A confident manager doesn’t just strive to get the job done, but truly invests in the future of his or her team. Having reached a high position, that individual should use the knowledge and skills learned along the way to help others succeed as well.
Not all supervisors make the effort to do so, but they don’t realise that the more competent their employees become, the more productive the entire department will be. Therefore, managers should look for qualified candidates, and train them to become leaders themselves.
Follow this guide to help your staff obtain leadership qualities.
Pick a worthwhile candidate – You have probably worked long enough to realise that not everyone is able to become a leader. Certain people simply do not want the responsibility of managing others, while others want to, but cannot. They may lack the ability or understanding to take on the necessary responsibility or hard work, or simply not possess the communication skills needed for this role. Therefore, you need to pick the perfect candidate before wasting time training the wrong one.
Remind them to listen – Everyone knows that a leader is nothing without the team. Therefore, it is imperative that you teach the potential candidate that he or she must always remember to listen to the people being managed. Certain individuals can quickly change in positions of power, and only care about their own agenda. Explain to the person you are training that checking in and conferring with their teams is important for the overall success of the company.
Educate them about having a plan – A great leader always has a plan for success, and then a backup plan. Whether it is meeting a sales, performance or production quota, the right candidate will have a vision, and strive to achieve it. You must educate the individual to be able to come up with a fair and realistic plan, and then share it with the rest of the team so the entire department is on the same page.
Teach them to direct – The most important skill a leader must have is the ability and power to direct. Instil in the person the understanding that he or she is the head of the department or team, and with that responsibility comes the power to direct others. A leader must be able to make a quick decision without second guessing him or herself, must be firm and fair with others, should be able to handle issues among employees, and be able to hire and fire staff.
Many people say that leaders are born and cannot be trained. This may be true to a certain extent, and some people simply cannot be leaders. However, even those that show true promise in the position need the guidance of a senior employee to become an effective and fair boss to others.
About the contributor: MTD Training is an award-winning management and sales training specialist, having helped more than 250,000 staff from 9,000 different companies, in over 25 different countries and counting. To find out more, visit www.mtdtraining.com.
