As a child, I recall the supreme and excess energy I possessed. After all, having ADHD was not a sought after diagnoses. Teachers often tried to just ‘deal’ with the energetic child vs. embrace, affirm and expect. At the time, I considered myself an Emerging Leader. An Emerging Leader often has the competency without the cause or the energy without the direction.
I remember what an honor it was to be considered an “Emerging Leader.” The title was given to me in my corporate days. There was something powerful about being considered a leader by my supervisor. I always aspired to be a leader, yet the recognition sent a powerful message.
Emerging Leaders in today’s terminology are managers, directors, subject matter experts and technical experts. Emerging Leaders are the ones that influence your company for the better.
These individuals inside your company need to be recognized and given credit. Whether you call them an Emerging Leader or not, matters not, but it is important that you do indeed call them.
Here is why:
1.) They Will Leave: The worst managers neglect their direct reports, which leads to a disengaged employee and leads to people surfing LinkedIn to find a new position.
2.) They Want To Contribute More: The current fight for talent is not going to end any time soon. If you do not allow them to contribute more, they may find someplace else to contribute. If you are able to send a strong message of investment, this could mitigate that potential risk.
3.) They Are A Part Of Your Succession Plan: According to the Center for Creative Leadership – 65% of companies with a mature succession management strategy achieve better business results compared to 6% that did not have a plan.
4.) They Are Not Receiving Enough Training: According to the American Society for Training & Development 26% of new managers felt unprepared to lead effectively and over 50% received no training at all. You may not have won Best Places To Work because your training budget is slim. See supporting video on this topic:
5.) They Are Critical For Long Term Growth & Sustainability: I am amazed at the number of companies I work with that do not have a back up plan. Too many critical roles, without a back-up results in great risk.
Recommended Actions:
1.) Give Credit: Just like in my example above, I wonder what it would have been like for me if my teachers simply affirmed and embraced my ADHD tendencies vs. just considering it a problem. Give your Emerging Leaders credit for their contributions.
2.) Give Training: They are certainly competent and may also have rough edges. Give them the training they need to be even better. The message of the training may be more impactful than the training itself.
3.) Give Time: They need you to embrace them not create a ceiling or wall that impedes their progress.
4.) Give Connection: Connect them with other Emerging Leaders so they can compare notes and improve. Connect them with mentors and peers to help them connect their competence with a cause.
The Emerging Leader is critical for your business and for our economy. Without the Emerging Leader, you may find yourself sitting around the Executive Team meeting discussing your retirement and realize you have done nothing to plan for that transition.