Companies that invest in training and upskilling are more likely to retain workers and strengthen their workforce.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce offers the following approaches you can try to help employees develop their leadership skills.
- Create a mentor system. Mentoring programs are an easy way to help employees develop managerial and leadership potential by pairing high-potential employees with existing leaders in your company.
- Offer networking opportunities. Invite your potential leaders to conferences, events and executive meetings, which give your employees opportunities to network with others in the industry and within your organization. This exposure allows employees to observe and learn from a broader pool of leaders.
- Delegate and offer “stretch assignments.” Experience is crucial, so the best way to develop leaders is to give them opportunities to lead. Although delegating sometimes can be frustrating, devise a an organized approach to passing responsibilities to your team members. For example, you can use unique “stretch assignments,” which are specific tasks that require skills beyond the employee’s current level of development. Although it may make the employee uncomfortable, there can be a greater sense of accomplishment when he or she succeeds.
- Offer formal training. There are leadership courses available that focus on specific skills, as well as general approaches to management. Lectures, books, online courses and classroom training can help your employees develop in specific areas.
- Give and receive regular feedback. The traditional approach to leadership development follows the “70-20-10 rule,” which means your approach should consist of 70% on-the-job learning, 20% mentoring and 10% training. However, it is important to consider what works best for each person. Regularly ask for feedback from your team to determine what is working and adjust your plan accordingly.
