How can you help R&D professionals transition to leadership roles?

Technical skills are already inbuilt as per knowledge or overall industrial research experience. However, the leadership quality is crucially play a end-to-end skills starts from Business development, customer focus, Team/management functions, strategies and operational excellences, regulations, process safety till delivery. The above listed core areas are covert the technical people become a professional leader.

Additionally, R&D professionals need to be trained to align with business goals, company vision, mission and values. Most importantly they need to be trained in sound people management, rather leadership, which is more naturally done by rare.

Key aspect to assess is communication skills. The moment you want them to be leaders, their communication become most critical. Also, assess ability to work in team, accepting opinion different from one’s own approach and ready to take criticism. Leaders are inspirational but not all their decisions are popular.

As per me 360 degree survey and feedback surveys will not work in many cases, i believe more on self assessment and have the great and different type of interaction (not only technical) with each team member, so you get best feedback for better development.

Align learning and development towards company's business strategies and goals. Focus on need and expectations of external and internal customers. Setting up KPIs in quantitative measured evaluation basis not in qualitative measurements basis.

Coaching programs can really impact folks who are interested, I personally have felt that Search Inside Yourself at Google was life changing. There’s also cumulative impact for some types of coaching, folks take on the skills and use them to continue to improve. The best part of offering coaching to teams broadly is that even when only some team members take the skills and feedback, the entire team tends to improve as a result.

Agreed, and I would add that sometimes leaders need to shift their own thinking to accept that folks can continue coaching/mentoring after advancement. People don’t need to know 210% of the job they’re moving into.

All high quality products start from high quality r&d. Which means that full coordination and brief make clear understanding and continuous workflow. It need our involvement to create great leadership and environment, to coach them by group or personally. Give them all support and advice to grow

Engaging R&D professionals in coaching or mentoring relationships can significantly enhance their leadership trajectory. A skilled coach facilitates the acquisition of essential skills like strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution, crucial for navigating the complexities of their role. Conversely, a mentor imparts valuable advice, unwavering support, and insights gleaned from their own experiences, serving as a compass in the professional journey. Whether through assigned coaching/mentoring or encouragement to seek external mentors, fostering these relationships is pivotal.

I agree. Coaches and mentors play important roles in grooming future leaders. A coach will help them setting up clear goals, objectives and further aid them making appropriate individual decisions. Mentors play roles of training and knowledge transfer based on individual experiences.

Sometimes giving an opportunity to work in a new field can help blossom hidden talent in professionals. For example bench time can be used for supporting and shadowing flexible profiles in an organization.

Building a culture of learning is best done by having leaders demonstrate learning in their own teams. Progress is inspiring and teams are more creative when they can use combinations of expertise and new skills.

I can't agree more with this premise. As a young laboratory technician, it was the opportunities to shadow and collaborate with ancillary departments that put me in the position to grow. Training conferences, certifications, or any means of gathering business acumen are crucial to you being a well rounded team member. Never stay in the parameters of your Job title, and strive to understand the "kinetics" of departments ancillary to your own.

It is rarely the case that anyone is ever 100% prepared for anything. Instead, in most of the cases, people learn on the job. Opportunities to take up new challenges not only creates positive pressure for growth, it also helps to tickle the brains of these professionals and keep them engaged and thinking. It is good to always keep in mind that a little push / stretch can help people discover skills that they thought they never had.

People always enjoy award ceremony, bit team or department towards or larger, divisional function awards. It is over and above the financial recognition. It is peer recognition of a job well done.

Monetary rewards instead of just a title would be more practical and provide motivation for professionals with families who depend on them.

By giving your teams space to be themselves, you can of learning allowing risks to be taken and learning from failures. The key is to create an environment where your team feels comfortable to make mistakes.

Pienso que este pilar es el fundamental, todo parte y todo termina en fomentar cultura. Debe hacerse con todos los involucrados desde las posiciones de liderazgo incluyendo a todos los colaboradores. Ciertamente uno de los mecanismos efectivos para generar cultura es la formación que debe no tan solo tomar experiencias de terceros sino también los propios aprendizajes de quienes han transitado a roles de liderazgo desde la investigación y desarrollo.

One strategy I've found remarkably effective is providing the right mix of resources, tools, and time for individuals to bring their ideas and projects to life. It's about empowering them with the means to turn their innovative sparks into roaring flames of success. Collaboration, inclusivity, and openness are non-negotiables in this journey. A truly innovative environment is one where every voice is not just heard but valued. I've organized seminars that go beyond traditional presentations — each team member delves into a topic of their choice, sparking insightful debates that transcend the boundaries of their roles.

The most important here is Leadership Commitment - Lead by Example: Demonstrate a commitment to learning and innovation at all levels of leadership within the organization. Leaders who prioritize these values set the tone for the entire company.

Keep in mind: 1.Learning Fundamentals of leadership 2.Time management and delegation 3. Being great communicator 4. Practice emotional intelligence 5. Focus on what's right for the organisation.

Top key points to consider while helping R&D professionals transition to leadership roles:- 1. Transforming into the right mindset and strategic capabilities. 2.. Current SWOT and Role required skilled GAP analysis & coaching. 3. Ongoing training and guidance wrt company growth & further role.

Create opportunities- having a goal for what you enjoy and are good at can materialise if you pursue it. This maybe a role that doesn’t currently exist Volunteer for different tasks/additional roles to raise profile and gain different perspectives - eg sales or finance experience if background is solely R&D

Encourage new leaders to be open to constructive feedback from stakeholders, both internal and external. This is how they will grow and improve! Internal Feedback: Collect feedback from team members through surveys or one-on-one discussions. External Feedback: Gather feedback from key stakeholders, customers, or partners regarding the impact and effectiveness of R&D initiatives.

In general, gaining the tools and skills on top of the knowledge is the key, which includes: - continuous self reflection, - next preferred career step (roadmapping), - conversation and feedback from peers and role models, - be open minded and agile in leaning, and be patient