Did you know that a recent Gallup poll found that 93% of the people they surveyed have left their organization to find job growth opportunities elsewhere?
Did they really have no opportunities where they were previously employed? Of course not. But it’s likely that no one had a career path discussion with them. So, in the absence of coaching and development, people go elsewhere. One of the most important activities an organization must do to secure their future is developing (and maintaining) a leadership pipeline. Many, many organizations aren’t taking the time to cultivate and develop the leaders of tomorrow. As a result, employees are leaving organizations to find growth opportunities elsewhere.
How can you create a leadership pipeline?
- Identify: Start by asking yourself if there is anyone on your team who could step into your role tomorrow if you were to win the lottery. We prefer thinking of it this way vs. getting hit by a bus—which seems so violent! You should always have a person or two or three who you’re grooming to take your role in the future.
- Initiate: Have an honest conversation with those you’ve identified about their future with the organization, and let them know where you see possibilities for their career path.
- Invest: If they indicate they’re interested in growing with the company, start to invest in their development, provide training, and support their growth by mentoring them. It may take a while to get a true pipeline established, but once you start doing this—in each area of your organization—you’ll have a healthy bench you can pull from in the event that you or someone on your team wins the lottery and calls in rich!
How can you get into a leadership pipeline?
- Identify: If you realize that you would like to get into a particular leadership pipeline, name it and start thinking about what the possibilities would look like.
- Initiate: Let your manager know that you’re interested in growth opportunities and talk with them about possible career progression paths.
- Invest:More and more it’s up to individuals to get the training that will further their professional skills. Don’t forget to develop your leadership skills in addition to your area of expertise.
People promote people who they believe will succeed—so set up yourself up to be that person who will most likely succeed because you’ve done the work.
If you can’t afford training opportunities, you can read books, seek out articles, and/or join an organization that will give you the opportunity to develop your skills. Toastmasters is a great way to develop your public speaking skills, or you can volunteer to be on a board—this will give you a taste of dealing with complexity and differing personalities so that you can practice your leadership—whether you have the title or not.
Leadership is important in every organization, community, and family, be sure that you are conscious of nurturing the future!
Let us know how we can help,
Your coaches at Carpenter Smith Consulting
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2 comments
I think the main reason people quit is that they dislike the leadership going on, so I indirectly agree with your post. It could very well be that lack of availability to move into leadership could be the underlining fact. Understanding how you influence people is a huge part of success in this game.
Hi Sherry – thanks for your comment. Sadly, there are quite a few top reasons people quit their jobs, and we agree that understanding how to influence others as well as be influenced by others, is key for employee engagement and satisfaction.