There are many great leaders who lead things from small businesses to large countries. Each of those leaders had to start somewhere. Leadership starts at different stages for different people; some start learning as a small child while others may not start until adulthood. But regardless of when they start, its how they get there and where they finish that matters.
Leaders are ultimately responsible for developing the leaders of tomorrow. Leaders cannot be too consumed with themselves; they should be consumed with the organization and the subordinates. The leaders will guide their organization through today, but the subordinates will guide them though tomorrow, and if leaders don’t properly train their subordinates, it will ultimately lead to demise.
Just because people are in leadership positions doesn’t make them leaders. People are often placed into leadership positions well before they are ready to lead. But regardless, people will still look to them as their leader and expect them to lead them in the right direction. Take Eli Manning of the New York Giants for instance, who entered the NFL in 2004, but didn’t become a leader until 2007. He was placed in the key leadership position for the football team well before he was ready. The problem in his situation is that he didn’t have a chance to develop before he started to lead. His development started with “on the job training.” He spent the first 3 years of his career learning, fighting adversity, and trying to find himself, all while he was being further developed as a leader and learning how to lead. Furthermore, he lost some of his supporting cast around him to help guide him in the right direction. Instead of supporting him, they grew impatient and ridiculed him. With all the stress placed on him, he never quit; he kept learning. Finally in mid season of 2007, everything that he learned came together. He stood up and took his place as the leader of the New York Giants.
There are many ways leaders can develop subordinates’ leadership and show them how to lead. First and foremost, leaders must lead by their own example and give subordinates something to follow, because subordinates often times become a reflection of their leaders. They try and emulate and follow in their leaders’ footsteps. If leaders fail to properly set a good example for their subordinates, one of two things can happen. Their subordinates will become just like them and set a bad example. Or, their subordinates will not want to be like them. They just learned what not to do as a leader, which could result in them losing respect for their leaders.
To further develop subordinates, leaders must be approachable. Subordinates should be comfortable enough to be able to communicate with their leaders about anything. This is a major key to their success. This will help build trust and confidence on both sides. Once established, your relationship will continue to grow professionally, which will make them more receptive to their development and eager to learn.
Leaders have to teach them what they need to do without showing them how all the time. By just teaching them, you are allowing them to think and come up with their own ideas by exercising their mind, which will result in them utilizing initiative and judgment. Keep in mind, everyone doesn’t process things the same, so some subordinates will need more guidance, and require more attention and patience.
Leaders must be able to provide constructive criticism and twist it up and end on a positive note. When there are initiative and judgment errors, it is still the leaders’ job and responsibility to correct those errors and guide them in the right direction. However, leaders must not cause discouragement, because subordinates may develop confidence issues and no longer want to excel. Help them understand that all leaders make mistakes, but it’s what they learn and how they recover from them that matters.
Subordinates must be held accountable for their actions. Subordinates must also understand that it goes far beyond that. They are not just responsible for their actions but the actions of those they lead. Take Brett Favre for instance, the former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. When his team would lose, it was him, the quarterback, who took the responsibility because he was the leader of the team. It was ultimately his responsibility to teach, guide, mentor, and motivate while leading the team to success. After a loss, he would watch and analyze the entire game, the players, and the plays to come up with a solution to help prevent it from happening again. He would always try and find ethical ways to reach success. And after 17 years in the NFL, he only got better. That is passion. That is dedication. That is the job of a leader!
These are just a few things leaders can do to develop subordinate leaders. Leaders shouldn’t be afraid to do further research to educate themselves as well as their subordinates. No matter how good of a leader someone maybe, they should train their subordinates to be better. If they developed them properly, their legacy will live through them. And regardless if they chose to develop them or not, were they stand today is where their subordinates will stand tomorrow.
The Being a Better Leader area identifies a holistic approach to leadership which delves into strong people skills as well as practical, tactical and technical talents. The Getting Things Done area addresses strategy execution as a key to organizational success. Balancing Process & Results is a crucial leadership and organizational skill which helps define processes to increase the success and value of strategic execution while balancing what is truly required to achieve the desired outcome. With ever-changing environmental and economic challenges, organizations also need to excel in the Managing Risk area.
“At SPM Learning, we strive to educate organizations on the importance of leadership assessment and development by providing tools like the Leadership Assessment Tool download. This assessment tool walks through the key leadership needs for a healthy organization and allows the reader to assess their own organization in these areas,” says Catherine Daw, CEO and President of SPM Learning.
Daw continues, “We encourage CEOs to take the opportunity to download the free Leadership Assessment Tool so they can really start to explore their organization’s leadership skills and determine if they have the leaders in place to achieve the organization’s strategic vision.”
CEOs and executives interested in assessing and developing their organization’s leadership skills can download the Leadership Assessment for free at the Leadership Assessment download page. Interested parties can also contact a SPM Learning leadership specialist with any questions or to help with the Leadership Assessment by email at leadership-assessment(at)spmlearning(dot)com.
Business leadership development plays an integral part in the metamorphosis of a good manager into a great one. Many believe the terms leadership and management to be synonymous, though nothing could be farther from the truth. They are as different as night from day, and a good leader might not make a good manager and vice versa.
However, business leadership development planning can be used to improve the capability of managers to lead and become competent in dealing with people and persuasion rather than position and power. A good leader will have followers as distinct from the subordinates of managers, yet the two need not be mutually exclusive: A good manager can become a good leader, and the development of leadership will not only enhance your ability to lead people and organizations, but also to lead yourself.
Leading oneself is a concept that many find difficult to visualize, but to lead others you must first be able to successfully lead your own life. You must be aware of your strengths and weaknesses, possess self-confidence, but also display humility and not only accept criticism but learn from your successes and failures. You need people to follow you, and not only motivate teams to get things done that need to be done, but also get them to want to do what has to be done. To persuade rather than to order, and to lead them to want to do the right things rather than to do things right.
Although a business needs both management and leadership, it is sometimes necessary to focus more on one than on the other. A business might have a good management structure but little leadership, so will tend to stagnate over time. On the other hand it might have plenty of leadership and energy behind it, but because of poor management is unable to convert that leadership energy into results.
As previously stated, then, business leadership and management are not mutually exclusive, and not only does a business need both but a leadership development program can be used to combine good management skills with good leadership capabilities. Leadership can be learned. The concept of the 'born leader' is outdated, and leadership can be defined as forms of behavior in terms of skills that can be learned. Leadership development involves changing a candidate's behavior to acquire these skills, and achieve competence in leadership.
Being a good manager is not a prerequisite for a good leader, but neither is it a drawback, and the same person can possess both leadership and management skills. That is because both are learned and not innate in a person's character, so that managers can be developed by their businesses or corporations into leaders. In fact, the best managers are also good leaders.
Nevertheless, good leaders have often been found to possess a higher than average drive and more than the normal share of positive qualities. These traits are also frequently found in good managers, although the competencies needed for leadership can be taught by means of a well designed leadership development program.
Waiting for a leader to emerge naturally is neither economical nor desirable, and certainly not an effective way of planning the leadership structure of a business. If we take a military example, more leaders come out of a military academy than are promoted on the field by virtue of displaying strong leadership potential.
Good leaders should communicate well with those they are leading. Their thoughts and perceptions can help others to follow them. They should also have a positive and confident attitude and be able to instill their confidence in others. With that confidence should also come commitment, and leaders should be able to commit to their actions - committing with confidence breeds confidence in others.
It has also been said that leaders should have high moral standards because people will not follow those they do not respect. Furthermore, good leaders do more than just supervise or manage their teams: they feel a sense of responsibility, and in return the team members know that their leader cares for them and cares for the business. This renders it easier for people to follow rather than be led.
Video: Leadership Development: Employee Success is the Manager's Responsibility
It is important to understandleader follower development leadership theories in order to be successful in your business. Is there an at home business with no startup cost? Simply put, NO. However, there is an affordable home based business opportunity solution right here in this article. When first establishing yourself, you MUST understand what is entailed in owning your own homebusiness. Leader Follower Development Leadership Theories 90% of all new home business owners have absolutely NO leadership skills or experience. Therefore, it is YOUR responsibility to educate yourself. Leader follower development leadership theories prove that you must follow someone that is already successful to be successful yourself. You need a mentor or coach that has already proven to be fruitful in the biz.
An effective mentor or coach will take you on as if you were their child. If you do not flourish, they cannot succeed. Therefore, a clever mentor/coach will provide you with the proper leadership development training so that you grow as a victorious business owner. In turn, you will remain loyal to them because they have paved your road to success. Leadership Development Process for a Company of Any Kind
Before choosing a home business, do your research. What is important to you? Products? Compensation Plan? Bonuses? Once you have decided, look at the leaders within that company. Contact them. Yes – the big dogs. Don't be afraid. Just do it. If they are willing to take you on and are willing to train you, sign up. Make sure that your mentor has a system for marketing online and offline. This is REALLY important. A good mixture will guarantee your achievement. Inquire about their tactics and how much they will be involved in your training.
How Will Your Mentor Provide Leadership Development Training?
Once you have secured a spot in your desired company, you will be expected to put in a lot of leadership development training. There is a sizable learning curve at first, but soon enough, you will start running your business on autopilot. Your coach will point you in the right direction, but generally, you will need to schedule some time to develop personally each day. This is usually an half hour to an hour and a half each day. There are several ways to accomplish this cheaply or for even for FREE. Typical Leadership Development Process
One: There is a library full of information on leadership development training. Two: Usually, your coach will be using a system to market online and there is a ton of personal development available in the back offices of those systems (webinars, videos, slideshows, MP4s). Three: There is a little thing out there called the internet. That's right folks, the World-Wide Web. There are 7.5 billion people in existence, and 1.5 BILLION people using the internet. Find your leaders and choose one. Seek them out and contact them. It's up to you. You and ONLY you control your destiny.
Summary: Leadership Development Process for a Company
Is there an at home business with no startup cost? No. But, there is an affordable home-based business opportunity solution right here in this article. To summarize, leader follower development leadership theories points out that you must first recognize that you need a mentor/coach to pave your road to success. They will steer you in the right direction and are there so you may mimic what they do. You will then simulate their financial achievement. Your mentor will be there for you to triumph through thick and thin.
How do you retain and prepare your best talent to lead? Mentoring programs are one of the most effective tools in achieving business results. The authors of the book, War on Talent reported, "Of those who have had a highly helpful mentoring experience, 95 percent indicated it motivated them to do their very best, 88 percent said it made them less likely to leave their company, and 97 percent said it contributed to their success at the company."
Many organizations have discovered providing a mentor for high performing employees not only helps them settle into their job and company environment, but also contributes to a lower employee turnover rate and greater job satisfaction.
A mentor, basically, is someone who serves as a counselor or guide. Being asked to serve as a mentor is an honor. It indicates the company has faith in the person's abilities and trusts him or her to have a positive impact on the situation. The use of a mentor may be an informal, short-term situation or a more formal, long-term assignment.
In an informal mentoring program, the mentor usually helps the mentee for a limited period of time. Advice from the mentor may include the most basic of information about everyday routines including tips about "do's and don'ts" not found in the employee manual to helping the employee learn job responsibilities and prepare them for future roles in the organization. A mentor who is available to answer questions and provide leadership development also saves time for the supervisor or manager. In addition, mentees often feel more comfortable asking questions of their mentor than their supervisor.
In a program of this type, mentors often are volunteers. Forcing someone who does not want to serve as a mentor to do so can quickly create problems. Obviously, someone with a negative attitude, who might encourage a new employee to gripe and complain, should not serve as a mentor.
A more formal version of mentoring occurs when an organization appoints a senior manager with extensive knowledge and experience to serve as a mentor to a professional the company feels has excellent potential for growth. The mentor's role usually lasts for an extended period of time.
Effective mentoring programs must have senior level support from the beginning, otherwise it will fail to get the attention and support it needs to become part of the organization's culture. Experience shows the most effective mentoring programs are run by senior level executives, not just the human resources department.
Whether informal or formal, both parties need to understand the parameters. These may be more important in a long-term, formal mentoring situation, but can also influence the success of short-term, informal mentoring.
Select the right mentor. Not everyone makes a good mentor. A mentor is someone who is respected, successful and understands the culture of the organization. They must be willing to make a commitment of their time and knowledge.
Ensure proper pairing and create an emotional bond. It is helpful to conduct a behavioral assessment on both the mentee and mentor. This insures proper matching and helps both parties understand each other's communication styles, strengths and limitations.
Establish goals and a purpose. The mentor needs to outline these areas at the beginning. The goals should be in alignment with the strategic plan. Just as important, the protégé should outline their objectives as well.
The mentor's role is to coach and advise the men-tee. The mentor does not interfere with the supervisor or manager's decisions. The new employee, while expected to seek the mentor's advice particularly on critical issues, is not bound to accept that advice.
Confidentiality is important. Both parties need to feel confident that discussions remain between them--not immediately relayed to a supervisor or manager.
Decide in advance how you will communicate. Will you have regularly scheduled meetings? Will discussion be face-to-face, over the telephone or even via e-mail? Both parties need to make their preferences known at the beginning and reach an acceptable compromise if they are different.
Discuss time limits. If the mentoring period has a time limit the mentor should state that at the beginning.
Discuss time commitments. Again, this may be more critical for long-term, formal mentoring. The mentor must expect to give the employee adequate time, but the newcomer should not expect excessive amounts. Setting a schedule at the beginning (example: meet once a week the first month, then once a month after that) avoids irritating misunderstandings later.
Build openness and respect. Both the mentor and the person being mentored need to be open and honest, yet respect the other. A mentor who withholds important information or comments does not contribute to the other person's success. However, such feedback should be delivered with tact and courtesy--and (even if somewhat hurtful) received with an open mind.
Establish a professional relationship. The relationship between the mentor and his or her protégé is a professional one, not a personal one. This is particularly important for the mentee to understand.
Fortune 1000companies do not have enough leaders coming up through the ranks to fill open and future leadership positions, according to a survey by The CARA Group, Inc., a human performance consulting firm that partners with clients to create customized learning initiatives, including leadership development programs. To remedy the current lack of leadership skills and limited talent pipeline, caused in part by recession cuts to critical leadership programs, the survey reveals there is an emerging renewed commitment to leadership development among companies of all sizes.
The CARA survey, “The Rising Risk of a Double-Dip Leadership Crisis: A Pulse Survey on Exploring the Increased Focus on Leadership Development,” also explores how businesses are currently investing in leadership development, where they focus their resources and what critical gaps are emerging in leadership talent. Leadership, organizational development and training executives from Fortune 1000 companies participated in the survey.
CARA Senior Vice President Jane Ehrenstrom said, “The survey results are very promising in that organizations report they are taking necessary steps to quickly correct the current leadership skills gap. We are seeing firsthand that businesses understand the potential consequences of not developing high potential leadership talent. They are meeting the challenge with innovative programs to help cultivate the leaders needed to competitively drive their organizations into the future.”
Key findings of the 2012 CARA survey include:
More than half—62% of respondents—say their organizations face a leadership skills gap
84% of respondents say their organizations have increased leadership development focus in the last two to three years
Only 9% percent of respondents say their current leadership development programs are “very effective,” while 56% describe their programs as only “somewhat effective” or “ineffective”
The top three most critical skill gaps of leaders-in-training are leading others (54%), managing change (43%) and strategic planning/vision development (40%)
Online learning and development (66%) is the number one way companies are leveraging technology in their leadership development programs
Michelle Reid-Powell, Vice President of Talent Management and Organizational Effectiveness for CARA, said, “The survey revealed the need to significantly improve the quality of leadership development programs. Best practices from our client work indicate several ways to improve these programs, including elevating leadership as a differentiator in a company’s strategic plan, aligning leadership development programs with business objectives and strategic business vision, and creating formal mentoring programs. I expect that we’ll see these best practices implemented more widely as companies continue to expand their leadership development programs.”
CARA surveyed a diverse group of industries in the Fortune 1000, with the highest percentage representing the healthcare, insurance, pharmaceuticals and biotech, financial services and telecommunications industries. Companies who participated in the survey ranged from mid-sized companies to global enterprises exceeding $40 billion in revenue, and with employees ranging from less than 1,000 to more than 50,000.
They say that good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience. Managers who will be promoted are the ones who not only manage efficiently but also lead their teams effectively. They are the ones who inspire their workers into higher levels of teamwork. Effective leadership is one of the most important components of good teamwork.
The concept of teamwork is extremely important to the success of any team. Teamwork and unselfishness create the backbone of a great team, without them a team cannot realistically compete. Indeed, the nature of teams may be changing, but the underlying nature and benefits of teams are not.
Good teamwork starts with a shared understanding of its importance. Many organizations recruit people with an aptitude for and leaning towards teamwork. Although team members have clear and designated responsibilities, they help others when required. Good teamwork behavior is recognized and rewarded. Teamwork is built into the organisation culture, and it has to be carefully nurtured.
Again, a productive team has members that share common goals, a common vision, and have some level of interdependence that requires both verbal and physical interaction. They may come together for a number of different reasons, but their goals are the same. Similarly, the ends may differ but the means by which one gets there is the same –teamwork. This is the first step to leadership and team development. In whatever setting, effective teamwork can produce incredible results.
