Here's how you can effectively develop future leaders and plan for succession within your organization.

Identify Potential Early. Observe employees' strengths and leadership qualities to spot talent early. Encourage those who show promise and provide growth opportunities.

To spot potential leaders, look for those who can turn mundane tasks into something resembling innovation. Seek out employees who, aside from a robust work ethic and a knack for learning, have a tendency to solve problems before anyone else even notices they exist. Pay attention to those who inspire not with grand speeches, but by simply getting things done and inadvertently motivating others. Future leaders are those rare souls who can juggle empathy with a firm hand. Encourage them to wander beyond their comfort zones into cross-functional projects.

Before planning for future leadership or succession, there must be a deep analysis of current leadership weaknesses and strengths. Secondly, with the data gathered regarding current leadership, an effort must be made to develop a consensus on the type of leadership philosophy, going forward would best suit future progress as well as leadership talent either within the organization or can be obtained by the organization or business from elsewhere. Most critical to any succession plan is an intelligent forecasting of the potential of a leader to grow and develop with an organization or business. A future leader must have an understanding of the importance of building a positive psychological culture that will fortify the organization.

I have also seen the opposite of this: frustrated employees that are vocal about what’s not working and are viewed as being ‘difficult’ but have done a 180 and become outstanding leaders once they have the skills. I believe the key difference is engagement and personal responsibility. If a person is engaged and pushing for a solution even if they are expressing it through frustration, it can at times indicate that they are hungry for and committed to change but they lacking skills. I want to distinguish this from people who are only blaming and complaining; that’s not the same as being frustrated and pushing for a solution. The best way to tell the difference: give the person the responsibility to try it their way.

Developing future leaders and planning for succession involves identifying high-potential employees early and providing them with opportunities for growth through mentorship, training programs, and challenging projects. Encourage a culture of continuous learning and feedback, fostering skills like decision-making, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence. Create a clear succession plan by mapping out key roles and potential successors, regularly reviewing and updating it as necessary. Promote open communication about career aspirations and ensure that leadership development is aligned with organizational goals and values.

Ah, the mentorship program—a delightful dance of wisdom transfer. Pair up the seasoned veterans who’ve seen it all with the eager novices who think they know it all. Let the mentors dispense their hard-earned knowledge while trying not to scare off the mentees with tales of past fiascos. Use the program to bridge the gap between generations, ensuring the young ones don’t repeat the old mistakes. Encourage mentors to share not just their successes but their failures too—after all, nothing says "learning opportunity" like a good disaster story.

I Mentorship programs provide a structured pathway for transferring knowledge, skills, and organizational culture from experienced leaders to emerging talents. They create an invaluable space for mentees to learn, grow, and develop the leadership qualities necessary to navigate complex challenges and drive innovation. 🔹 Fostering Growth: Through regular guidance and feedback, mentors help individuals recognize their strengths, address their weaknesses, and chart a clear path for professional development. 🔹 Building Leadership Skills: Effective mentors impart crucial leadership skills, such as strategic thinking, decision-making, and emotional intelligence. Investing in mentorship is investing in the future.

There are various ways to learn: through play, imitation, or listening to what teachers say. In many tribal cultures, elders pass down their knowledge to the younger generation, ensuring continuity and growth. Similarly, in an organizational setting, mentorships are essential for personal and professional development. Having a good mentor who can share their wisdom, experience, and knowledge provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable insights and perspectives. A mentor guides in developing professional skills and offers emotional support and practical advice for overcoming challenges. The mentor-mentee relationship fosters deep, meaningful learning, helping mentees grow holistically and preparing them for future leadership roles.

In our increasingly complex world, a foundational skill is for leaders to manage their own nervous system response to uncertainty. They are then in a position to help their teams develop the same capacity. Without this people will generally operate from fear and control which leaves little possibility of thinking on new and innovative ways.

Think of leadership training like a buffet of skills – there's something for everyone to dig into. You might set up a workshop where folks can practice giving feedback without causing drama, or a seminar on seeing the big picture when making decisions. Maybe it's a hands-on session about managing team conflicts, like a real-life game of Diplomacy. The key is to mix it up and keep it relevant. One person might need help with public speaking, while another could use tips on time management. It's about creating a learning menu that helps people level up in ways that matter for your team. Remember, great leaders aren't just born – they're cooked up through a hearty diet of learning and practice.

Providing training opportunities for future leaders is essential, especially in today's rapidly evolving landscape where staying updated is crucial. However, training shouldn't just be an intervention; it should consist of continuous development programs that enhance professional, personal, and interpersonal skills. Moreover, it's essential for leaders to be deeply connected with their own being and understand the universal laws that govern both personal and organizational realms. By inspiring through their example and cultivating positive work cultures, these leaders not only promote sustainable organizational growth but also lay the groundwork for long-term success in today's dynamic business environment.

Instead of dwelling on past mistakes, feedforward focuses on future possibilities. It encourages employees to look ahead, fostering a growth mindset. In a business setting, this proactive approach can boost morale and productivity, as people are more receptive to constructive suggestions about what they can do rather than what they did wrong. It minimizes defensiveness and promotes continuous development. Emphasizing feedforward helps build a culture of improvement, making employees feel supported and empowered to take on new challenges with optimism and confidence.

In our research we have found that a growth mindset cultures emerges once these foundational pillars are in place: 1) alignment to a shared and inspiring vision and 2) creating a culture of psychological safety. If you are struggling to create a culture open to feedback, look to these 2 pillars first.

From my professional experience, I've observed that in environments lacking a feedback culture, employees often don't feel valued or integrated into the team. Trust issues can prevail, and only a few employees may have trusting relationships with each other. Instead of feeling a sense of belonging, many simply perform their duties for the paycheck. That's why it's crucial to promote a feedback culture where everyone feels safe to express themselves freely, yet respectfully. In this safe environment, every contribution is valued not only for its personal benefit but also for its collective impact. Encouraging this culture not only strengthens employees' sense of belonging but also enhances collaboration, creativity, and efficiency.

These are all good recommendations. In addition, once people are identified as potential successors, let them know so that the two of you can ... together ... develop/implement a rigorous plan to ready the person for the role(s). Include actual work/projects, training, and internal/external mentoring/coaching.

Reverse mentoring. Pair your top executives with younger, less experienced employees as their mentors. The idea is simple but radical—junior staff members bring fresh perspectives, technological savviness, and contemporary market insights that senior leaders may lack. This role reversal not only prepares younger employees for leadership roles by exposing them to executive-level thinking but also ensures that current leaders stay attuned to emerging trends and new ways of thinking. It disrupts traditional hierarchies, fosters a culture of mutual learning, and accelerates innovation by blending the wisdom of experience with the energy of youth.

El camino implica como Líder generar un espacio de seguridad para el desarrollo del personal en su autoliderazgo primero y liderazgo de equipos luego. De tareas a procesos y luego a producir resultados, se trata de un acompañamiento que va inicialmente dando pautas para luego avanzar en el continuum del coaching, con buenas preguntas de modo de conectar en el colaborador con mentalidad de crecimiento y autonomía...

I once had a boss who created a sandbox environment where the stakes were real but manageable, and let me navigate the chaos. This trial-by-fire approach accelerated learning, built resilience, and identified those who could thrive under pressure. It’s a sink-or-swim method that might seem risky, but it revealed the true leaders who could innovate and adapt when it mattered most.

Crear un escenario para que el futuro líder sea exitoso: -Comprometerse y apoyar el crecimiento de forma integral e íntegra. -Reconocer/retroalimentar sobre los resultados, brindar acompañamiento y hacer seguimiento a los planes de acción. -Crear experiencias para enseñar o entrenar al líder en lo que puede hacerlo más efectivo (Exponerlo). -Centrarse en el aprovechamiento de sus recursos y capacidades. Aumentar su autoconfianza. -Permitir el aprendizaje del error e invitarlo a asumir riesgos calculados. -Enseñarle a balancear su papel como líder en las dimensiones de clima, cultura, cambio, desarrollo y resultados. -Co-construir su ruta para su crecimiento. -Entregarle retos alcanzables, valorar el esfuerzo e invitarlo a ser ejemplo.

Sports teams do it... Sports teams don't leave talent funnels to chance. They have feeder schools, JV teams, minor league organizations, and other purposeful strategies to ensure they are able to find top talent when they need it. So why is this still so hard for business? Unlike sports, businesses operate in multifaceted environments with diverse roles, skills and industries. This makes creating a unified talent pipeline challenging. Also, businesses fear investing in unproven talent. I wonder if AI is going to help us solve this problem with extensions like Cornerstone OnDemand, Peoplefluent, and TalentGuard. Anyone have experience with any of those?

1. Provide Stretch Assignments Give aspiring leaders challenging projects that push them beyond their comfort zones. These experiences build confidence and prepare them for greater responsibilities. 2. Promote Cross-Department Collaboration Encourage collaboration across departments to broaden employees’ perspectives and enhance their problem-solving abilities.