You’ve decided to create a formal leadership development program and have identified potential future leaders. What elements should the program contain? A good leadership development program should be designed to develop leaders incrementally. So, start with the basics and work up to more advanced levels. For first-level managers the program should include the following.
Tag Archive: leadership
Dec 07 2010
How To Design A Great Leadership Development Program: Traits to Look For in Potential Leaders
You have your eye on a couple of people who you think have potential to be your next leaders. Now you need to carefully evaluate them against a few very important measures.
Dec 02 2010
How To Design A Great Leadership Development Program: Where to Look for Potential Leaders
How do you select leaders? Do you have a particular method or procedure or is it just a matter of who catches your eye? Once you’ve established a leadership development program, the next step is to determine who your future leaders are. Remember, it’s best to start by looking for new, first-level managers. There are a couple of places to look for potential leaders.
Nov 30 2010
How To Design A Great Leadership Development Program: The Basics
When did you first begin to learn the concepts of good leadership? Did you receive formal training? Did someone help you along, or were you just thrown to the wolves to fend for yourself? Unfortunately, too many beginning leaders find themselves to be wolf-bait. If they survive, they might receive some type of “leadership development,” which often emphasizes management principles more than actual leadership. The smart, successful organization will design a leadership development program that develops leaders incrementally, beginning with first level managers.
Nov 16 2010
Leadership Development: Is Being Liked a Leadership Measurement?
Though I don’t know if he actually said it, Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying something like, “You can please all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time but not all the people all the time.” Over the years, I’ve developed a theory, much like the quote, that has never failed me. A leader who is loved by all is probably not an effective leader. A leader who is hated by all is also most likely ineffective. A leader who is loved (or at least liked) by most but disliked by a few is probably the most effective leader.
Nov 11 2010
Developed Leaders: A Salute to Veterans
Standing on the aircraft flightline in the Middle East in August was a humbling experience. First of all, it was hot. I don’t mean a warm sunny day: I mean hot! With the heat radiating off the sea of asphalt, the temperature easily reached into the 130 degree range every day. There was a nice breeze blowing though — sort of like the breeze coming from a blast furnace. This breeze was a steady 40 to 50 miles an hour and carried with it the sand of the desert. The running joke was that part of our stay there included a free exfoliation. As I looked out at the cargo aircraft on the flightline, I saw the scurry of activity that was my maintenance crews working very long days to make those old, worn-out aircraft fly. They were cheerful and took the weather conditions in stride. The only time they seemed to be upset was when they could not get a part they needed to fix a plane. I say “my” maintenance crews because it was my responsibility to lead them. And that’s why standing there was such a humbling experience. They didn’t need much leadership.
Nov 09 2010
Leadership Training and Leadership Development: Are You Seeing Results?
Leadership development is an on-going process and one that should start early. First level managers are probably leading people, so why not send them to some entry level leadership training. In fact, wouldn’t entry level managers be a good place to start a leadership development program? After all, some of these people have the potential to rise to senior leadership positions and the training and development they receive now will pay big dividends later.
Nov 04 2010
Leadership Development: Learning From Your Leaders
There’s a saying that one can learn more from bad leaders than good leaders. While I don’t think that’s always true, it might help you feel better if you you’re under a bad leader’s thumb. There are many lessons to be learned from both bad and good leaders, and those lessons may not be what we think.
Nov 02 2010
Time Management for Leaders: Taking the Time to Smell the Roses
The concept of work-life balance is more prevalent now than in the past, but I believe the problem still exists, thanks to technology. How many times do you actually work from home after normal hours because you have a computer, Wi-Fi, and a cell phone? In fact, I think the problem may be getting worse, not better.
Oct 21 2010
Leadership Development: Five Things Leaders Must Know About Themselves
Who are you? Do you know? How would you describe yourself? I don’t mean your height and weight. Look deeper. Leaders must know as much as possible about the people for whom they are responsible, but they often forget that the first person they need to get to know is themselves. Here are five things that, as a leader, you should understand about yourself.
