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Where do leaders come from?
Christi Olson, Ph.D., Regional Talent Solutions Director, CA/AZ Region
John L. Bennett, Ph.D., Regional Talent Solutions Director, Mid-Atlantic Region
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now. – Chinese proverb |
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So much has changed in the last 18 months that has fundamentally altered the way we go forward over the next two to three years. The economic picture is stabilizing, though it is far from certain. Organizations have restructured through acquisition, growth or cost containment. For leaders, this has meant dramatic shifts in focus and behaviors.
Leaders must simultaneously lead change, develop talent, address complex issues rapidly and prepare for a different kind of future. They are forced to adapt to a new order that demands both strategic skills and tactical talent. Through it all, leaders must also have a strong moral compass to guide them through decisions that require complex thinking and balance profitability with responsibility.
The soft skills are the hard skills.
Lee Hecht Harrison recently completed interviews and focus groups with global human resource (HR) leaders to identify the emerging leadership practices. “The soft skills are the hard skills” is the primary theme for emerging leaders, and includes these six leadership behaviors:
- Thinking and acting strategically – Be able to find and focus on opportunities to grow the business or organization, identify new programs, projects or products and connect the dots in new and profitable ways.
- Leaders developing leaders – Create your talent development plan for your team and take the time to develop others. Get and keep people engaged so they can make a contribution and a difference.
- Evolve leaders to push accountability to teams – Or, as one HR leader remarked, “Be a leader, don’t be a super doer.” Dare to let go; choose which projects or activities can be led by others within your team. Use the opportunity to develop leaders.
- Coaching as an integral competency – Learn how to engage in a coaching conversation. Listen, reframe, explore possibilities and give immediate feedback so people can take action to promote business results.
- Leaders as innovators (not managers) – Help some of the best ideas get support. Foster innovation, encourage others to take risks, and look outside the box.
- Networked leadership – Tap into your social networks and figure out who your hubs, pulse-takers and gatekeepers are in the organization. Level your networks so you are talking to people who can assist you in moving key ideas or projects forward.
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Key actions for HR and OD leaders
HR and organization development (OD) leaders play a critical role in supporting leaders so they can successfully adapt and quickly model the following behaviors:
- Know the business – Review the organization’s business model, customers and key challenges on an ongoing basis.
- Understand and actualize the vision – Work closely with leaders to develop actions that are integral to the outcome of the vision.
- Fill in opportunity gaps – Identify process efficiencies, integration opportunities, communication and information sharing, and skills and competencies that can achieve economies of scale and scope.
- Reinforce leadership framework and competencies – Communicate this with the organization, emphasize and promote daily.
- Enhance your own effectiveness – Develop areas of innovation, take managed risks, develop social networks to assist others.
- Be on the lookout for emerging talent – Fresh eyes are often helpful to leaders who may need another view or perspective.
Organizations can shape their talent strategies to leverage the new leadership landscape by creating reinforcing programs and actions to promote these emerging leadership practices.
To learn more about how to develop a dynamic approach to leadership development that will increase ROI for your organization, contact LHH today at 1.800.611.4LHH or visit www.lhh.com.
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