We get this question a lot from our clients, so we thought I’d pass along this article about how to develop our superstar employees. One of our core responsibilities as a manager is to develop the next generation of leaders. Here are three strategies that they recommend for helping our superstar employees fulfill their potential?:
- Measure their progress against key leadership competencies. These include team management, relationship building, and communication. Identify where our high potentials are already strong and where they can continue to grow.
- Help them boost their emotional intelligence. Specifically, focus on their self-awareness and empathy. Self-awareness can be learned through feedback and assessments and empathy can be developed by focusing on inquiry, practicing active listening, and acknowledging different perspectives. For instance, we have engagements that leverage MBTI to increase self-awareness and empathy.
- Encourage a learning mindset. Becoming a leader requires growth beyond technical expertise. This means nudging high potentials to work and learn outside of their comfort zone. For instance, peer groups are one way to encourage them to get out of their day-to-day and learn from others.
Rather than rely on the old idea of ‘natural-born leaders’, we’re better served if we actively identify our superstars and invest in them becoming leaders. If not, someone else will.