Are you aware of the “hot spots” in your organization? Do you know what actions, practices, and behaviors impact effectiveness and results? Development Dimensions International (DDI) and The Conference Board conducted a survey for the 7th consecutive year and simply asked leaders what would help increase their effectiveness.
13,124 leaders from 2,031 organizations and 48 countries were queried and there were 49 items that leaders said they need to start doing. Below are the top 20 results.
My organization needs to start…
- Continuously developing leadership skills for all levels of management
- Sponsoring recognized management courses so I can keep up to date on changing dynamics
- Building programs where mid-level leaders can intern in another area to gain exposure and advance skills
- Offering an external mentorship program; an external coach may be more helpful for insights into a person’s development
- Enhancing mentoring of new leaders by current colleagues and next-level leaders
- Identifying individual strengths and weaknesses to help create a focused plan
- Mentoring and guiding new leaders rather than removing them from leadership positions
- Mentoring leaders for the first six months after they get promoted
- Pushing leaders out of their department to see how other departments function; interns get to do this but managers do not
- Valuing leaders for spending time and effort in growing their people
- Promoting a culture of active mentorship outside of one’s supervisor
- Allowing time for development by reducing secondary responsibilities
- Giving safe chances to sharpen leadership skills
- Providing more venues for learning, such as special projects and rotational placements
- Providing forums for managers to share ideas and discuss effective ways to handle issues
- Organizing informal meetings to facilitate team bonding, identify talent, and increase job satisfaction
- Allowing leaders to participate in outside organizations to network and better understand industry issues
- Making sure all leaders have the opportunity to hear the stories of our VPs and AVPs just as the high-potential group does
- Showing support from upper management for leaders in the same manner that leaders are taught to support the line staff
- Giving more opportunity to learn how senior managers handle different situations/issues
Which do you feel make your organization most effective?How many do you have in place?
Select the top 5 you want to ensure are “in place” to help leaders drive results, build bench strength, and increase effectiveness.
There’s a lot to consider, but investing your time will pay off. Watch for more next week.
QwikTip and QwikCoach
PeopleTek’s Strategic partner, E-Coach, specializes in online coaching tools.
QwikTip on how to Develop People For Optimal Performance
And for those with a QwikCoach license, refresh your existing skills and acquire new skills by visiting the QwikTips library for leadership ideas and techniques.
If you don’t have QwikCoach, it’s an excellent resource for growing your leadership skills remotely that you should consider.
Help turn your leadership knowledge into leadership action!