Developing Leaders

By Paul Bertrand

May 26, 2015

Recently I have been fortunate to be able to help young leaders in their new roles of being accountable for others.   I want to take this opportunity to recognize my clients who are investing in their leaders, especially offering some form of training or instructional basics to those who have never managed people.

Most of us have, at one point or another, read or heard the importance of strong leadership in business or organizations.  A common and imperative competency for many management roles, but yet I find it concerning that with new supervisors or managers this skill is often developed through his or her own experiences of seeing the skill, good or bad, by someone else.  Just imagine learning on how to ride a bike by simply looking at others on the bike path peddling along, and then one day someone tells you: “Get on the bike and make your way.” Great way to get a few bruises and falls.

It is sad to say that too often the individual with a new task of managing people is placed in a similar dilemma.  They behave the same manner that has been shown through their previous boss and hope for the best.  Depending on the leaders we worked with, it could have included a prevailing harsh atmosphere, with low appreciation.  In some cases, a leadership style simply unacceptable. An outdated command and control approach inherited from the industrial age. 

This may help us understand why in so many organizations leadership is understood to be a core value, but yet when employees are surveyed, so often this point is rated at a much lower level than expected.

Leadership development programs have proven to be among the most effective measures, providing lasting and measurable results. In a positive organization, every person promoted to a leading role would receive support through a coaching program.

New leaders need to know basic understanding built on respect and appreciative social interactions.  The key success factors of leadership explained and understood are essential for giving them the necessary confidence and certainty right from the beginning.

The key goal is to allow a new leader to understand people's motivators, hopes and difficulties and to create the right circumstances and support mechanisms to allow people to live up to their full potential. 

 

Is this not a correlation in improving profitability and productivity?

 Paul Bertrand is founder of Canadian People Management Inc. which is based out of Pickering, Ontario. His company specializes in new leader development tailored to strengthen his client’s cultures, leadership and teams.

www.cpeoplemi.com