Finding the Lions Within Your Organization

• March 1, 2022

When we talk about the challenges of remote work, the first thing that comes to mind is those that employees experience. However, employers have their fair share of challenges too – ensuring productivity, making sure employees feel connected to the organization. Employers have to solve the problems for the organization to survive.

Another particular area of concern is the lack of opportunity for teamwork and collaboration. The physical separation of employees and the continued reliance on remote teams can often lead to issues with collaboration. Remote work has, in some ways, caused employees to miss out on getting “chance” encounters, which is often the catalyst that births new ideas.

When employees are in the same office, it is “easier” to make people understand the tasks assigned to them. If and when an employee has a question, a quick walk to a colleague’s or manager’s booth can easily get answers. Remote work hinders this.

Remote work presents several issues, however, many of the challenges of working remotely that affect both the employees and employer can be resolved by effective leadership. A leader who can prioritize regular communication, provide the right equipment, and adopt a degree of flexibility in working arrangements when possible is indispensable to organizations.

But the question now is how do you find Lions who are up to the task within your organization?

Internal Leadership Development

This is where internal leadership development comes into the picture. This is a program that provides training to individuals so that they can become effective leaders and players within an organization. Most programs focus on developing and polishing a prospective leader’s abilities to handle crucial responsibilities in an organization by teaching them the dos’ and don’ts’ of a successful leader.

Why is this important? We submit there are two main factors why it’s beneficial for organizations to “build from within.” First, there’s no better place to look for employees who understand your business than those who are already in it. Second, it gives the employees a tremendous boost in morale to see one of them take on a more active role in running the business. It gives them an idea that as long as they are loyal and provide results, they can also be part of the leadership.

Starting an Internal Leadership Development Program

Your internal leadership development program does not have to be complicated. In fact, the simpler it is, the more effective it will be. What’s important is that, first, you have to define the leadership roles of your organization. Leaders function better and more efficiently if they have complete knowledge and understanding of the leadership goals set by the organization.

Second, focus on development versus training. Leadership is a culmination of various skills acting in unison – charisma, the skill of persuasion, the ability to negotiate, and the ability to see the bigger picture. Thus, instead of teaching people how to do this, pick people who have shown results AND already possess these skills and develop them.

This will help participants acquire skills that can help them become efficient leaders.

Bottomline

There are numerous benefits of leadership development programs. Thus, you must come up with a development program that reflects your work culture while aiming to fill the leadership gaps within an organization.

The responsibility for creating the leaders of the future lies with the leaders of today. If you want to learn more about the intricacies of leadership development programs and enter the business sphere, you can visit MarketAtomy.com to know more.

Danna Olivo is a Growth Strategist, Author, and Public Speaker. As CEO of MarketAtomy LLC, her passion is working with first-stage business owners to ensure that they are prepared and equipped to launch and grow a successful small business. She understands the intricacies involved early on in business formation and as such the challenges that come with it. A graduate of the University of Central Florida’s College of Business, Danna brings more than 40 years of experience strategically working with small and medium businesses, helping them reach their growth goals. danna.olivo@marketatomy.com