Our September 20 Transitions Event was on the topic of Developing a Leadership Pipeline with Bobbie LaPorte, RAL Associates.
This month, we talked about strategically building your team, including topics such as hiring, retaining, training and motivating top performers and developing your leadership pipeline overall. Specifically, we reviewed current trends in staff recruiting, hiring and training, and discussed how you can create a leadership development plan that’s as key to your success as any operational, financial or marketing plan.
Statistics on the 'Talent War':
- US Job Satisfaction Declining – The Conference Board Feb ’07
- less than half US workers satisfied
- workers under 30 least satisfied (<39%)
- less than 48% of workers 45-54 are content with work
- Business Performance Mgmt Forum & Human Capital Institute – Feb ’07
- 98% of global execs see competition for talent increasing
- 85% said talent development & retention top business challenges
- 90% see core competencies changing
- The High Performance Workforce" – Accenture Aug ’07
- 80% of leaders believe people issues more important today
- 68% say retaining talent more important than acquiring new blood
- Money is not the answer
- The Quadruple Whammy
- Baby boomers are retiring
- Mid-career workers are experiencing "plateauing"
- Loyalty to companies at all-time low
- Companies are willing to attract and accommodate employees like never before
Advice for Developing Your Leadership Pipeline:
- In today's workplace, loyalty is more at the leader level than at the company level, so plan accordingly.
- Start with your own leadership style – how do you "show up" in your new role?
- Know your strengths and your weaknesses
- Form your own opinions
- Become known as a leader for whom people want to work…remember, as a "boss" your most important job is to get your employees to come back tomorrow morning
- Set tone for your leadership
- Show an interest in your employees; invest the time in your people, in ways that draws out the best in them.
- Listen more than talk.
- Ask the right questions.
- Empower your team to give their own answers, speak their own mind, think outside the box.
- Partner with other leaders to make the whole corporate environment better.
- Balance building your team and meeting business bottom-line objectives.
- Even if your company is having difficulties, your leadership in your group may buffer them from those troubles, and you may be able to continue developing that leadership pipeline.
- Innovative Ideas for Developing a Leadership Pipeline
- Companies such as Intuit, Unilever, Cisco are experimenting with a rotational development model, placing emerging leaders in cyclical rotations in different roles.
- Proactively plan for transitions and strategize with the team. Transparent communication on corporate, individual and team goals can benefit everyone.
- When planning a leadership pipeline, involve your staff, your HR partners
- Use internal coaching, mentoring & employee development programs
Recommended Readings:
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.