Successful companies must groom future leaders
AS ANOTHER year-end approaches, many companies are busy with the performance evaluation of their employees. The human resource department is the coordinator, which ensures that the final results can be announced in a timely manner. This is a good sign of
A manager does not necessarily mean he/she is a good leader of the operation. Under certain circumstances, the company may risk losing good workers when they cannot perform their management tasks successfully, which also results in losing new managers at a later stage.
In order to be successful, companies need to create future leaders from among their potential employees. It is not easy to tell who can become a good leader based on normal performance appraisal processes. But leadership qualities may be demonstrated through the handling of a difficult task that an employee may have a chance to work on. Thus, it is possible – and maybe a good idea – to provide opportunities for employees, who are willing to take challenging assignments.
The following are situations where emerging leaders can possibly be identified and discovered:
- For a newly established operation overseas, a company may consider sending a capable employee to take charge over a period of time to see how he/she performs. To set up such operations in a new territory, it requires good leadership of an employee in dealing with uncertainties and unexpected situations.
- In the difficult situation, such as making a decision over a product, a selected person may be assigned to fix the problem without giving him/her detailed instructions. A potential leader will show capabilities in finding the best solution.
- By opening up the opportunity for a volunteer to take a difficult job, a new leader may be identified. It should be noted that in some cases it may only take a short period of time to identify a person’s potential, but it can also take several years before the real potential emerges.
- Sometimes, a leader emerges from nowhere and it is the crisis that discloses such a person to the public. It is the management who has to consider the next action to take, based on proper review of that individual’s performance.
Finding a potential leader is hard but to retain him/her is even harder. The company should understand what kind of motivation is suitable for a person. By keeping in close communication and monitoring that person’s potential, it is possible to avoid making mistakes that can result in losing these talents.
Training and coaching should be considered as part of the development process of a good leader. Several well-managed companies have systematic ways of nurturing these people until they are ready to take on their roles. It is a big investment that is worth considering.
In addition, a person should be given a second chance. When people make mistakes, they learn from them not to repeat them again. Thus, developing a good leader may involve costs, but this should not be a reason for not giving the potential leader another chance.
Successful companies are run by leaders who know what is important to the company and are able to make the right decision under pressure. Skilled team leaders are, therefore, an important element in keeping ahead of the competition.
Yanyong Thammatucharee, senior vice president for Accounting and Finance at Central Marketing Group. He can be reached at [email protected]
