Leadership Training - selection
Leadership training - selection
Background
Leaders tend to arrive via a few different routes.
Hereditary
There are plenty of examples where people become leader via a birthright.
They may not necessarily be good leaders but they get the opportunity to lead with out any need for election.
Examples would be royal lines such as a King, Prince or Duke.
Another example would be a family run organisation where the leadership is passed on through the family line.
It is rare that a very good leader is followed by another from the family pool.
By election
Whatever the context a group will use its right to elect democratically their own leader. This manifests itself in politics in democratic countries. The leader will usually serve for a specified term and require re-election at the end of the term.
In this context the leader is there to serve those who elected him or her.
By appointment
This is the familiar position of being recruited into a leadership role by people higher up the organisation.
The leader is accountable to his or her immediate superior.
Emerging leader
This form of leader gains the position due to the situation prevailing at the time. He or she will be considered to be the best person for the job by the majority given the current circumstances. They are not strictly speaking elected but given a majority nod of approval.
Selection process
If possible training should begin with those that show potential for leadership.
Beginning from a firm foundation is a better recipe for success.
Give your potential leaders a challenge and provide opportunities that will stretch them.
If an individual reacts poorly then perhaps trying them out in a different environment could help them flourish as a leader.
The development of an organisation is a ‘catch 22’ situation. Good organisations develop leaders and in turn an organisation will only evolve with good leaders.
It is preferable that an individual is responsible for leadership development.
It is not wise to appoint someone in a leadership position without leadership training being in place.
Characteristics
The best man or woman should always get the job and political wrangling should play no part.
This is not always the case and you should watch out for people focussing on this front.
If you are looking for a leader you may consider particular characteristics a good starting point.
- Does the individual appear to be a natural team player? Do they easily pull together the threads of a problem for the benefit of the whole team? Do you have any supporting evidence for this?
- Does the person interact well with the team and command respect based upon their technical knowledge and experience?
- Does the individual demonstrate confidence, enthusiasm and motivational skills? [see The Complete Motivation package].
- Are they honest and reliable?
Just seeking the correct answers with a few questions may not give you a very good idea of your candidate.
You will need to ask questions over a wide range of topics and then try to build a picture of the individual.
It is one thing to ask a potential leader many questions but at he end of the day you want them to be able to perform in a group situation. The only way to show effectiveness in this environment is to put potential leaders into a group situation and observe how well they perform.
Does the individual possess other skills?
- A leader must lead by example.
- Do they have good time management skills and are they good communicators both speaking and listening.
- Can they summarise key points are they calm in a crisis?
- Can they use their initiative?
- Do they possess decision making and problem solving skills?
- Planning and delegation abilities?
- Exhibits a proactive nature?
- Encourages and shows understanding of the team members?
- Maintains and sets standards and is comfortable with discipline as necessary?
- Can think creatively when required?
- Possess a global rather than a narrow view of issues?
- May have good speed reading skills?
- Uses assertion well rather than aggression to make a clear point?
- Promotes their own ideas well and enthusiastically?
- Can chair meetings with skill and confidence?
- Does the person require supervision?
- Sets goals and achieves deadlines?
- Can be flexible when necessary?
Higher level needs
As you move up the hierarchy a leader will need to posses particular skills over and above those needed at team level.
- They must be able to develop a clear vision and cast it to others with clear communication.
- A vision requires a strategy and the need to influence others at a high level.
- Good control will drive results and performance.
- They must be politically aware.
- A leader must be able to build and sustain relations amongst the team and with others at a strategic level.
Using skills lists
You will need to be wary of using lists as an absolute ‘tick box’ list for recruitment or promotion.
It is useful to be aware of required skills but you will need to decide how much weight you give them.
If you are trying to judge skills in this manner you will need to look for practical evidence that supports the individuals claims.
Any skill should help in increasing the performance of a particular task.