The Growth Leadership model has allowed me to come alongside dozens of leaders in complex firms to provide both a framework and coaching that will allow them to break through significant product, technology and process issues. Whether it’s getting a CEO and operations leader to talk productively again, or working towards the birth of a new product line, I’ve used it to coach CEO’s who are launching new products and services, sales teams bringing on board new lines of business and manufacturers strengthening their product development processes.
Throughout this work, there has been one question that has come up time and time again by the leaders I’ve worked with:
“How can I find and develop more of this key talent in my group or firm?”
Today I’ll share with you the four key steps I’ve identified that will help with this issue. When implemented correctly, these steps will help you develop your current talent, and in the process, open the door to much higher performance for your group.
#1: Do the personal work of developing your core leadership strengths and opportunities
How to get started: This step begins with getting clarity through personal diagnostic work. We have a Growth Leader assessment that gets the leader started on the right track, and then we typically do some interviews to confirm that we have precisely the right profile.
Putting it into practice: Once we’ve established the right primary and secondary Growth Leader capacities, we then work on a “360” of their immediate reports and peers (both inside and outside the firm), which allows for much better planning, expectation setting, and communication between team members. This work releases tensions that were present and sets the team up for a big move forward.
Why it’s important: I find that leaders who step up to lead high impact projects are naturally strong in one – sometimes two – of the four key capacities in the Growth Leadership model. We know that getting the leader in touch with the other core capacities dramatically improves their ability to meet the firm’s resistance and unlock higher levels of performance.
#2: Reflect on the projects where things have really clicked
How to get started: Once we have found all the benefit we can in their immediate individual relationships, we zero in on the relationships of the cross-functional team (Growth Team).
Putting it into practice: The first step here is to take a long-range, historical view of the leader’s body of work and identify exactly when things really clicked – and when they struggled. We go through and talk about the team’s character and makeup in detail to look for patterns in influence, communication strategies and decision making. When we have the data from three to five significant experiences, we are ready for the next step.
Why it’s important: In the fray of leadership, it’s unusual for us to take a step back and look at the repeating patterns of who was around us during our best work. By viewing this through the lens of the four key capacities, we can get clear on who we need around for future projects.
#3: Identify the mix of Growth Leader capacities that are present during positive events
How to get started: We then sketch out those relationship maps on projects that went well and those that struggled so that we can gather a composite view of what profiles you work best with – and which ones are “kryptonite.”
Putting it into practice: Once you have these patterns clearly identified, you can take every effort to stack the deck in your favor on upcoming projects and teams. By making sure that teams have the best mix of Growth Leader capacities, you set yourself up for success.
Why it’s important: One of the most profound things leaders learn is that the mix of teammates determines what the team will build. By taking control of the architecture of the team, you are taking control of the quality of your team’s work, as well as its ability to implement projects successfully.
#4: Find someone whose skills complement yours and establish some cross “mentor” relationships
How to get started: Now that you’ve done a deep map of your immediate and cross-functional relationships, take particular note of those who have ‘opposite’ profiles to yours. For example, if you are a strong Architect, take note of those in your network who are strong Catalysts. By working at “cross corners” of the matrix, you’ll find your “alter ego” who will seem to have x-ray vision about how to move forward.
Putting it into practice: Once the formal diagnostic and coaching work is completed, we usually find a path towards regular “mini-workshops.” These take the form of twice monthly 30-minute check-ins or “after action reviews” when a significant milestone has been reached. The goal is to avoid a static development plan and move towards a focus on real-time results. In this way, we are able to move toward a “self-coaching” environment with some tools for reflection and implementation.
Why it’s important: Doing the hard work of discovery and implementation takes insightful partners and development work. The ultimate value of your leadership pivots more on your ability to learn continuously than on your natural talent.
I have seen this plan work well in multiple settings ranging from mid-sized, private companies to larger, publicly-traded firms. The key is the ability to form groups of three to five like-minded teammates who are committed to the idea of moving a growth agenda powerfully in their firm.
It will seem unnatural at first to work closely with someone who has a seemingly opposing way to approach your first instincts. What you’ll find though, is that as you begin to work with one another, their natural first response will perfectly match your blindspot. The result is that you’ll now be able to quickly step through the resistance that used to hold you and your team back.
If you’d like to talk more about how to complete the valuable work of developing powerful Growth Leader individual and team development, I’d be happy to talk. Please reach out to me at 847-651-1014 or use this link to set up a short call.
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