How to develop leadership qualities in others

1. Finding potential leaders in your organization.

How do you find leaders? How do you create leaders? What makes a good leader today? What characteristics are common to all future leaders?

Ask the man who knows more about the subject than anyone else, suggests Marshall Loeb, writing in Fortune magazine. Warren Bennis– psychologist, sociologist, economist, USC professor, former university president, author of two dozen books on the subject – has spent years intensely studying leaders. When he shows up at a business conference, he’s the Pied Piper; expectant executives crowd the auditorium to hear him tell (for up to $20K) what qualities are needed. Bennis will tell you that seven characteristics define a leader:

Business literacy: Does s/he know your business? Does he know the real feel of it?

People skills: Does he have the capacity to motivate, to bring out the best in people?

Conceptual skills: Does he have the capacity to think systematically, creatively, and inventively?

Track record: Has he done it before and done it well?

Taste: Does he have the ability to pick the right people – not clones of himself but people who can make up for his deficiencies?

Judgment: Does he have the ability to make quick decisions with imperfect data?

Character: The core competency of leadership is character, but character and judgment are the qualities that we know least about when trying to teach them to others.

So that’s the kind of person to be on the lookout for in your organization!

2. The key to success.

‘The hierarchal structure of many organizations

makes employee leadership a challenging prospect. The classic structure of leadership seems at odds with distributing leadership to the masses. Fortunately, it isn’t an all-or-nothing arrangement. Leader-managers can lead and so can their staff members. It’s just a matter or creating structures and eliminating obstacles.’ (Adapted)

– Ellen Cortez-Ford, CEO

School Leadership Coaching

3. It’s about risk-taking.

Encouraging leadership at all levels means allowing for less than stellar results. It’s all part of creating an open environment that encourages people to take leadership risks – which is something successful leaders do. ‘I tell my people, “I’ll forgive you for anything except not trying”,’ says Al-Noor Ramji of BT Global Services. ‘But for it to work, I have to walk the talk. …