How to identify employees with leadership potential

In any business, it can pay to promote from within. You will be comfortable that your employee knows the culture and is a great fit, and it reduces the risk of a misstep in the hiring process. With that said, however, you still need to be confident that someone from your ranks can take on a higher level of work, especially as it relates to their leadership abilities.

How do you spot the employees who have strong potential in this regard, and become the new leaders for your organisation? There are a few telltale signs, including the following:

1) They’re assertive

One of the things that makes someone a top-tier leader is that they speak up about what their vision is, and then have the tenacity to see that idea through to the end. Business 2 Community explained that this often presents in people who aren’t necessarily working as leaders taking on that kind of role in an unofficial capacity: If they regularly take the lead on a project within their own team, they may be ready for the next level.

You may have your next great leader on the payroll already.

2) They’re good with people

Leadership skills are, among other things, about being able to influence people and be influenced by them. You want your managers to be able to influence the people they oversee, motivating them and ensuring everyone is on the same page. That takes people skills — being personable and approachable but also carrying an air of authority. A lot of this starts with generally being likable and empathetic.

3) They’re comfortable with pressure

Even in the best-run businesses, managing can be a bit of a high-wire act, where a single decision can make or break an entire project or business deal. That’s the kind of pressure your leaders will face regularly, according to Spark Hire. Consequently, you will want to identify leadership potential by somewhat “stress-testing” people to see how they handle challenging situations. Making the right or wrong decision is not necessarily as important here as how (and under what conditions) that decision is made.

4) They know when to lead, and when to listen

As mentioned, being a good leader is about being good with people, and that certainly includes understanding that it’s not always “my way or the highway” when you’re managing talent, Zippia noted. A good leader listens at least as much as they speak themselves, so that they can get all relevant perspectives on a given issue and then make the right decisions about how to proceed.

If you want to truly set your employees up for success as they grow professionally and, hopefully, move into management roles of their own, ICML is here to help. With our leadership training course, they can continue to develop their skills — both natural and acquired over time — and give them the ability to take the next step in their careers successfully. Get in touch with us today to learn more.