The Tribune

Leadership skills are the abilities that one uses to guide a team toward successful outcomes and achieve company objectives. Whether you are overseeing a company or managing a project, your leadership skills can inspire others to reach their shared goals. Some of the most common leadership skills include communication, creativity, motivation, positivity and integrity.

In the face of crisis, economic downturn and generational civil war, every company must initiate a deliberate and intentional drive to prepare the next cadre of leaders. Here are five steps current leaders must take to equip and mobilise their successors.

1. Have 'boomers' choose their successors

As baby boomers prepare to retire, they should be training someone to take over their position. It has to be a planned, ongoing transition rather than start after the announcement is made of impending retirement. If you invest in developing coaching skills among your current leaders, they can advance new generations of accountable and courageous managers. Every interaction and feedback may change into an opportunity to enhance the leadership skills and strategic thinking of employees.

2. Build formal career paths

Companies must formalise leadership training programmes by career track to solidify what is required to attain the next level of leadership. Get all employees familiar with mentorship and on-demand training programmes regardless of their role. This will empower employees to participate in development programmes that support their interests, while attaining company succession planning goals at the same time.

3. Rethink your corporate structure

Long gone are the days of rigid hierarchies. Leading companies are exploring concepts such as lateral structures, together with collective and servant leadership philosophies. Augmenting your leadership development curriculum with new models and practices will help equip your emerging leaders for the future. While there is a lot of buzz about millennials, do not overlook your 'Gen X' talent. Make the policy 'no generation left behind'.

4. Think ahead and plan for future leadership positions

Identify key positions for the coming decade, especially the ones that will need to be filled today should someone abruptly leave. Groom those with potential to take over today should the need arise, and prepare them to fill critical posts. Far too often succession planning is performed for existing critical roles. Stay ahead of the curve and anticipate future needs. Homegrown leaders, who understand the culture and corporate landscape, usually perform better.

5. Get employees involved in writing and speaking engagements

Creating paths for employees to write, publish and speak may seem like a waste of time as companies hurtle towards the next profitable quarter, but if you want to identify emerging leaders this is one fabulous way to groom them now. Find creative, powerful and specific ways for your emerging leaders to begin to train, speak or write for internal and external audiences and stakeholders. Start them off making presentations in the department at staff briefings, giving sales pitches to smaller clients and presentations at the orientation for new staff. The next wave of leaders needs well-developed communication skills.

NB: Ian R Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organisations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.