‘Designing Strategies’ eNewsletter
March — April 2008 Volume 5 — Issue 21
Where have all your leaders gone? Are they really gone, or have you been totally overlooking them in search for someone from outside? You know the leadership type everyone looks for: someone with an MBA from a top ivy league university, years of experience, a designer suit and slick haircut. Many times leaders are hiding in plain sight within your organization and you simply didn’t notice your hidden leaders.
Have you been ignoring hidden leaders within your organization? Some may have been with your company for years; dedicated employees learning the ins and outs of the business. They are the ones keeping things operating smoothly and handling issues for other employees. They are the ones you may never even hear about.
These hidden leaders bring seemingly insignificant issues to the surface where you can deal with them. They make suggestions to improve processes, productivity or your bottom line. From their unique points of view they can clearly identify ways to save the company money. Their on the job experience allows them to see how to make processes and systems more effective. Other employees bring issues and ideas to these unsung leaders because they respect them. Coworkers know they will find a way to deliver the message and make things happen. Does your firm have any potential leaders hiding in plain sight?
Identify Hidden Leaders and Teach Them to Move Your Company Forward
Even the smallest companies need good leaders if they plan to grow and be successful. It is surprising how many small companies stay small and fail to grow in size and profitability. Why? Because the owner/founder has not yet realized that he or she is the bottleneck hindering their progress and success. Until that death grip of control is released and leadership is shared, growth will be impossible.
At some point, one person trying to control every facet of a business will bring even a thriving organization to a screeching halt. Dreams and goals of becoming a larger firm with multiple locations, revenues exceeding tens or hundreds of millions, and having a global presence will remain dreams.
Achieving dreams is not possible if an owner cannot let go and share leadership responsibilities. Time must be spent working on the business, not working in the business to achieve the company’s Vision. It takes a team to make visions into reality; a team made of worker bees, managers and leaders. No one of those parts can be successful without the others. Let some of your hidden leaders free up time for you to work on growing the business.
Nurturing the Hidden Leaders Within Your Company
Now that you’re thinking about potential hidden leaders you may have overlooked, what are you going to do about it? How will you determine their interest in a leadership position, or if they have what it takes to be a leader? Do you have a process in place to identify potential leaders and put their names into the hopper for development? Do you have a leadership education and training programs and budgets in place to hone these leaders? If not, why not? What are you waiting for?
Leaders are made, not born. If not already doing so, management needs to provide challenges that will motivate and teach employees to become leaders. Current leadership needs to motivate employees, assess where they are now within the organization, and where they want to be in the future. Then, help them get there. If you don’t already have one, create your leadership strategy in this year’s plan and budget. With the looming shortage of high quality employees right around the corner, why not capitalize on your homegrown leaders? There is no time like the present to start identifying and developing your leaders of tomorrow – from within.
While you’re planning your training and/or marketing calendar for 2008, don’t forget to include Terri Maurer and her business success topics. Two of her most popular programs, “Managing An Age Diverse Workforce”and “The Changing Marketplace: Selling To The Generations,” are attracting sold out
crowds around the country this year.
To bring one of Maurer’s educational seminars or training sessions to your company or region, contact Terri to schedule a date and location, or for answers to your questions. You can call her directly at Maurer Consulting Group by phone at: 330.666.0802 or by email.
‘Designing Strategies’ is a business success publication brought to you by Maurer Consulting Group, a
strategies firm helping clients evaluate and formulate strategies for success. It is a bi-monthly, digital newsletter. Please feel free to forward to friends and/or colleagues you think might find it interesting and informative. To be added to or removed from our recipients list, email Terri Maurer: tlmaurer@maurerconsultinggroup.com.
