INVESTING IN THE FUTURE / 157Realizing potential
One of your key goals as a leader is to
recognize leadership qualities in others,
and to know how to encourage and assist
future leaders so they can realize their
full potential. It can be helpful to think
of leadership growing in a series of
transitions in self-awareness, skill, and
responsibility. Recognizing these crucial
changes in others, and responding
appropriately to them, will help
accelerate the development of new
leaders in your organization.
Each stage on the path to leadership
will bring different challenges—not
only in taking on new attitudes andresponsibilities but also leaving behind
familiar and comfortable behaviors.
This can be a highly stressful time
for newly appointed leaders and the
individual may not recognize or expect
the strains and associated emotions
of transition to their new role.
Feelings of uncertainty, being
overwhelmed, and loss of confidence
can immobilize new leaders at the very
point that they are expected to shine.
Moreover, it is unlikely that the person
who is making the transition will feel
comfortable raising these concerns
with you, their manager, for fear of
appearing to fail.SPOT THE SIGNS OF
CHANGE
Train yourself as a leader
to recognize the signs of
transition between different
stages of leadership, and be
ready to support individuals as
they push for the next level.Tip
65 %
of executives claim
developing leaders
is their main
workforce concern
US_156-157_Investing_in_the_future.indd 157 30/05/16 3:02 pm