Employee development isn’t just the responsibility of the employee, but of the employer as well -- if not more so. Good managers strive to continuously groom their employees for future leadership roles. Doing so not only boosts employee engagement and productivity, but it makes employers’ lives a little easier, by making employee transitions into leadership roles as seamless as possible.
Here are five strategies, vital to developing employee leadership skills, that will benefit employers and employees alike:
1. Teach them to Network
Networking will teach them how to forge powerful connections, initiate conversations with strangers and act with the confidence of a leader. Not to mention, it can also provide business opportunities as well as opportunities to share ideas and knowledge.
2. Act as a mentor
Mentorship programs are not only beneficial for assimilating new hires, but they also serve as a great cross-training tool for current employees. Try implementing a mentorship or job shadow program between team members or departments. This leadership tool can improve both organizational success and team performance by improving employees’ proficiency levels in roles outside of their own.
3. Provide opportunities for growth.
To ensure employees aren’t stagnant in their positions, provide them with opportunities to grow so that they can one day pursue leadership roles within the company. Employees are an organization's most important asset, so invest in them.
4. Maintain a feedback loop.
A successful feedback loop measures and reviews employee performance in an effort to improve future productivity. Meeting on a quarterly basis and discussing individual goals and performance can help employers identify opportunities for development, as well as tailor development plans around the individual.
5. Lead by example.
Last, but certainly not least, lead by example. Model the leadership skills employees need to adopt in order to become great leaders: professionalism, transparency, confidence, commitment and respect. Employees look to their employers for answers, so leaders should aim to continuously model what it is to be a successful, positive model in the workplace.
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