How great leaders build and grow great people

In our last blog, we talked about what makes a great leader but from the perspective of how they can influence how you feel.  It might be worth you reading before you continue with this one as one of the feelings we shared was Supported.  We shared that a good leader provides the necessary resources, training, and support to help their team succeed. They are approachable and willing to help so people feel backed and encouraged, but how do you know what training and support your team needs?

As leaders we all want to retain and develop our people, so they stay longer, are more productive and generally happier in their jobs. Long gone are the days of command and control, today’s leaders are required to engage their teams by coaching them to be the best they can be.

It all starts with a conversation and asking the right questions. I’ve had many a development and career conversation where I’ve been asked ‘so where do you want to be in five years?’ blimey, I can’t even think about what I want for tea (dinner to those from down south) let alone what I want to do in five years, I know I should, but it felt like a real tricky question to answer.

Some people know exactly what they want from their career and know how to get there, but for many (me included) it can be a challenge.

So, if you’re a line manager/leader, how do you find out what people aspire to?

• It’s all about helping people know a bit more about themselves, about what they enjoy and what they are good at. Engage in one-on-one conversations where you ask open-ended questions about their goals, dreams, and what they enjoy doing. Ask them to think about their previous roles and what they did and did not enjoy about them.
• Foster a culture where people feel comfortable sharing their aspirations without fear of judgment or repercussions. This includes being non-judgmental and showing genuine interest in their responses through active listening.
• Pay close attention to what people say and how they say it. Listen for cues about their interests and passions and follow up with questions that encourage them to elaborate.
• Help them to identify key factors that link their present and previous roles, such as leading people or projects, helping people to resolve problems or a hybrid working patterns.
• Notice what tasks or projects they gravitate towards, what they excel at, and what they seem to enjoy. This can provide insights into their passions and aspirations as well as their strengths and areas of development,
• Provide opportunities for exploration for people so they can try new roles or projects. This can help them discover new interests and clarify their aspirations.
• Encourage regular reflection and feedback sessions where individuals can talk about their experiences and what they have learned from them. Ask questions such as:-
• What do they do that consistently gets them great feedback?
• What do you do that results in feedback that helps you to improve how you work?
• What skills do they enjoy using?
• What gets in their way or do they find challenging and how do they manage this already?
• When they look back over their career, what do they think people will say that made them great at their job?

As leaders you don’t have to have the answers, just being able to ask great questions is key to being a great leader.

If you want to grow your talent, we can help you. Our leadership Programmes include coaching skills and useful tools to help develop your teams.

This could be for yourself or a member of your team who aspires to be a leader themselves.

A participant who attended our Remarkable Leaders Programme said

“Both trainers have truly been inspiring role models and leaders throughout. They have both helped me to understand and overcome personal struggles and challenges and I cannot thank them enough for the change that this course has brought about in my life.”

If you want to find out more, we’d love to hear from you and catch up over a coffee