Developing new team leaders is a crucial task for any organization that wants to grow and thrive. Team leaders are responsible for motivating, guiding, and empowering their team members to achieve their goals and contribute to the organizational culture. But how do you identify, train, and support potential team leaders? Here are some tips to help you develop new team leaders in your organization.
Before you start looking for new team leaders, you need to assess your current and future needs. What are the skills, competencies, and qualities that you expect from your team leaders? What are the gaps and challenges that your teams are facing? How do you measure the performance and impact of your team leaders? By answering these questions, you can create a clear profile and criteria for your ideal team leaders.
Team leadership is a complex activity and frequently under-estimated. Most people consider the leadership and management of individuals. This includes performance management, career development and motivating individuals. In addition there is the skill of managing the team. This is where the real differentiator is. Harnessing the various individuals into a team where their dynamics contribute to unleashing the potential synergy through collaboration is the reward. Finally teams are never in vacuums. Good team leaders are aware of the system in which they operate and manage the various stakeholders and elements effectively. It takes time to become skilled in all this. New leaders require long term development , support and encouragement.
Ideally, I believe leaders are grown and not found. So from the very start of the building of the team - one must plant the seeds of leadership. A team of young self-starters who have been taught the basic principles of leadership incrementally and on the job provides for a very fertile ground for the natural proliferation of future leaders. Some might say they will get poached - I say if we all had this approach…our industries would be richer for it as the talent would move within it.
As leaders, in order to develop new leaders, it's imperative to actively identify individuals demonstrating a willingness to assume responsibility, exhibit accountability in task completion, display a drive for personal growth, and showcase mentoring abilities along with critical thinking skills. Once identified, it's crucial to nurture these individuals by assigning them additional responsibilities aligned with future roles. This involves coaching, providing guidance, offering corrective feedback when errors occur, and observing their responses to feedback as part of their developmental journey.
Developing new team leaders involves identifying potential, providing targeted training, and fostering mentorship. Encourage gradual decision-making, promote effective communication, and instill a shared vision and values. Regular feedback, create a supportive environment, and emphasize adaptability and continuous learning. Recognizing the achievements to reinforce positive leadership behavior in a dynamic, evolving process. One of the most important factor for Team leader is having Integrity. This is something which comes within after alot of practice. Team Leader who has integrity he/she can work in a any situation irrespective of messy roads ahead.
Finding potential, training?and gauging mentorship are all part of developing new team leaders. Experience can be acquired by new leaders through practical tasks, feedback meetings, and independent decision-making. While leadership abilities are strengthened through team-building and conflict-resolution exercises, communication and crisis management skills are refined. KPIs can be used to measure success, and employee well-being, creativity, and adaptability, thus need to share the construction feedback on the basis of KPIs and so the follow up!
Once you have a profile and criteria for your team leaders, you can start identifying potential candidates within your organization. You can use various methods to spot talent, such as performance reviews, feedback surveys, peer nominations, or self-assessments. Look for people who demonstrate leadership potential, such as initiative, creativity, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability. You can also consider diversity and inclusion factors, such as gender, ethnicity, age, and background, to ensure that your team leaders reflect your organizational culture and values.
One of the important qualities I look for while choosing a leader. - Integrity - Curious - Challenging my perspective - Conflict management - Collaborative - Inclusive
One of the best team–leads I’ve worked with was fresh out of university. Despite her limited professional experience, I promoted her from junior specialist to team lead, because I knew she had: 1. The skill-set 2. The motivation 3. The right mindset She rose to the challenge and the team flourished. In my experience so far, team leads rarely come out of the blue, delivered to you by savvy recruiters. More often than not, people on your team have the potential to fill the team lead shoes. And it’s up to you to identify, nourish, and develop their skills. Scan for and nurture these 6 skills: 1. Communication – both with team mates and client-facing 2. Decision-making 3. Problem solving 4. Curiosity 5. Integrity 6. Empathy
Leaders do not develop on their own and rather require a mix of training, mentorship and hands-on experience on different tasks/projects. Pairing them with experienced mentors, instilling confidence, coaching them and imparting feedback are key to developing people that you see potential in. Rightly said- You should never need to hire leaders, you create them.
I would add to this list of skills curiosity and proactivity. Team leads would need to understand the level of decisions they can take themselves and the ones they need to run by their manager. Being curious about the global vision and plans of the company beyond the team is essential to grow as a good team lead.
Whenever you are deciding to appoint someone as a leader. You must look for these quality:- 1. Proactive :- So that he can identify opportunity and threat ASAP. 2. Good Communicator :-While communicating with different team members he can assess the quality of each and every members. It will help in segregation of duties and also help in preventing misleading of information 3. Deal with people:- know how to deal with people. so that he can solve their problem and understand their query as well. 4. Time management:- He know how to manage time efficiently and use it productively. 5. Doer:- The most important thing is that he should be the doer.
After you have selected your potential team leaders, you need to provide them with training and mentoring opportunities to help them develop their skills and confidence. You can design a tailored training program that covers topics such as goal-setting, delegation, feedback, conflict resolution, and team building. You can also pair them with experienced mentors who can offer guidance, advice, and support. Additionally, you can encourage them to seek feedback, learn from mistakes, and celebrate successes.
In my experience, if you are to create effective and well rounded team leaders you have to give them a piece of your own seed. This idea assumes of course that you yourself are an effective team leader and have values and attributes that others would like to gain and that should be passed down. My own mantras formulate from the idea of ethical leadership and collective gain. I try pass these down as much as I can. I aim to train team leaders in values-based decision-making, effective communication, and inclusive collaboration. The goal is to build and encourage empathy, promote a culture of accountability but to never build the acceptance or tolerance of mediocrity or laziness.
It also helps to provide the entire team with workshops to establish a common language and understanding of what culture, leadership and success look like for the group. As the group learns and grows together, becoming better at communication and conflict resolution, you create an environment in which it is easier for future leaders to emerge and show their interest and skill in uplifting others.
Beyond training or mentoring, it is usually also helpful to reflect on our own past and current leaders and identify the patterns that we admire or disagree with in order to fashion our own individual leadership style. It's definitely not a one size fits all and being conscious early on about that would help fully absorb and put in practice training and advice.
Once potential team leaders are identified, investing in their growth is crucial. Designing a personalised training program that encompasses essential areas like goal-setting, delegation, feedback, conflict resolution, and team building empowers them with the necessary skills. Pairing them with experienced mentors adds a valuable dimension, providing guidance, advice, and support rooted in practical experience. Promoting a culture of seeking feedback, learning from mistakes, and celebrating successes fosters continuous improvement and confidence building. This holistic approach ensures that your emerging leaders are well-equipped to navigate the challenges and responsibilities of their roles ????
Training employees to become new team leaders should be an iterative process that includes continuous evaluation and adaptation. Start with foundational leadership training, covering essential skills and competencies. Following initial training, assign them to lead small projects or teams, allowing practical application of learned skills. After each project, conduct review sessions to discuss outcomes, challenges, and lessons learned. Incorporate feedback from peers and supervisors to identify areas for growth. Adjust training content and focus based on this feedback, introducing advanced modules as needed. This process ensures ongoing growth and refinement of leadership abilities, tailored to individual growth plus organizational needs.
Another way to develop new team leaders is to assign them challenging projects that require them to apply their skills and knowledge in real situations. You can give them projects that involve leading a small team, managing a budget, delivering a presentation, or implementing a change. You can also expose them to different departments, functions, and stakeholders to broaden their perspective and network. Make sure to provide clear expectations, resources, and feedback along the way.
One of the easiest way to get a person to learn is to let them navigate the tough scenarios. Include them in the decision making process, get them to work out means and ways to tackle the scenarios, let them experience the emotion of being not just accountable for themselves anymore but for a team. Step back enough but be there to provide the support they need to succeed.
Stretch assignments are one of the best ways to sponsor a talented developing leader but supporting them is critical to their success as is making sure they are given the room to learn from their mistakes. Too often I see people fail in stretch roles because they weren’t given room to learn on the job. We should challenge leaders to develop but we can’t set them up to fail.
Leaders do not develop in a vacuum. They need you. They need your input. They need your feedback. You cannot just wind them up and let them go. Be intentional with their growth. And be intentional with the support you provide along the way.
Assigning challenging projects is a valuable strategy to cultivate new team leaders. By entrusting them with tasks such as leading a small team, managing a budget, delivering presentations, or driving change, they gain practical experience in real-world scenarios. Exposure to different departments, functions, and stakeholders enhances their perspective and expands their professional network. Clear communication of expectations, provision of necessary resources, and regular feedback ensure that these emerging leaders are well-supported and can navigate the complexities of diverse projects, fostering both skill development and confidence????
-) Gradually increase responsibilities of the potential candidates to allow them to gain hands-on experience which can include overseeing a small project or leading specific team initiatives -) Provide opportunities for them to make decisions and learn from both success and failures -) Involve them in performance evaluation processes, feedbacks and weekly performance review sessions to provide them with valuable insights, enhance their learning and encourage them to take on leadership roles.
Finally, you need to evaluate and reward your new team leaders for their efforts and achievements. You can use various tools and methods to measure their progress and impact, such as surveys, interviews, reports, or metrics. You can also solicit feedback from their team members, mentors, and managers to identify their strengths and areas for improvement. Based on the evaluation results, you can reward your new team leaders with recognition, promotion, or compensation. You can also provide them with ongoing support and development opportunities to help them grow and excel.
Concluding the leadership development cycle involves a thorough evaluation and recognition of new team leaders. Employing tools like surveys, interviews, reports, and metrics allows for a comprehensive assessment of progress and impact. Soliciting feedback from team members, mentors, and managers provides valuable insights into strengths and areas for improvement. Recognizing achievements through means like public acknowledgment, promotions, or compensation reinforces their contributions. Additionally, offering ongoing support and development opportunities ensures a continuous growth trajectory for these leaders, fostering sustained excellence in their roles????
At Reach Financial, we evaluate team leads through a comprehensive review that assesses their performance and leadership effectiveness, including how well they embody our core values. Our rewards system considers both individual achievements and team success, ensuring fair and meaningful recognition. Rewards include bonuses, public recognition, professional development opportunities, and roles for further impact. This approach aligns with our commitment to empathy, transparency, and empowerment.
Evaluating is essential for all levels in a structured way in which both employee and employer take time to reflect on skills and accomplishments. A 360 survey is also a powerful tool to assess leadership skills. I would also add that regular 1 on 1 meetings dedicated to regular advice, coaching and feedback would go a long way to speed up the growth and put the leader in the best position to exercise his new role in alignment with his manager.
I always suggest the 360 degree feedback / survey, which basically does the following: Receive evaluation for an individual from: 1. Their peers 2. Their subordinates 3. Their direct managers 4. Members from other teams they work with This is to really give a chance to properly evaluate someone, very beneficial.
Building stronger workplace relationships and managing conflicts can help you lead a team well. Good leaders regularly focus on team dynamics. The ability to understand how your team operates and recognise when team members are facing challenges can help you build a productive team.
A Leader is followed due to his influence & not due to fear.As a mentor, I have created excellent Managers & Leaders of people. Here a few tips to leave a lasting legacy of leaders: - be the person for them, the one you wished you had in your life - focus on individuals not only as a group - identify specific skills - encourage participation in discussions, debates & challenge their opinions - timely feedback is critical - mentoring doesn’t need to be only within your team, it can be a person you know outside work - don’t tell, show - don’t command, lead - show gratitude, say “Thank you, well done” - build inclusive & diverse community - give voice to everyone - hire talent on attitude - harness the power of effective communication
For me, the most interesting part of developing new leaders within your organization is the dynamics of freedom and control. New team leaders need the freedom to exercise their skills, to come up and test new ideas, and to bring change. You need to give them the space to do that. Step back, delegate as many tasks as you can, define your expectations, and let them shine. New team leaders also need handrails. They need to feel your unwavering support and hear your reassurance. This dance, the choreography of stepping back and stepping in, is what I find most fascinating and exiting in the process.
Another important ingredient is supporting efforts to build strong networks - having a cohort of peers to rely on for support, accountability, and partnership is key.
As a mentor of new leaders don't force your way of thinking and doing upon them. A leader should develop their own style of leadership as it should be authentic and not something that was taught in a classroom. In that way.. you as a mentor might learn something from your new leader as well!
Identifying new team leaders is a critical process that involves assessing potential candidates' skills, behaviours, and attributes. Here are steps and strategies to help identify new team leaders effectively: Define leadership criteria, observe performance and behaviour, solicit feedback, conduct assessments, review work history and achievements, evaluate engagement and ambition, run leadership development programs, monitor results and change, and create a leadership pipeline. By following these steps, you can systematically identify and develop new team leaders, ensuring your organisation has a robust pipeline of capable and motivated leaders ready to step into leadership roles as needed.