Developing others in leadership is the #1 most impactful thing you can do. Full stop!
As leaders, it’s easy to lose sight of this.
It’s easy to think our job is really about solving problems. On other days, you may focus more on guiding the team with savvy strategies.
In reality, our true focus should always be on developing our people.
Why?
Because no matter how large your impact is as a leader…you are not scalable!
You can’t be everywhere at once, or do everything at once.
By growing your people, you can make a greater impact than you ever could on your own or with a team that never develops.
If you’re truly successful, you’ll help grow the next generation of leaders. These people will go on to grow OTHER teams and develop new leaders on their own.
The end result is exponential growth. So how can you take tangible steps to grow your team? Here are a few simple ways to get started developing others in leadership.
Developing Others in Leadership Tip #1 – Lead by Example
If you want people to grow, they need a strong example to follow. Think about someone who has helped you grow as a person.
What did you admire about them? Furthermore, how did they demonstrate virtues?
Likewise, think about the qualities you want to see in your team. How can you demonstrate those qualities yourself?
In sum, setting the right example is a key part of developing others in leadership!
Developing Others in Leadership Tip #2 – Coach People to Solve Their Own Problems
Many leaders are actually TOO quick to solve their team’s challenges. This can create an unhealthy situation where teams are dependent on their leaders to solve any and every problem.
Next time a team member comes to you with a challenge, try to coach them to solve it themselves.
Ask leading questions, like:
What have you tried so far?
What would be a good next step?
What’s one thing you can do today to move forward?
This approach is very powerful. It teaches your team how to brainstorm creative solutions. Additionally, it teaches them how to think for themselves.
Developing others in leadership requires guiding people to their own solutions.
Developing Others in Leadership Tip #3 – Believe in Your People
This simple yet very important tip is often overlooked.
You can’t develop others in leadership if you don’t believe in your people.
However, you cannot fake it!
People can tell whether you really believe in them or not. Unless you’re a world-class actor, sooner or later they’ll pick up on your true feelings.
If you believe they will be successful and achieve great things, they will fight tooth and nail to prove you right.
It motivates them to grow and continue to do better. On the other hand, if you don’t believe a team member will ever amount to much, they’ll feel discouraged and tend to phone it in.
In conclusion, believe in your people. See their potential!
Your Team’s Growth Starts Today
Developing others in leadership starts today. It’s important to remember that there is a snowball effect at play here. You might only help one team member grow a little bit today. But if you help your team continually grow over time, your results will increase exponentially.
What will you do to help your team members grow today?