What do you do if your team needs to develop its leadership skills?

Para mejorar las habilidades de liderazgo de mi equipo, promuevo un programa de mentoría cruzada donde cada miembro es emparejado con otro de un departamento diferente. Esto fomenta la diversidad de perspectivas y el intercambio de conocimientos. Los mentores comparten experiencias y consejos, mientras que los mentees aprenden nuevas habilidades y enfoques de liderazgo. Esta colaboración interdepartamental fortalece la cohesión del equipo y promueve un liderazgo más inclusivo y adaptable.

Building a Strong Team: Assessing Strengths and Weaknesses A strong team is the backbone of any successful organization. But how do you ensure your team is equipped with the necessary leadership skills to thrive? The answer lies in a clear evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses.

Utilize tools like surveys, feedback sessions, or self-assessments to evaluate performance across various leadership aspects: communication, collaboration, decision-making, problem-solving, and innovation. This assessment provides valuable insights into areas of strength and improvement, guiding targeted efforts to enhance leadership capabilities within the team.

In my experience, encouraging team members to take on leadership roles in projects and providing constructive feedback can also contribute to their development.

Leadership skills are a broad set of capabilities, so first, narrow in on what specific skill(s) your team would benefit from developing more competency in. Then, look for the skills that support individual career progression AND the company's success. Working on skill sets that benefit individuals and the company can translate into a game-changing combination for everyone. Why? Because everyone loves to win - that's not hype, that's just true! Give it a try and see how building specific leadership skills will create a buzz for your team and post improvements in your company KPIs and critical initiatives. Winning is FUN!

Establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives that align with your team's vision, mission, and values. These goals should outline desired outcomes and milestones for enhancing leadership capabilities within the team, providing a clear roadmap for focused efforts and measurable progress.

In addition to being SMART or CLEAR, goals should be checked for their ecology. Ask yourself these questions before you solidify the goal. 1. Is this goal good for me? 2. Is this goal good for the team? 3. IS this goal good for the organization? 4. Is this goal good for the environment? If the answer is "no" at any point, then give the goal more thought and consider revising it.

One noteworthy goals framework is CLEAR goals. CLEAR is an agile and flexible approach, suitable for fast-paced and rapidly changing environments like startups. COLLABORATIVE: Goals should encourage teamwork and collective effort rather than individual work. LIMITED: Constrain goals in scope and duration to ensure focus. EMOTIONAL: Goals should resonate emotionally, enhancing motivation and commitment. APPRECIABLE: Large goals are broken down into smaller tasks, making momentum clearer. REFINABLE: Set goals expecting adjustments in response to changing conditions or insights. CLEAR promotes flexibility and strong alignment of efforts to overarching organization goals. CLEAR emphasizes adaptability, inspiration, and big-picture alignment.

Using SMART goals is the most optimal method of setting goals in order to develop leadership skills in the workplace. Setting these goals should align with the organisation's values and mission. Not only should these gals be to make the organisation more organised and productive, but for leadership skills to be fostered within the team. Provide a clear roadmap for the team to focus their efforts onto where you can measure their progress.

It is smart to set goals clearly, realistically and agile. By being agile, we are being responsive and flexible in meeting the demands of change; especially in turbulent and unstable environment. Therefore, set for small wins. Any changes required would be easier to manage. Achieving it seems more possible and once we do, we are one step closer to reach the desired end goal!

Various options like online courses, workshops, seminars, books, podcasts, or videos offer valuable information, tips, and insights on leadership. Choose resources aligned with your team's learning preferences and objectives, ensuring they cover relevant topics and provide practical tools and techniques for skill enhancement. Encourage active participation and ongoing learning to maximize the impact of these resources.

When your team needs a leadership boost, think beyond traditional workshops. Create a space where team members lead projects outside their comfort zones, supported by feedback and reflection sessions. Pair them with mentors who can challenge and guide. Encourage them to consume diverse leadership content, from podcasts to biographies, then share insights in regular "idea exchanges." Encourage peer feedback, where constructive criticism and compliments flow freely. Leadership should never be about titles - focus on action, growth, and influence. Empower your team to take small leadership steps daily, and watch those steps transform into strides.

Tailor leadership development programs to address the specific needs and learning styles of your team members, incorporating a blend of formal training, coaching, mentoring, and experiential learning opportunities. Explore external resources such as workshops, seminars, online courses, and industry-specific conferences to expose your team to diverse perspectives and best practices in leadership.

Experiment with unconventional methods such as role-playing scenarios or simulations to develop leadership skills in a practical setting. Integrate peer-to-peer learning programs where team members can share their expertise and learn from each other. Leverage virtual reality (VR) technology for immersive leadership training experiences, especially beneficial for distributed teams.

Imagine you're the captain of a ship, and your crew needs to sharpen their navigation skills. ?? First, assess their strengths and weaknesses. ?? Next, choose the right tools—whether it's charts, compasses, or GPS systems—to guide them. ?? Consider their learning styles and preferences. ?? Finally, enlist a seasoned navigator to provide personalized guidance and support. It's smooth sailing ahead when you equip your team with the best resources for their leadership journey.

The Balanced Scorecard developed by Robert Kaplan and David Norton provides a comprehensive approach to strategic planning and performance management. BSC translates an organization's strategic objectives into performance measures across 4 areas: financial, customer, internal processes, and learning & growth. BSC align actions with strategic goals. The BSC can be adapted to measure leadership skill development. E.g., under "learning & growth", companies can track leadership training hours, program participation rates, and employee satisfaction with initiatives. Under "internal processes", companies can monitor indicators relating to coaching engagement, assignment completion, and integration of leadership principles into operations.

Designate a leadership development champion or team responsible for overseeing the implementation of the development plan and providing ongoing support to participants. Regularly track and evaluate the effectiveness of the development activities, soliciting feedback from participants and stakeholders to make necessary adjustments and improvements.

In my outsourcing business, I ensure the implementation of our leadership development plan by scheduling regular training sessions and workshops where my team can hone their skills. For example, we might have role-playing exercises to practice effective communication or problem-solving scenarios to enhance decision-making abilities. Additionally, I monitor progress through feedback sessions and surveys to gauge their satisfaction and engagement levels. By actively tracking their improvement and adjusting our approach as needed, I empower my teammates to grow and excel in their leadership roles.

Transforming your leadership plan into action? Make it count: ?? Regular sessions foster skill application. ?? Engage in real-world activities for hands-on learning. ?? Monitor team satisfaction and performance closely. ?? Gauge progress with surveys, feedback, and metrics. ?? Adapt strategies based on tangible improvement.

Utilize agile methodologies for iterative implementation, allowing for flexibility and adaptation as needed. Implement regular check-ins using pulse surveys or brief stand-up meetings to gauge progress and address any emerging challenges promptly. Consider appointing a dedicated mentor or coach to provide personalized guidance and support throughout the implementation process.

Look for micro cheers as well. Special sticker, memes, out-loud praise on 1:1. It's important to recognise steps in right direction, to accelerate!

Ready to celebrate your team's victories? Here's how to do it right: ?? Acknowledge and appreciate their efforts and growth. ?? Offer positive and constructive feedback for continuous improvement. ?? Celebrate milestones, project completions, or problem-solving achievements. ?? Use incentives like recognition, bonuses, or thoughtful gifts to keep them motivated and inspired.

"Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary." – Margaret Cousins. Celebrating and giving rewards for your team's achievements and progress also helps to boost your team's leadership skills. You should always remember to say thank you and show that you see how hard they've worked and what they've accomplished in becoming better leaders.

Success isn't the finish line, it's a fueling station. As thought leaders, champion the power of celebrating wins, big or small. Recognition reinforces positive behaviors, reignites motivation, and fuels the collective drive to achieve even more. It's about creating a culture of appreciation where high fives and rewards become stepping stones to future triumphs.

I think we underestimate the power of acknowledging effort and results. People perform much better when they know they will be given credit for their outputs. They do because their work publicly reflects directly on them. Some even surpass their personal expectations. I've been told constantly giving credit creates unhealthy competition, but I don't agree. If we all get credit for what we personally contribute, how does that equate to competition? If you're happy with your contribution, you'll be satisfied with your acknowledgment. If you're not satisfied with your contribution, it's up to you to improve it. You're only up against yourself and your personal expectations. Sincere, public acknowledgment boosts productivity. Guaranteed.

In our business, I prioritize continuous improvement by regularly reviewing and revising our leadership development plan. For instance, after a training session, I gather feedback from team members to understand what worked well and what areas need improvement. If certain methods aren't yielding the desired results, I'm open to trying new approaches or incorporating additional resources. By staying adaptable and receptive to feedback, I demonstrate the importance of ongoing growth and empower my teammates to actively participate in shaping our collective leadership journey.

Encourage open and constructive feedback sessions to gather insights on the effectiveness of the leadership development initiatives. Implement regular debrief sessions after completing leadership training exercises to reflect on lessons learned and identify areas for improvement. Foster a culture of continuous improvement by soliciting suggestions for refining the leadership development plan from team members at all levels.

Periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership development plan against established goals. Solicit feedback from participants to identify strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement. Adjust the plan based on feedback and evolving organizational needs to ensure continuous growth and development.

Introduce peer-to-peer coaching sessions where team members pair up and provide constructive feedback to each other. For instance, Sarah, a seasoned team member, could coach John, who is relatively new to the team, on enhancing his communication skills during team meetings. In return, John could offer Sarah insights on leveraging technology for project management, showcasing mutual learning and growth. This fosters a supportive environment where team members actively engage in each other's development, enhancing overall leadership capabilities organically.

Schedule periodic reviews to assess the impact of leadership development efforts on individual and team performance, making adjustments to the plan as needed to address emerging needs or changing priorities. Encourage open communication and feedback loops to solicit input from team members on the effectiveness of the development initiatives and areas for improvement.

I have always believed in the power of tailored growth plans, combining formal training, mentorship, and real leadership challenges. Encouraging my team to step up, learn through doing, and openly share feedback has been crucial. Celebrating each milestone keeps us motivated and committed to evolving.

First establish if they actually want to become leaders at all. If they do, work with them to create a plan that creates opportunities for them to experience the responsibilities in a safe environment. Coach and mentor them through a variety of real world scenarios and have them take the lead on innovation projects so that they can feel what it is like to be held accountable for vision, strategy and team morale. Also, if you have the right network of contacts, connect them with other leaders in their area of expertise so that they can get a cross-section of perspectives. Having a transparent understanding of both the ups and downs of leadership will help them plot their ideal development path - with eyes wide open.

Bill Gates said, "Everyone needs a coach. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast or a bridge player. We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve." Coaching is a highly impactful way to develop leadership skills for every level of your team. Investing in coaching provides individualized guidance and support, clear accountability mechanisms, and helps individuals identify and overcome specific challenges. By working closely with expert coaches, teams gain valuable insights, refine leadership styles, and enhance communication and decision-making. Coaching fosters self-awareness and confidence, empowering teams to lead effectively and contribute meaningfully to a team's success.

Your team needs constant development of leadership skills. After all, we are all leaders in some specific areas and it's great to keep everyone ready to lead the way depending on the need. I have always liked to create an environment of constant improvement and that involves both individual as well as team advancement. Take the time to meet each team member and know them as a person--instead of as an extension of your-self so that you can best match opportunities to continue to develop leadership skills.

Foster a Culture of Learning: Encourage a growth mindset within your team, where learning and development are valued. Provide Opportunities for Practice: Give team members opportunities to take on leadership roles in projects or initiatives. This allows them to apply their learnings in real-world scenarios and gain valuable experience. Offer Constructive Feedback: Provide regular and constructive feedback to help team members identify areas for improvement and celebrate their progress. Feedback should be specific, actionable, and delivered in a supportive manner. Lead by Example: As a leader, you set the tone for your team. Demonstrate the leadership skills you want to see cultivated by being a role model yourself.