The CEO’s Guide for Developing Emerging Leaders

The process of developing emerging leaders starts with defining the goals of the program. The leadership development program should have plans for short-term and long-term improvement. The program should include goals that each participant will work toward as a result of completing the program. 

As an organization, you need to identify and develop the personality and skills of your emerging leaders. These individuals must be able to make critical decisions when limited information is available. Developing them means fostering their ability to adapt to change and grasp new concepts. In addition, they must be driven to produce results while being a role model. 

Characteristics of emerging leaders

Emerging leaders are strategic, innovative and often produce better results than their peers. They are often referred to as experts by those around them. They have the drive to succeed and inspire and develop others. These three characteristics help emerging leaders stand out in a crowd. In addition, they encourage others to develop their leadership skills. That’s how they get ahead. 

Often found leading group discussions, emerging leaders tend to improve group dynamics by soliciting input from others. They are outspoken but not obnoxious. They strive to foster a constructive discussion and do not want to dominate discussions. Moreover, their communication skills are exceptional. This helps them build lasting relationships with others. As a result, emerging leaders can contribute to any discussion with varying degrees of success.

Business strategy for developing emerging leaders

To succeed in any business, you must have strong leaders, and have them attend a leadership course. As the leadership skills of an organisation increase, so should its development. However, this doesn’t happen by accident. You must be clear about your company’s goals and how to develop these leaders. One way to resolve the lack of bench strength is to implement a tiered structure in which the top performers are promoted to higher roles. This can be attached to a solid development plan and be a great way to engage emerging leaders. Another method is to engage them in cross-functional assignments. These opportunities will broaden their understanding of the organisation and help develop their skills. Read the infographic below to learn more about developing competitive leaders in an organisation.