Identifying Leadership Potential

Organisations need leaders, teams need leaders, projects need leaders.  People need leaders. Plural.

Organisations often make the mistake of looking for talent only for top positions, yet most of the work in the organisation, most of the ideas, drive and customer contact takes place away from the boardroom.  To run a successful leadership programme you need to include people throughout the organisation, at all levels, not just in management or supervisory roles.

So how do you identify the people with leadership potential?

Firstly focus on values.  Individuals can develop leadership skills, but you'll need them to lead people in the right way and take them to the right places.  People who exhibit the values of the organisation and who are already acting as role models in their own peer group will absorb leadership training better and deliver results quicker for you.

Next take a look at appetite.  Leaders are passionate.  Passionate about success, passionate about ideas, passionate about people and passionate about getting better. People who volunteer to try new processes, take on new projects, tackle problems and coach new people are natural leaders, who will make the most of any leadership training programme offered to them, and will bring your return on investment quicker.

Finally take a look at who can be spared to commit the time and headroom needed to attend a leadership programme. People who have plenty of spare time are not the ones you should be spending your leadership training budget on.  Look for busy people that others rely on. Watch out for the individuals that people turn to when difficult decisions have to be made and tough customers problems need to be addressed.  Their colleagues recognise their leadership potential instinctively.  Their managers may not want to spare them, but the organisation’s long term need is greater.

For help in developing a leadership programme that works for your organisation, and the potential leadership talent within it or to get more details on Structured Training’s proprietary leadership framework 4SLeadership please contact:

Claudine McClean
T:  01789 734300
E:  claudinem@structuredtraining.com