Chris McClure

**This article is inspired by chapter 1 of “Leadershift” by John C. Maxwell – “Why Every Leader Needs to Leadershift” ***

Thomas Edgely once stated, “Change or die.” This statement seems extremely appropriate in the rapidly changing world that we live in today. Look around and see all the things that exist today that didn’t just 1-5 years ago. We live in an amazing time in history where advancements are happening and information is multiplying at unprecedented rates. We have so many opportunities available to us thanks to technology, but we also have many challenges as leaders.

Leaders simply can’t keep up with the world around them if they don’t become adaptable. What worked even just five years ago most likely won’t work today. There are a few key behaviors and characteristics that stand the test of time, but navigating real-time challenges can become exhausting. In fact, I believe many leaders are experiencing “decision fatigue.” This is the state that when your brain becomes tired from the multitude of decisions you must make each day. In times of challenge or crisis, this condition is magnified and multiplied.

So, if this is the reality of the world we live in, how can you become the adaptable leader that is required to not only survive but thrive?

Consider the following 7 steps that John C. Maxwell teaches in his eye-opening book LEADERSHIFT:

1 – Continually learn, unlearn, and relearn

Mark Niemann-Ross states that “In four years, you’ll have to relearn 30% of your job.” Think about that for a moment. Much of what you’re doing today will have to be relearned in the next four years. As business and technological advancements increase, your education rate will have to increase to keep up. As the old saying goes, “What got you here, won’t get you there.” Tomorrow’s success requires you to continually learn and grow.

2 – Value yesterday, but live in today.

My grandfather used to say, “The good ol’ days weren’t so good.” However, many people often glamorize the past the farther removed they are from it. The challenges we faced are diminished and the successes we accomplished are blown up to be greater than they truly were. Be grateful for your past and the lessons you learned, but focus on what you can do today in order to advance your life and business. Yesterday is gone. Make the most of today.

3 – Rely on speed, but thrive on timing.

One of the challenges of modern technology is that we often try to do too much too fast. It’s like taking a sharp turn on a dangerous road at a high speed. It’s not going to end well! Yes, we have the capabilities to get farther and faster than ever before, but WHEN to do something is often as important as WHAT to do. Rushing the process can be detrimental. Trying to manufacture results too soon can end up disastrous. Be diligent to keep a good pace, but be wise enough to know when the timing is right to launch whatever you’re working on.

4 – See the big picture as the picture keeps getting bigger.

Vision is a critical component of leadership. If the leader doesn’t know where to go, he or she can’t lead their followers effectively. However, we must realize that as you advance toward the vision, the vision will expand. Former John Maxwell Team vice president and successful business owner Scott Faye teaches that once you climb to the top of one mountain you will see new mountains to climb. Today’s vision will someday be achieved if you keep moving forward. Then, you’ll see new ways to expand this vision or receive a new vision to go after. Keep this in mind as you lead your team forward.

5 – Live in today, but think about tomorrow.

As stated in #2 above, today matters. However, you must keep your eyes up to see what’s coming as if you’re driving down the road. Today is like the hood of the car. You can’t stare at it too long or else you could crash into oncoming obstacles. Keep your eyes on the horizon as you navigate today. Make the most of today, but be mindful of tomorrow so you’re not caught off-guard with surprises. Your followers need you to be a few steps ahead of them at all times.

6 – Move forward today in the midst of uncertainty.

While we live in an amazing era, we also live in a time of incredible uncertainty. In fact, all generations have navigated this reality at some level. The reason is that we can’t predict the future. Did many leaders foresee the Coronavirus pandemic that would shut down much of the economy throughout the world? Have community leaders been able to predict natural disasters that affect their regions for months (even years)? The reality is that life is uncertain. As soon as we navigate through the challenges of one surprise, more seem to come our way. This is why the world needs strong leaders. Followers are looking for leaders to guide them through uncertainty. It’s like driving through fog. You may have to slow down a bit to be cautious, but you must keep moving forward in order to get past it.

7 – Realize today’s best will not meet tomorrow’s challenges.

As I stated before, what got you “here” won’t get you “there”. This is why daily personal growth is critical. If you don’t have an intentional growth plan, you will eventually be left behind. Read, listen to podcasts, go to conferences, hire a coach, find a mentor, attend workshops, etc. Whatever you need to do to multiply your knowledge so you can be a relevant leader, do it! Think of your personal growth like going to the gym to work out. The weight you can lift today is today’s best, but if you have goals to lift 50 pounds more, you must push yourself tomorrow toward that goal. Keep challenging yourself to grow and mature as a leader. Your followers need you to keep getting better so you can help them grow and be more successful.

Leadership in our generation is not an easy task, but you can be successful if you commit to growing and advancing. You don’t have to be 100 steps ahead of your followers. Sometimes one step ahead is enough. Keep taking the next best step that you see and invite others to follow you on the journey. By taking one step after another you can achieve GREAT things!

Until next time…make today GREAT!

**This article is inspired by chapter 10 of John C. Maxwell’s book “Developing the Leaders Around You” – “The Leader’s Lasting Contribution: Reproducing Generations of Leaders” ***

A fatal flaw of many leaders is holding the assumption that next-generation leaders will simply show up without any developmental effort. The reality is that these new leaders must be intentionally developed over time. Sure, you can recruit young leaders to your team from the outside, but someone has to invest in them along the way for them to show up that way.

In the graphic above, you will see a simple (but not easy) 4-step process for developing leaders for the future. These four steps have been taught and utilized for years in various ways by a variety of leaders, but let this graphic be a tool to help you remember what you can (and must) do if you are going to leave a legacy of success in your organization long after you’re gone.

There’s one more step beyond these four that is critical as well if you are going to develop a pipeline of next-generation leaders. Keep reading to gain a better understanding of the four steps + the critical next step that is often overlooked.

Step #1 – I Do, You Watch

In this phase, you are simply allowing your developing leader to observe what you do and how you do it. They don’t have any responsibilities other than shadowing you for a period of time. The amount of time you stay in this phase depends on the complexity of what you’re training them to do. It could take minutes, weeks, or months. Predetermine an estimated timeline and communicate it upfront in order to manage expectations.

Step #2 – I Do, You Help

In this phase, your developing leader begins to assist you. Prepare to spend a significant amount of time in this phase. You are responsible for the project and they are responsible for helping you achieve your desired results. This phase will most likely have sub-phases as their skills and understanding increase. You will hand off more and more tasks to them to assist you as time goes on. As stated in Step #1, the amount of time you stay in this phase depends on the complexity of what you’re training them to do.

Step #3 – You Do, I Help

In this phase, you simply switch roles in the project. You are both involved to achieve results, but the developing leader is now taking the lead. You are assisting him or her. This gives them the support and training they need while also being empowered to take ownership and make decisions. Once again, the amount of time you stay in this phase depends on the complexity of what you’re training them to do.

Step #4 – You Do, I Watch

Once you’ve successfully navigated the previous three steps, you are able to step back while the developing leader runs with the project and takes full responsibility. You serve as a mentor and sounding board, but you are hands-off as much as possible. Resist the temptation to step in and do it your way or fix things that they simply need to learn to correct on their own. Be a voice of support and wisdom, but stay out of the project. It is theirs to own and produce results.

Step #5 – Challenge Your New Leader To Train Others

This is a key step that is often neglected in this developmental process. It’s not enough to simply train a developing leader; you must also challenge him or her to pass it on to others. You’ve just led them through a transformative process to become a capable, empowered leader. Now it’s time for them to do the same. Challenge them to identify their next-generation leader whom they can train as you did for them. And make sure they don’t let the process of developing next-generation leaders stop with that person. When done well, this process can be a powerful process that reproduces leader after leader.

One word of warning: this process is not usually fast or easy. That’s why so many leaders neglect it. However, if you will invest in the upfront effort, you will reap long-term benefits personally and organizationally. The best leaders develop other leaders who can move the organization or cause forward once they move on or retire. You can be that kind of leader if you will commit to working through this process over and over.

Are you up for it?

If so, begin today by identifying your first potential leader and begin the “I Do, You Watch” phase and then advance forward with intention through the other steps.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

***This article is inspired by chapter 9 of John C. Maxwell’s book “Developing the Leaders Around You” – “The Leader’s Finest Hour: Realizing Value To and From Leaders” ***

Author Alex Haley once said, “If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he had some help.”

The same can be said of leaders at all levels. No one becomes a leader on their own. Books, mentors, family, friends, and others have helped them along the way. These people may not have known that their actions were helping to develop a leader, but they were integral nonetheless.

As leaders, we must remember that we’re not self-made. We needed others to help us on our journey and we also have the privilege to help others on their journeys.

Consider the value given in the two-way relationship between experienced and new leaders that John Maxwell shares with us below:

Value That Existing Leaders Add to New Leaders:

• Modeling
• Vision and direction
• Encouragement and affirmation
• Belief in themselves
• Willingness to try new things
• Personal development
• Commitment to personal growth
• Empowerment
• Being a part of something greater than themselves

Value That New Leaders Add To Existing Leaders:

• Loyalty
• Encouragement
• Personal counsel and support
• Follow-through
• Time
• Balance of gifts
• Attraction of others
• People development
• Increased influence

As you look at these lists, what stands out to you?

Which list do you find your personal strengths on?

What weaknesses do you notice?

What are your opportunities for growth?

The reality is that there is no perfect leader or follower. However, you can become better every day when you give intentional focus to your personal development and contribution.

As you go about your business today, keep these lists in mind and choose one or two items where you can increase your value to your followers and to your leaders whom you are following. Then do the same tomorrow, the next day, and the next…

You have unlimited potential to keep growing each day until you breathe your last breath. Make the commitment right now to focus on daily improvement and watch how far you can go.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

***This article is inspired by chapter 8 of John C. Maxwell’s book “Developing the Leaders Around You” – “The Leader’s Greatest Joy: Coaching a Dream Team of Leaders” ***

In my last article, I shared about 10 qualities of Dream Teams. While these qualities of your team members are critically important, a Dream Team must also have a great coach who can keep the team focused, develop the talent, and create a culture that allows the team to reach its potential.

Charles Frances once said, “You can buy a man’s time, you can even buy his physical presence at a given place, but you cannot buy enthusiasm…you cannot buy loyalty…you cannot buy the devotion of hearts, minds, or souls. You must earn these.”

In order to lead a Dream Team to reach their potential, leaders must become great coaches. How do you do that?

Consider John Maxwell’s 10 Qualities of Dream Team Coaches:

1 – Chooses players well

The first key to forming a Dream Team is to assess needs and recruit great talent. Without great talent, a team will be limited in what it can achieve. A Dream Team coach must be clear on what he or she needs in team members to accomplish team or organizational goals.

2 – Constantly communicates the game plan

Communication must be repeated if it is to be heard. Saying anything once will not do the trick. It’s often been stated that unless you’ve said something at least 7 times it hasn’t been heard yet. Until the leader is tired of hearing himself or herself communicate a message, it probably hasn’t been fully embraced.

3 – Takes the time to huddle

All great teams know when they need to huddle up to design the next play, assess previous plays, and to reconnect to be reminded of the goal they are working toward. A Dream Team coach develops a consistent, effective meeting rhythm to make sure the team remains on the same page in order to keep moving in the right direction toward success.

4 – Knows what his or her players prefer

Knowing your followers is critical to every leader’s success. Each team member has a unique personality, skill set, and contribution. Knowing how they prefer to be communicated with, challenged, and encouraged is critically important to connect best with each person to help them do their part to make the team successful.

5 – Excels in problem-solving

Problems are what demand leadership. When problems arise, leaders rise up. Dream Team coaches have learned how to assess problems and design solutions to overcome them. The better the problem-solver you are, the more trust and credibility you gain with your followers.

6 – Provides the support needed for success

Pursuing big goals can often be draining and overwhelming. It is a journey that has many ups and downs along the way. Dream Team coaches pay attention to the state of their team members and give them the support they need to keep moving forward from the beginning to the end of the journey.

7 – Commands the respect of the players

Respect is earned, not given. When a Dream Team coach does his or her job well and connects well with the team members, he or she begins to naturally command respect. True respect cannot be demanded, but when you perform at a high level and connect intentionally to help your team members succeed, you will begin to command their respect by simply being yourself.

8 – Does not treat everyone the same

As stated above, each team member has a unique skill set, personality, and contribution. Dream Team coaches remember they are dealing with people, not machines. You can treat everyone well without treating them the same. Customize your leadership for each person you lead and you will improve their performance and the overall team results.

9 – Continues to win

Winning can lead to more winning when leaders build on previous success. However, this must be an intentional effort. It is rare in sports for championship teams to repeat the following year because the sense of urgency disappears. Dream Team coaches know how to build on previous successes while not becoming complacent because of previous wins.

10 – Understands the levels of the players

Team members operate at various levels due to experience and development. You will have star players with years of experience paired with emerging talent of younger or less-experienced players. Understanding the skill levels of your team members allows you to lead them most effectively and manage expectations well.

Dream Team coaches are few and far between because it takes intentionality to develop into one. If you will commit to focusing on each of these qualities and implementing them into your personal leadership development plan, you can become the kind of leader that Dream Team players want to follow. But remember, it’s up to you to become the kind of leader that high-performing team members want to join. If you don’t’ have the kind of talent that you want or need, look in the mirror first and consider how you need to grow in order to attract better followers.

You can become a Dream Team level leader.

I believe in you!

Make today GREAT!

***This article is inspired by chapter 7 of John C. Maxwell’s book “Developing the Leaders Around You” – “The Leader’s Highest Return: Forming a Dream Team of Leaders” ***

In 1992, the USA sent its first-ever basketball team made up of active professional NBA players to compete for the Summer Olympics gold medal in Barcelona, Spain. It was nicknamed the “Dream Team” as the roster was stacked with the best talent in the world at the time. In case you don’t remember who played in these games, look at this world-class roster above.

This team changed the face of how the USA performed in future Olympics and caused other nations to improve their rosters to compete at the highest level. That’s what a Dream Team can do. It forces everyone to become better.

Would you like a dream team of leaders to carry your organization into the future?

Most leaders shout a resounding “Yes!”

Who wouldn’t want that?

However, not all leaders know how to develop or compile such a team. And not every team with superstar talent make up a dream team just by showing up. It takes intentional effort and the members must carry themselves in a way that works well together.

Consider John C. Maxwell’s 10 qualities of a Dream Team:

1 – The team members care for one another.

Teams that achieve the greatest success cannot be at odds with one another. They must care about one another’s interests personally and professionally. Caring means that each person is looking out for each other through the ups and downs of the journey to success.

2 – The team members know what is important.

A common goal or vision is critical for a team to reach its highest level of success. The leader must take responsibility for casting vision and making sure each member is clear about it. When they know what is important, they can then advance in the same direction toward the common goal.

3 –  The team members communicate with one another.

Communication is one of the greatest challenges of any team or organization. In fact, it’s been said that the greatest illusion in communication is the assumption that it has happened well. In order to achieve the highest levels of success, team members must commit to communicating clearly with one another and make sure what is important has been heard.

4 – The team members grow together.

Achieving success is a journey filled with many ups and downs. As the team travels together toward their goals, they must be committed to growing together. They must focus on their personal development, as well as, their team development. A dream team looks much different and better at the end of the journey than when they began.

5 – There is a team fit.

Chemistry matters so much that it trumps vision. A dysfunctional team with a great vision is rarely successful. A team with great chemistry can passionately pursue a vision as each member contributes to their fullest potential while keeping the team’s overall goals in mind.

6 – The team members place their individual rights beneath the best interest of the team.

There is no room for selfishness on a dream team. While individuals may have more experience and personal success than others, they cannot demand or assume they have more rights than other members. Dream teams are made up of highly talented members who set their selfish motives and rights aside for the sake of the team’s overall success.

7 – Each team member plays a special role.

Everyone on a dream team has a unique role to play. Some of the greatest teams throughout history have unsung heroes who played their parts well while not getting the attention they deserve. However, the rest of the team values their contribution as much as the so-called “stars” of the team who were thrust into the spotlight. When everyone understands their unique role and does what they can to contribute, the team can achieve incredible success.

8 – An effective team has a good bench.

There are “starters” on all teams, but winning the long-game demands a strong bench of back-up players who perform their unique roles when called upon. While the bench players may not receive notoriety like the starters, their contribution is critically important and their fellow members value what they do for the success of the team.

9 – The team members know exactly where the team stands.

Regardless of the team vision and goals, a scoreboard that measures progress is vital for a dream team to succeed. Whether it’s a sports scoreboard with a clock and points or a business dashboard showing key performance indicators (KPI’s), the team must know the current reality of where they stand if they are going to keep moving forward and achieve the highest levels of success.

10 – The team members are willing to pay the price.

All dream teams that become champions understand that sacrifice is required. Whether it’s long hours working on projects or more drills on the practice field, members are willing to pay the price. It’s been said that champions are made in the dark, but revealed under the spotlights. Dream team members understand this and do what it takes to pay the price for the team’s success.

As you can see, dream teams require important qualities to succeed at the highest levels. In sports, there is one winner crowned at the end of each season. In most cases, the championship teams have lived out these qualities while others didn’t. The others came up short while the champions continued to work together to achieve their vision and goals. In business, there may be no season-ending trophies given out, but there are market share and industry impact that an organization can go after. There are annual revenue and profit margin goals to pursue.

You can build a dream team for your organization if you develop and equip your team members well and make sure that they have these 10 critical qualities listed above.

Are you ready to pursue greatness by building a dream team?

You can do it. I believe in you!

Until next time…make today GREAT!

Would you like to start your day with more motivation? Click HERE to receive my Daily Inspiration thoughts each morning in your inbox.

***This article is inspired by chapter 6 of John C. Maxwell’s book
“Developing the Leaders Around You” – “The Leader’s Lifelong Commitment: Developing Potential Leaders” ***

In the previous article, we looked at the 3 keys of modeling, mentoring, and empowering to effectively equip potential leaders. Today we’re going to look at John Maxwell’s 10 critical actions that leaders do who are good developers of people.

Consider the following:

1 – Discover the potential leader’s motivations and harness them.

Motives matter and knowing how to motivate others is a key aspect of leadership. Some people are motivated by finances. Others by prestige and notoriety. Still, others are passionate about making an impact. Motivations vary. If you want to draw the best out of your followers, discover their motivations and then use those them to help them advance and grow.

2 – Be a good listener.

Listening seems to be a lost art among most people in our world today. It’s not simply about hearing the words coming from someone’s mouth, but rather listening deeply to what is truly being said through tone, body language. It even includes what isn’t being said aloud. As you focus on listening, you can learn ways to motivate, strengths to build upon, and weaknesses to address.

3 – Develop a plan for personal growth.

Many organizations wait until an employee is underperforming and then put them on a performance improvement plan. Great leaders are proactive and help their followers develop a personal growth plan which helps them intentionally develop into their roles and responsibilities. As a leader, help them develop a solid plan as they may not know what they need to focus on.

4 – Promote ongoing growth.

While this may at first seem repetitive of #3, it’s actually not. A personal growth plan may have an expiration date or a specific timeline. However, personal growth should never end. For your followers to truly reach their potential, they must make personal growth an ongoing focus. Guide them to read books, listen to podcasts, go to conferences, attend workshops, take courses, etc. Point them towards whatever will help them continue on their success journey.

5 – Give them varied experiences.

Potential leaders, who will someday oversee departments and entire organizations, must develop a well-rounded perspective. This happens best through a variety of hands-on experiences. Give them relevant opportunities based on their desired career path, as well as, your vision for how they can best serve your organization.

6 – Strive for excellence.

Excellence is not about perfection, but it is about doing the best with what you have. Be intentional with the time and attention you give your followers. Consider how their development and success can be a reflection of your own success long-term. Help them become the best they can be by giving them your best effort.

7 – Reward positive growth.

Pastor and leadership expert Andy Stanley once said, “What gets rewarded gets repeated.” When you catch your potential leaders doing well, reward them. Give them private and public recognition as appropriate. Help them achieve small and large victories, then reward them along the way. This will build their confidence and morale. It will also enhance their trust in you.

8 – Care enough to confront.

While very few people like to deal with confrontation, it simply comes as a responsibility of leadership. However, HOW you confront truly matters. When you approach them from a place of caring versus condemnation, constructive criticism is heard much better. If you are going to be a great developer of people, you need to start with the heart. John Maxwell’s Law of Connection states, “Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.” The hard truth is that if you don’t care about people, you shouldn’t be in a leadership role. Managers can focus on systems and processes. Leaders must focus on people and their development.

9 – Make the hard decisions.

Many people want to be in leadership roles for the perks and benefits, but leaders quickly realize that many hard decisions must be made. Whether you must have hard conversations, fire someone for continued poor performance, or even hire for an important role, making hard decisions comes with the territory. When it comes to developing your potential leaders, commit to being courageous and making the hard decisions that are best for your followers and the organization.

10 – Be personally secure.

It’s natural for leaders to want to be liked. However, leaders can’t draw their security based on how others feel about them. If you do, you won’t last long. As stated above, leaders have to confront and make hard decisions. This often results in becoming unpopular at times. Consider your own successes when you feel beat down. Focus on your own personal growth and what is best for the organization as you navigate the difficult aspects of leadership. Also, don’t worry about your potential leaders replacing you. If you do your job well to equip and develop people, you become more valuable.

Developing potential leaders takes significant time and energy. However, there is a great reward for seeing those whom you’ve developed succeed. As mentioned previously, their successes can be your success when you help them grow, mature, and advance in their careers. Commit to giving them what they need by taking these 10 key actions.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

If you need help on your journey of going to the next level in your personal life or leadership, click HERE to learn more about my personal and executive coaching services.

***This article is inspired by chapter 5 of John C. Maxwell’s book
“Developing the Leaders Around You” – “The Leader’s Daily Requirement: Equipping Potential Leaders” ***

In order to develop a leadership culture, you must develop your followers to reach their full potential. While they have a personal responsibility to do what they can do, it is critical that their leader does the work of equipping them for success each day.

While there are various components of equipping, the key is consistency and intentionality. Becoming an equipping leader is a skill that can be mastered over time like any other skill. The key is to start and then keep doing it daily until it becomes natural and automatic.

Consider John Maxwell’s 3 keys to effectively equipping your potential leaders:

1 – Model

While everyone can learn on their own initiative, we all go farther faster when we have a model to see and learn from. Your potential leaders’ growth and success can be multiplied and expedited if you will choose to be a model for them of what you desire for them to produce. The first step in effectively equipping your followers is sometimes called the “I do, you watch” phase. Let them see you in action. Have them observe how you work and what you do. Show them the ropes.

2 – Mentor

Beyond having them observe you, step into the mentoring role where you intentionally and consistently sit down with them to help them. Allow them to ask questions and learn from your experiences. Availability is the key to being a valuable mentor. Your followers will run into problems, obstacles, and challenges. They will also have opportunities presented to them that they are unsure of how to move forward. They need someone who has “been there, done that” before to help them make wise decisions. If you want to have a strong team of future leaders, you must commit to being an available mentor who shows them the way forward in real-time.

3 – Empower

While many leaders excel in giving clear objectives and writing concise job descriptions, many fail to truly empower their followers. Empowerment occurs when you do the consistent up-front work of modeling and mentoring, then give your followers the freedom to work without micromanaging them. Micromanagement is one of the most demotivating things any leader can do to their followers. Empowerment comes by giving responsibility with appropriate accountability and freedom of expression. Your followers will likely not perform tasks exactly how you would, but that’s okay! Focus on the outcomes, not the exact steps along the way. Tell them you trust them and believe in them to accomplish the task or project at hand. If you don’t trust them, then you must go back to modeling and mentoring. Provide more or better training. Take responsibility as their leader to set them up for success.

Equipping potential leaders is not difficult, but it does require intentionality. It requires patience and discipline. It requires an up-front investment of time and resources in order to result in long-term benefits. If you want an all-star team of future leaders, you must commit to equipping them for success today.

Are you willing? If so, then begin (or continue) the process today.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

If you need help on your journey of going to the next level in your personal life or leadership, click HERE to learn more about my personal and executive coaching services.

***This article is inspired by chapter 4 of John C. Maxwell’s book
“Developing the Leaders Around You” – “The Leader’s Crucial Task: Nurturing Potential Leaders” ***

In our hard-driving world, nurturing followers may seem “soft” or a waste of time for many leaders. However, if you want to be a leader who is able to draw the most out of your potential leaders so your team and organization can experience the highest levels of success, you can’t overlook this crucial task.

If you’re like me, you may better understand nurturing in the context of raising children or even plants and animals. It’s often easier to embrace this task when thinking about people or things that need extra attention. We can easily overlook that our followers need continual care and attention as well. Being a nurturing leader isn’t for the weak. Rather, it takes great courage to go against the grain to intentionally take care of those under your leadership.

In order to do this, consider John Maxwell’s four significant ways to nurture potential leaders:

1 – Believe in them

Everyone needs others to believe in them at some point in life. Many times we don’t believe in ourselves and we have to borrow belief from others to courageously move forward in our lives. Potential leaders rarely have a track record of success to fuel their own beliefs. They need their leaders to show that they believe they can be successful until their self-belief catches up.

2 – Encourage them.

Everyone needs encouragement regardless of age, experience, or situation. No sane person has ever told someone to stop encouraging them. We love to hear encouraging words! Potential leaders need you to catch them doing things well and encouraging them to do more of it. They also need you to encourage them when they fail. Encouragement is like oxygen to the soul of potential leaders as they strive to develop and achieve success.

3 – Share with them.

In the busyness of daily activities, it’s easy to neglect sharing with others why you do what you do and how you have become successful. Many times, leaders are operating intuitively and overlook the steps they took to accomplish the goals and objectives that potential leaders need to learn. Be intentional to share your insights and keys to success with them.

4 – Trust them.

While trust takes time to build, your followers need to believe that you trust them to get the job done. If you hired them to do a job or task, then trust them to do it until they prove you wrong. Don’t micromanage them, which may be your way of making sure things are done right, but it conveys a message of mistrust. Do the work of explaining clearly what needs to be accomplished, equip them to be successful, provide the necessary resources, and then trust them to do the task. This is how you empower potential leaders to achieve success.

Nurturing potential leaders requires thoughtful, intentional behavior. As stated in the beginning, it is easy to overlook this key role of a leader because it appears “soft” or even to be a waste of time. However, when you take the time to do this for your followers, the payoff can be great. You’ll feel good as a leader and your organization will win long-term.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

If you need help on your journey of going to the next level in your personal life or leadership, click HERE to learn more about my personal and executive coaching services.

***This article is inspired by chapter 3 of John C. Maxwell’s book
“Developing the Leaders Around You” – “The Leader’s Primary Responsibility: Identifying Potential Leaders” ***

Leaders at the Ogilvy and Mather advertising agency had the practice to give each new manager a Russian doll set with the following message inside the smallest doll: “If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, Ogilvy and Mather will become a company of giants.”

Whom you select as leaders TODAY greatly impacts your future success TOMORROW.

John Maxwell states, “By selecting followers rather than potential leaders, the leader of an organization limits its potential growth.”

In order to select high-quality leaders to join your team or organization, you must let go of any insecurities or worries that you may have about others being better than you. The reality is that the best leaders hire others who are better than they are in key areas so the team and organization become stronger.

Consider the following 10 qualities John Maxwell recommends when looking for potential leaders:

1 – Character

The character of a person is more important than their skills. You can train for skills, but you can’t train character. Choose wisely or pay a high price with a damaged culture.

2 – Influence

Consider whom a potential leader is influenced by and whom they influence. Remember, the true measure of leadership is influence; nothing more, nothing less.

3 – Positive Attitude

Attitude is like yeast in dough. A small amount makes a big impact. A positive person has the power to raise the morale on a team and throughout the organization. A negative person can kill morale the minute they walk in the room or get on the call. Evaluate if this is the type of person you and your team want to be around daily.

4 – Excellent People Skills

No matter what business you’re in, you’re in the people business. We’re either interacting directly or indirectly with people. We’re personally engaging or creating products and services for people to use. Without excellent people skills, a person will have a significant limit on their personal success and may hold your organization back from achieving greater results.

5 – Evident Gifts and Abilities

This may seem obvious, but you must make sure that your potential leader has the skills to do the job well. Even if they have an engaging personality, make sure they can meet the needed requirements. Just because you like someone doesn’t mean they’re the best skill fit.

6 – Proven Track Record

Past performance is a good predictor of future performance. Leadership is ultimately about producing results with and for others. Make sure your potential leaders have been successful in the past so they have a strong chance to help your organization be successful in the future.

7 – Confidence

Leadership is often challenging. If someone doesn’t have confidence in themselves, they will not last long. Do they believe in themselves? Do they confidently accomplish their work? These are important indicators to look for when selecting key leadership roles.

8 – Self-Discipline

The higher you rise in leadership, the more self-disciplined you need to be. If you need someone to tell you every step to take, you’re not yet ready to be a leader. Make sure your potential leaders can think and act on their own.

9 – Effective Communication Skills

Communication is much more than the words we say. In fact, tone and body language make up more than 90% of communication. Observe potential leaders in a variety of settings. See how they engage with others in-person, on the phone, in writing, etc.

10 – Discontent With the Status Quo

Leaders are never satisfied with the current state of things. They are continually looking to the future with a growth mindset. They want to expand and make a deeper impact. Confirm that your potential leaders aren’t so happy with where they and the organization are that they have no motivation to advance and become better.

These 10 characteristics are vital to selecting potential leaders who can help your team or organization advance well into the future. Keep these in front of you and use them as you observe potential leaders inside and outside your organization. Taking the time to evaluate potential leaders well up-front will pay incredible dividends long-term.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

If you need help on your journey of going to the next level in your personal life or leadership, click HERE to learn more about my personal and executive coaching services.

***This article is inspired by chapter 2 of John C. Maxwell’s book
“Developing the Leaders Around You” – “The Leader’s Toughest Challenge: Creating a Climate for Potential Leaders” ***

Leadership is much like gardening or farming. You must prepare and fertilize the soil, plant good seeds, continually water for growth, and pull the weeds that choke out healthy plants. It’s a never-ending, but critically important job.

If you want to ensure that the future of your organization is left in excellent hands, you must cultivate an environment for potential leaders to grow today. Leadership development takes time. It’s a process. It happens daily, not in a day. Just as gardeners and farmers must do the daily work to give their plants the best opportunity to grow and mature, so must leaders do the same for their followers if they are to become strong leaders for the future.

So, how do you help your potential leaders grow? Consider the following 5 actions suggested by John Maxwell:

1 – Expose the potential leader to people successful in his or her field.

It’s often been said that more is caught than taught. While gaining knowledge is important, seeing success in action is most powerful. Consider the roles and responsibilities of your potential leaders and then think of successful men and women who can be examples for them to imitate. These models of success may be inside or outside your organization. Keep in mind that your potential leaders may not know where to look for these people, so help them by making introductions and pointing them in the right direction.

2 – Provide a secure environment where the potential leader is free to take risks.

Security is one of our greatest desires in life. Job security feels like a fleeting reality in our world today. If you are going to raise up excellent leaders for the benefit of your organization as you move into the future, you must help your followers feel safe to try and fail. No one is perfect, so expecting anyone to be successful on the first attempt is unreasonable. Instead, give your potential leaders room to try and fail, while also giving them feedback in order to learn from their failures. This will allow them to fail forward and learn to lead well. Take the pressure off of them so they can attempt new ways to be successful in their role.

3 – Provide the potential leader with an experienced mentor.

This point is similar to #1 above. Not only do your potential leaders need to see examples of success, but they also need mentors who will invest time in their lives. You can learn from successful people at a distance (speakers, books, conferences, podcasts, etc.), but mentors provide up close and personal attention to help their mentees to achieve success. They give assignments and hold them accountable. They help them think through their challenges and point out opportunities. Mentors believe that their mentee’s success is their success so they want to do all they can to help them succeed.

4 – Provide the potential leader with the tools and resources he or she needs.

Potential leaders are typically young and/or inexperienced in their roles. They often won’t know what tools and resources will help them be successful. They may overexert themselves doing manual tasks that could be automated out of sheer ignorance of what is available to them. They may not know where to look for resources or answers to the challenges they’re facing. Remember what it was like to be in their shoes as a young or inexperienced leader. There is so much that you do today intuitively that was not intuitive when you were just starting out. Ask them what they need. Watch how they’re working and point out better ways. Share best practices. Send them to training. Hire a coach for them. Buy them books or online courses. This investment will make them better today and help them lead well into the future.

5 – Spend time and money to train the potential leader in his or her areas of need.

This point is connected to #4 above. You must invest in your potential leaders. Yes, there is a significant price to be paid for leadership development. Compare this price to what it will cost you now and in the future if you don’t train them! Your people are your most valuable assets. Just as you would invest in keeping equipment running well so it can perform optimally, you must do the same for your people. Send them to workshops. Hire outside coaches and trainers to assist your process. Create your own specific training to meet your organization’s detailed needs. Whatever you do, commit to investing in your potential leaders. This investment will pay back a high return over time. A lack of investment will cost you dearly as you won’t have the leaders needed to grow to new levels.

Leader, you have a vital task to help your potential leaders grow. Commit right now to continually and intentionally cultivating an environment of growth so your team and organization can have a pipeline full of prepared, effective, excellent leaders who can help you advance well into the future.

You can do this, but it requires great intentionality.

Until next time…make today GREAT!