Developing New Leaders
SUMMARY
Do you find that everybody in your organisation comes to you when they want to get things done? Do you feel like you are the only leader in the place?
Every single person you've been given to lead has the capacity to lead others, and by looking at it that way, you realise there's going to be a distribution of the load.
There are two elements of that environment: SUPPORT and MENTORING.
TRANSCRIPT
Do you find that everybody in your organisation comes to you when they want to get things done? Do you feel like you are the only leader in the place?
Hi, this is Grant Herbert, VUCA Leadership and Sustainable Performance Coach, and today I want to continue our conversation around all things people leadership by helping you Develop New Leaders.
It's been said many times that leadership doesn't take place until you duplicate yourself and develop new leaders. In my corporate career, I had a lot of problems with that because I thought that if I developed new leaders, then that was taking something away from me.
Every single person you've been given to lead has the capacity to lead others. So, you need to shift your mindset around the following: "If I create new leaders, I won't be necessary." Once you've moved beyond that, the next shift that needs to happen in your mindset is to move from performance reviews and management to coaching.
The coaching leader provides an environment for people to grow. There are two elements of that environment:
The first element is SUPPORT. Being able to support them, walk the journey with them, and show them what they need to do gives them an environment where they can incrementally grow. That includes being okay with people making mistakes — mistakes are a training ground.
The second thing is MENTORING. Coaching is an environment where you ask questions and draw out the capacity that's already in there. However, there are still some things that they don't know, and you have to help them with them. That's where, through your example, practical development, and teaching, you pass on the skills that you already have.
A coaching leader provides those two elements of support and accountability. They can add skills through their experience and learning and create an environment and culture where the team learns from each other.
So, step up. Look for people to develop. Get them in and have a conversation with them. I'll see you next week.
