Companies are growing and the need for new leaders is growing with them. A recent Yahoo Finance article noted that workers are returning to the workforce in droves, with the employment-to-population ratio hitting 60 percent — the highest it has been since February 2009. Consequently, if you ask businesses what they need from employees in 2017, the answer of more leaders soars to the top of list after list.
Leaders Needed
Deloitte’s 2017 Global Human Capital Trends study noted, “Leadership development continues to be a significant challenge for companies around the world, as the transition to the new digital organization creates even larger leadership gaps.”
With the speed at which technology moves, being at the helm of a team can feel overwhelming, especially when a leader’s daily to-dos often overtake precious time that could be spent working strategically to hone team members’ skills.
However, when it comes to succeeding in business, nothing will put you on the fast track quite like efficiently meeting an immediate need like building leaders. Here are two simple techniques to get you started.
1. Embrace Online Training
Baby boomers, Gen Xers and millennials are more alike than you think. With the breakneck speed of the internet, everyone must be perceptive to change. An openness toward online learning will serve you well as you lead your team through the information age.
“The most critical need for most organizations is for leaders to develop digital capabilities,” said the authors of Deloitte’s 2017 study. “Today only 5 percent of companies feel they have strong digital leaders in place.”
Additionally, in a recent article in The Economist, author Andrew Palmer called lifetime learning an “economic imperative” and said, “Technological change demands stronger and more continuous connections between education and employment.”
Many businesses are beginning to embrace training by offering employees robust opportunities through learning management systems. Those interested should start by taking advantage of any on-demand learning their employers offer. Figure out where your learning pain points are and dig into a training module that transforms your professional and personal knowledge.
2. Value Teamwork
Historically, American employees have always worked hard, diligently climbing each rung of the corporate ladder. However, the old, “me-focused” way of doing business is outdated.
Teamwork is crucial to today’s leaders because innovation happens on a minute-by-minute basis. Leaders of today have to look for strengths in others and bolster team successes over individual achievements. You’ve heard the phrase, “a rising tide lifts all boats?” Workers should focus their time ensuring their tide is composed of high-achieving, collaborative team members, and then watch the rest of the boats rise.
By valuing online learning and working as a team, today’s organizations can accomplish their 2017 leadership development goals and be better prepared for the future.
