5 ways to invest in next-level leaders

Joseph Lalonde

5 ways to invest in next-level leadersiStock

Identifying and growing potential leaders can be tricky. You may not know what to look for or what you can do to develop these up-and-coming leaders.

Despite this, you have to be able to identify and grow new leaders.

These new leaders will be the ones to take your organization to the next level. Who better to lead them towards this objective?

If you're struggling to understand how to identify and then grow these leaders, this article is for you. We will look at five ways to identify and grow potential leaders.

1. Create a leadership assessment

Do you want to identify potential leaders? Look no further than a leadership assessment. You can find one online. However, I want to encourage you to think about creating a leadership assessment yourself.

By creating your own leadership assessment, you are using a tool that is specific to what youwant to look for in new leaders. Create the assessment around the goals and desires of you and your organization.

Have your team take the assessment. Review the results. Start picking out potential leadership candidates.

2. Make time for one-on-ones

Making time for one-on-ones can kill both birds with one stone. One-on-ones give you personal time with your team. You're able to talk about what's happening in your team member's life, where they see themselves going, and what you can do to help them.

Conducting one-on-ones will be one of the best uses of your time.

3. Ask open-ended questions

Part of one-on-one meetings is the ability to ask your team members open-ended questions. I shared a few questions above. However, you can dive deep and let your team members go.

Some open-ended questions could be:

  • What do you consider to be successful leadership traits?
  • How are you developing your skills and talents?
  • What tasks make you come alive?
  • Can you share how you dealt with an unexpected setback?
  • How are you coming up with new ideas?
  • People are going to disagree with you. How do you deal with these people?
  • What risks have you taken? Are you willing to take new ones?
  • How would you encourage your direct reports to continue growing?

Use these questions and more when talking with your team members. Listen to their answers.

Their answers will tell you whether or not there is potential within!

4. Nurture potential

Now you know who has great leadership potential on your team. You've assessed their skills, conducted multiple one-on-one meetings, and asked great open-ended questions.

It's time for you to step up to the plate and grow the potential leaders you've identified.

You're going to find it tricky, at first, to nurture the potential within these fantastic people. But you can do it.

5. Expose them to leadership opportunities

You have to take the training wheels off of leadership development at some point. What I want you to start doing is to begin exposing these people to leadership opportunities.

Exposing your people to leadership opportunities could be giving them the chance to run a business meeting (Toastmasters is also a great way to help them understand how to run a meeting). Or you might consider allowing the team member to decide how the production floor is run. You let this person change how the floor is laid out, who goes where, and more.

Give people the chance to lead and you may be shocked at how well they do it!


Joseph Lalonde is an award-winning leadership blogger and hosted the Answers From Leadership podcast. He desires to see 20-somethings step into their God-ordained roles as leaders. Previously, on the E3 staff and currently serving in the Catalyst youth ministry of Gateway Church, Joseph has mentored many students and has seen their lives changed through this teaching. His mission is to help equip leaders with the knowledge and information to boost their leadership to the next level.

This article was first published on JMLalonde.com. Used with permission Learn More »

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