Transforming Good Employees Into Great Leaders

Although self development and improvement is crucial for an employee, it isn’t just his responsibility alone, but of the employer as well – if not more so. Employees now are being continuously groomed to be able to handle future leadership roles. Good managers strive to train them because doing so not only boosts employee productivity, but it also makes their lives a little easier.

Here are five strategies that are vital to develop and transform employees with great potential into leaders:

1. Network effectively.

Networking is essential to individual growth and business development. It will help employees forge powerful connections and act with confidence of a leader. Furthermore, referrals or partnerships from networking can also provide business opportunities. It can help employees by raising their reputation within the industry.

Consider having employees occasionally tag along when attending industry events to give them a clear idea of how to properly conduct themselves and so they can positively represent the organization.

2. Establish a mentor-mentee relationship.

Act as their mentor or assign one. This type of relationship is bound to develop when helping employees grow because there’s no better person to learn leadership skills from than the employer himself. Creating mentorship programs are also beneficial not just for new hires but also as a great cross-training tool for current employees to help sharpen their skills.

Cross-training is an affordable way to boost both employee proficiency levels and team performance and prepares employees for expanded roles within the company.

3. Provide opportunities for growth.

Employees are an organization's most important asset, so invest in them. To ensure employees aren’t stagnant in their positions, provide employees with opportunities to grow to ensure they aren’t stagnant in their positions and so that they can one day pursue leadership roles within the company.

These opportunities for growth can include paying for formal education and internal or external training. Give them a calendar or list of upcoming professional development events, meetings of professional groups, and work-related events that they can attend on their own time.

4. Maintain a feedback loop.

A successful feedback loop measures and reviews employee performance to improve future productivity. Ensure that there is continuous communication in the workplace crucial to developing employees. Improve communication in the workplace by regularly meeting with employees in an informal, one-on-one setting. Meeting on a regular basis helps employer identify opportunities for development and give employees a chance to comfortably voice their thoughts and concerns.

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 – these are just some of the leadership skills employees need to adopt from employers in order to become great leaders. 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. It will not cost a dime and the results are priceless.