The CEO’s most important job is to groom team members for more responsibility, for leadership roles and simply to do a better job day-to-day. And when times are tough, our people need more from us. That’s especially true when we ask them to take on more duties, swim in uncharted waters and excel at everything. Here’s what you, as the leader, need to do to make sure your next-level leaders achieve:
MAKE TIME.
We know it’s important to have regular meetings with direct reports to give direction and feedback. Yet when we get stretched, it’s often the internal meetings we wipe off our schedules first. Plan to increase your time with employees when you ask them to stretch their skills. Meet at least once a week for an hour and give ad hoc feedback frequently.
FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT OF FEEDBACK.
Make it part of your company’s culture to give continuous feedback, both positive and negative. If that seems out of reach, at least foster feedback with direct reports and those you mentor. Frame this feedback as a positive: you’re giving these because people more attention because you see that they have what it takes to succeed. Feedback is the ultimate compliment. It means someone cares about your development.
DON ‘T HOLD BACK YOUR PLAN FOR SOMEONE.
If you tell a rising leader that you see unique capabilities in her and have a plan for her growth, it’s much likely that she’ll get there. Let your high potential employees know what is possible for them, and you’ll increase their confidence and success rate.
BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED.
This is neither a time to manage nor to sit back and see what someone can do. Be clear and specific about what the person needs to do to achieve the goals you’ve set for her. Lay out the vision and skills she must develop, and have her repeat back to you what she heard. You want to avoid misunderstandings at all costs, they waste time and take you off track.
MATCH POTENTIAL LEADERS WITH OTHER MENTORS.
Use you reach to find other performers, inside or outside the company, to act as mentors, modeling other’s behavior is one of the best ways to learn, so encourage your people to find role models. Because the CEO often has a strong network, you cab be a powerful facilitator in this process
INVEST IN TRAINING OR COACHING.
This is what I do for a living, so I’m biased. I’ve seen the enormous demand- and- effects- of leadership development on high potential professionals. It’s much more common, and often has more impact, than corrective coaching. You can contract for a tailored leadership training programme, individual of both. There are also countless management training programmes to which you can send employees.
If forecast are correct, the current economic environment isn’t going to end soon. We will need our people to stretch and grow. There may never be a more critical time to focus on developing your bench strength. Do it, and you’ll emerge even stronger than before.
