Since we are always looking for that next great leader, or you would like to improve yourself, I
thought I would share this Blog with you.
Promoting from within is a great move for any business. On top of the fact that it is normally the most cost-effective option, it also results in motivated employees. When people know they can realistically advance within a company, they are more inclined to work harder and remain with the organization longer. Employees who know they have no scope for advancement are likely to look elsewhere for opportunities that will allow them to test their limits.
With this in
mind, leadership development should be a serious consideration for any modern
business. Your company needs to be providing training and executive coaching
for those individuals who will one day be leading your business. It all starts
with identification, which can be difficult in and of itself. Great leaders are
not always immediately identifiable. They might appear introverted, or even
somewhat uncertain of their abilities. Conversely, top performers and ones who at first glance appear a logical pick for a
leadership position may not have it in them to effectively lead a team.
Promoting the
wrong candidate to a leadership position can cost a company time and money.
To save yourself this stress and expense, you
should keep an eye out for the following red flags, which indicate you
shouldn’t be saving them a place on your leadership development program.
They
refuse to delegate responsibility
Enthusiasm and
pride in your work are all well and good, but problems present themselves when
an employee is simply unwilling to share their workload. Micromanagement and
motivational leadership don’t mix well. Employees with real leadership
potential will acknowledge they can’t do everything themselves, and they’ll be
able to pinpoint the right co-worker to ask for help. Those who insist on
taking control of every aspect of a particular project will overburden themselves.
They will eventually suffer from burnout, and their colleagues will feel
undervalued and mistrusted.
They
aren’t able to take on board differing opinions
Leadership is a
collaborative effort. The “it’s my way or the highway” attitude doesn’t do much
to motivate innovation, independence or creativity. Employees who stubbornly
refuse to take on board the opinions and feedback of their colleagues or
supervisors will probably lack the flexibility required of an inspirational
leader.
They
focus on negatives
Optimists tend to
make better leaders than pessimists. They are solution-focused, they aren’t
risk averse, and they are great motivators.
With this in mind, keep an eye out for employees who focus on weaknesses. It is
much more favorable to demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of strength while making time to help co-workers
improve upon their development needs. Employees with great leadership potential
will be able to highlight areas for improvement without making the other party
feel inferior. They also won’t constantly call attention to it, to make themselves feel superior.
They
eagerly throw others under the bus
Terrible leaders
possess a grandiose sense of self-worth and never admit when they are at fault.
Visionary leaders take responsibility, and they actively protect and promote
their team. How does your employee fare in a teamwork setting? Are they eager
to point the finger, or are they keen to accept responsibility for team
failures and move on to resolving the problem at hand? Not only is this
mentality more conducive to quick problem-solving,
but it also builds trust and causes others in the team to feel more
secure, engaged, and loyal.
They’re
a poor communicator
Effective
communication is the most important quality for a leader to possess. Without
the ability to communicate properly, not only will leaders fail to gain a full,
comprehensive picture of workplace problems, they will also be unable to
motivate others. Even under difficult circumstances, leaders need to be able to
keep a level head. They need to communicate organizational aims and objectives,
and they need to reassure those around them.
Great
communicators know that communication isn’t just about talking. They need to be
able to listen and take on board the thoughts, feelings, and ideas of others.
If an employee spends hours on end closed off, away from their desk, or
ignoring emails and telephone messages, this indicates that open dialogue is
not a priority for them and they are unlikely to succeed as a leader.
Nick Davis is a Business Psychologist and
Director at Davis Associates, a Surrey-based HR consultancy in the UK. Davis
Associates works with companies of all sizes to inspire greater individual, Web: davisassociates.co.uk
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