How To Identify Emerging Leaders In Your Organization
You can never tell which new hires will become the next team leaders. There are just too many variables at play. Someone might seem hopeful but then accept a position elsewhere. While another employee may struggle at first, only to step up during a crucial point in their career path. So, how do you identify emerging leaders in your organization early on? The secret is to use eLearning assessments, surveys, and certifications to see who rises to the challenge. Then hone their talents through leadership development online training. What is leadership development? Well, it's a targeted approach to prime employees for bigger and better roles within your organization. To give them the support they need to achieve their full potential and bear the burden of team management. Below are 6 tips to help you spot the cream of the L&D crop who are ready for greater responsibilities.
1. Launch Online Training Certification Paths
Certification paths are usually for employee accountability and to mitigate compliance risks. However, you can also use them to identify emerging leaders in your company. Those who are the prime candidates for your leadership development online training program. Make them optional so that employees don't feel forced into upskilling. This also serves another purpose, which is to distinguish the go-getters from those who are happy with their status quo. Staffers who take the initiative are more likely to step into leadership roles and take on new responsibilities. Certification paths even help you identify undisclosed skills and abilities thanks to LMS reports.
2. Implement Badges To Spot Hidden Talent
Another great way to spot hidden talents lurking inside your team is gamification badges. This comes with the added bonus of employee engagement and motivation. They get to strive for badges while building skills and expanding their know-how. Develop targeted badges based on leadership strengths and tasks. For example, communication or problem-solving skills they need to manage a team effectively. They must complete a series of activities and pass the final exam to earn the badge. Which proves they have what it takes to enter your leadership development program.
3. Pre-Assess To Identify Personal Strengths
Employees may not even be aware of the hidden talents they possess. This is usually attributed to daily routines. They perform the same tasks repeatedly, so they never have the chance to discover new strengths or skills. This is where online training pre-assessments come into play. Staffers get to test their knowledge and discover their strong suits. And you get to identify up-and-coming leaders in your organization. You can also use online training assessment results to send them down the right certification paths and fill relevant gaps.
4. Host Live Events To Look For Standout Attendees
There's always that one person who seems to be on-point during live events. If you're lucky, there's a handful of attendees who raise their virtual hands and actively participate in the online discussion. This is a great way to spot hidden team leaders who are ready to take up the reigns in your organization. They're outspoken and willing to help others, even if it doesn't benefit them directly. For example, answer another attendee's question so that they get the most from that experience.
5. Use Simulations To Test Leadership Skills
You could watch every employee see how they perform on the job. But who has time to look over everyone's shoulder? Develop simulations that test leadership skills and qualities. For example, employee training participants must work with a difficult customer to resolve their issue. Or handle a co-worker conflict and diffuse a tense situation. Simulations allow you to see how employees deal with real-world stressors without taking unnecessary risks. You can also apply small amounts of pressure to mimic realistic situations and emotions. Will the employee crack under strain, or do they rise to the occasion? If they do have room for improvement, provide immediate feedback and follow-up resources. They may be management material if they put in the effort and bridge gaps on their own.
6. Survey The Team To Get An Inside Perspective
Some of the best team leaders are unaware they're looked up to. What is leadership development? Simply put, it's finding something in your staffers that they don't even know exists. So, survey the team to get their POV. Who do they turn to for advice, and why? Is there a co-worker they feel is ready to lead the team? You can also ask fellow managers to see what they think about their subordinates. Is there an employee who stands out in their minds—for all the right reasons? Another way to use surveys to identify leadership online training candidates is post-project wrap-ups. They've worked with this group of individuals to achieve a common goal. Who took charge of the project, and why? Did everyone respect their decisions? What skills did they exhibit, and were they able to build a stronger team dynamic?
Not everyone has a place in your leadership development online training program. Some employees are content with their current roles, and team management isn't in their 5-year plan. Or they plan to make a lateral move in the near future to a position that better suits their strengths. However, these techniques can help you identify emerging talent in your organization so that they have all the support they need. They're also able to focus on undisclosed gaps that hinder their progress and prevent them from moving up that corporate ladder.
Leadership online training benefits every member of your organization, from new hires to higher-ups. Download the eBook Transform Top Talent Into Team Leaders: The Ultimate Guide For Leadership Development Training and find out how to create outstanding leadership development training—along with the pitfalls you should avoid, and more.