Where is the second layer of leaders?

The impressive growth of IT in India has a challenging secondary effect too, the missing second layer of leaders. The IT growth is led by strong leadership in the industry but there is tiny or no tag-team to follow. Most companies are running a risk falling by the way side if they don’t urgently focus on future business leadership to run their businesses. IT Companies have had understandably a techno-focus but ignoring to build a corporate leadership can have deeper connotations. Techno-focus sometimes scores hugely over operations, business, and finance which is lowered in the value chain. The development of leaders in many Indian companies have trailed behind the quest of technical excellence. 

Technology companies hoping to see themselves beyond two decades must find ways to develop leaders who will lead them to that next level. It should workout models that ensure at least 30% of their workforce is leadership capable. So what is causing this breakdown in the leadership pipeline? Sadly Indian companies suffer from their own huge successes that has brought about a singular focus of technology for growth and productivity. The companies have therefore missed on developing next generation of executives. The advantage of hiring low cost technical workforce is obvious in rapidly growing industry. India’s young workforce is under prepared and lack familiarity with institutional management or even English language, which does not make them leadership equipped.

Industry leaders of today are ceased of the problem, but are unsure on how to resolve it. Firstly they must put holistic leadership development practice in place. The plan should be build a sustainable pipeline of leaders through the hierarchy of the company. A well-knit second layer of leaders should be consciously built who will compliment the the top leadership and form a bench of high potential middle cadre. This should also create opportunities for technical specialists to go beyond the glass ceiling.

Firstly raise the bar for the HR. The hiring process in any company is and should be the most important company building activity. So, it’s advantageous that the HR find a place in the management board and HR’s limited role must convert into strategic planning process. The HR must hunt for technical engineers trained to pursue excellence in innovation and also have evidences of dynamism. HR must raise communication skills top point number three in the job description and promise to give it an enhanced weightage. The on-boarding programme is next most important thing for new hires, the CEO should get more involved here. 

The leaders are known for their own distinctive style and they carefully build their own personal brand image. Because leadership is distinct it can only be imbibed and refined with experience. The reason I say this is to stop you from rushing off to personality and leadership programmes, because it can never be taught in classroom. The CEO and corporate leaders must step up and share their fruitage with their teams and lift them, they are the best teachers. Leaders who are charismatic are known for their extraordinary enthusiasm that they can inject into the teams. A leader must embrace more communications with the teams. They should share policy formulation with select second layer in order to expose them to decision making. A good leader should be very concerned about developing their second layer into leaders of future by inspiring, trusting and believing in them.

“The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.”