A common misconception is that leadership development is only necessary for certain positions containing the words ‘Director,’ ‘Chief,’ or ‘Officer.’ But leadership is about enabling the full potential of others. As a leader in your company, encouraging leadership development all around is imperative to the growth of your business.
“Leadership is a choice, not a position.” – Stephen Covey
Five reasons why leadership development is really for everyone:
1. Increases productivity. When leadership at all levels is first suggested, many people react with, “How are we going to stay productive when everyone thinks they are in charge?” The truth is that cutting out unnecessary management and promoting leadership amongst all employees actually increases your productivity by creating organizational alignment. When everyone has a level of leadership and responsibility to meet a goal, there’s no room to be lazy or hide bad work ethic. There’s no more hiding under the radar and hoping you’ll get by.
2. Promotes openness. When leading your business, the biggest mistake that causes you to fall short of your goals is working individually behind closed doors. To be successful, a business needs to have communication between all departments. Allowing leadership at all levels gives employees more confidence to speak up about issues that can be solved by the team as a whole. You’ll be surprised by how many employees bring new ideas to the table when given the opportunity.
3. Encourages teamwork. How many times in your life have you wanted to bring up a potentially great idea, or a perceived issue, but have been too nervous to speak up to someone at a management level? If it hasn’t happened to you, it’s probably happened to an employee. Your team is more likely to respect and trust each other if they view everyone, regardless of their title or experience, as teammates working towards the same Future Picture.
4. Enhances skills. Your employees are your greatest asset. Finding employees who encompass exactly what your business values while bringing their own flare and skills can be a challenge. While your current employees may already have good judgment and ability, giving everyone leadership ability will turn good employees into great employees. When presented with leadership opportunities, employees have to take their current skills and develop them even further through learning immediate and subsequent decision making.
5. Creates a better company culture. When everyone equally shares the burden of leadership, there’s an emphasis on how important it is to work together to reach the final destination. An organization that promotes openness inherently creates a positive corporate culture. When employees feel that they are being heard and actively aiding in the development of the company as a whole, they’re more likely to feel satisfied with their work. Feeling valued is essential in creating happiness amongst employees, and giving everyone the opportunity to add value is certain to create a positive atmosphere.
Ready to start developing leaders in your company? We’d love to bring our team in to help your team align and become elite. Reach out to us here.
