefit the department the employee works in but also help the workers on an individual level.
9. Build Leadership Personas
What kind of leader does best for each team type? For example, a sales manager might need a more outgoing personality than the leader of the accounting team. Look at how much the person works with the public and the attitudes the other team members need to have.
When a position opens up and the team has a leadership persona, it’s easier to fill the position internally. Look to those who’ve expressed an interest in management, have the right skills for the position and match the leadership persona.
Employees Are an Excellent Source for Ideas
Brands should put some measures in place to create strong leadership skills in all employees. Some will embrace the opportunities and gain the info needed to move into higher positions.
When there are still weaknesses within a leadership program, turn to employees for additional ideas of how to give them the knowledge they need. Use every tool in the arsenal to foster stronger leadership skills and build managers from the ground up.
