Essential leadership skills: Developing future leaders within your team

In management, one of our most powerful responsibilities is developing the next generation of leaders. Fostering executive qualities in others bolsters your team and the organisation at large. Here are five key areas to help you develop future leaders and create a culture of continuous growth.

Key leadership qualities

Successful leaders embody a blend of adaptability, strong decision-making abilities and empathy. These are non-negotiables for effective leadership.

• Adaptability: With markets constantly shifting and new challenges arising, a leader who can think on their feet is invaluable.
• Decision-Making: Good leaders must be able to make quick, informed decisions. This means knowing when to act and being confident in their choices.
• Empathy: Understanding your team on an emotional level fosters trust and loyalty, which is critical for leadership success.

When mentoring the troops, assess these traits and guide them to strengthen any weaker points.

Mentoring and coaching techniques

Coaching isn't about spoon-feeding advice. Guide your team to find their own answers. Think of it like giving them a map, not just directions.

Start with regular one-on-ones to provide a safe space for conversations. Ask open-ended questions, such as: "What leadership challenge are you facing and how would you solve it?" This method encourages thought autonomy.

Let your aspiring leaders shadow you to see how you navigate difficult situations — whether it's dealing with a tricky client or making tough decisions. Exposure helps them see initiative in action.

In situational coaching, you resist the urge to jump in with solutions when challenges arise. Instead, ask them to suggest approaches and work together on refining the best one. It builds their confidence and problem-solving abilities.

Creating a leadership development pathway

Create a clear pathway for young leaders by identifying milestones that team members should hit to move forward, then design a customised leadership program. But remember, not everyone will develop at the same pace or need the same guidance.

Tailored development plans should include goals, training and hands-on leadership tasks. One trick I've learned is to also pair junior leaders with more experienced mentors within the company to expand their exposure and perspective.

Empowering team members

Your job isn't to micromanage; it's to empower. If you want to prepare your team members for elevated roles, you need to encourage autonomy and critical thinking. You can achieve this by delegating higher-level tasks that involve decision-making and problem-solving.

Alternatively, let your team members take the reins on smaller projects to build self-trust and prepare them for larger roles down the track. This could include asking team members to lead meetings, interact with other departments or deal with clients. These situations extend their skills and experience outside their usual comfort zone.

Monitoring and feedback

Leaders aren't made overnight. It's a process, and part of that process involves monitoring progress and providing constructive feedback.

Set clear KPIs for leadership development, whether they're skills-based or tied to project outcomes. Then, highlight what they're doing well — but don't shy away from improvement areas. Try to give feedback as soon as possible after an event or project to help them adjust and learn in the moment.

Develop stronger leaders with ICML

Fostering future leaders is one of the most rewarding aspects of heading a team. Keep a tunnel vision on emerging management qualities and engage in practical coaching to create a sustainable leadership pipeline in your team.

The process will require initiative on your part as well as theirs. Draw from your own experiences in leadership development to add value and stay authentic. For more detailed strategies on developing leadership skills, explore our Essential Leadership Skills course.