Introduction

MANY RESEARCH STUDIES suggest that leaders who help team members make sense of their roles in the organization, encourage the development of those around them, stimulate intellectual growth, and model ethical and trustworthy behavior achieve greater results than those who do not. Do you do these things? What would your team say?

The Little Book of Leadership Development is filled with ideas to help you develop leadership capacity in others. This book rests on the notion that how you choose to develop others will significantly enhance their technical expertise and their ability to lead others. If you are active, involved, and perceived by members of your team as an individual who cares about their development and growth, you will increase your chances of success and theirs.

By intentionally changing how you lead and manage others, you can develop leadership capacity in those around you every day. If you take time to create a system of leadership development, there will be less need for periodic training and development. It simply will be a function of your department—a thread that weaves throughout the tapestry of your day-to-day operations.

This notion is rooted in the concept that leadership development is not something that primarily occurs in the classroom. It occurs on the job—on the fly—each and every day. Organizations spend billions of dollars on training each year, but often the most valuable resource, the department manager, is left out of the loop. According to leadership scholar Bernard Bass: “Most important to whether training will modify behavior back on the job is the trainee’s immediate supervisor.”¹ In support of Bass’s assertion, many other researchers have found that the level of support and overall attitude of a learner’s boss will have the greatest effect on transfer of skills. For example, a study led by Huczynski and Lewis supported these findings, concluding that people who feel a high degree of support from their supervisors report a higher level of motivation to attend and learn from training opportunities.² These studies underscore the importance of you in the development process. If you are engaged, active, and involved in leadership development, those around you will develop and grow in their abilities.

Unfortunately, many organizations spend far too little time preparing their key people for the significant roles they play. These managers have been our frequent clients and report any number of challenges to us: “We need more support”; “I don’t know how to coach”; “Change is overwhelming me”; “I don’t have the power to reward good performance”; “I do not have the time”; “I am not a babysitter”; “The nuts and bolts of managing performance are beyond me.” The Little Book of Leadership Development is designed to help you address these and similar concerns and accelerate leader potential in your team members.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN A NUTSHELL

Like the term leadership, leadership development has no consensus definition. However, we suggest that leadership development is a continuous process to expand the learning and performance capacity of people in organizations and communities to meet shared goals and objectives. To develop even mediocre skills at anything takes deliberate coaching, practice, and reflection. Could an Olympic gymnast be developed when provided with feedback only twice a year? Could a world-class chef? Of course not. Developing leadership capacity is the same as changing any other behavior or activity—it takes consistent coaching, practice, and reflection. Yet many organizations, divisions, agencies, communities, and departments are not structured to facilitate these steps. As a result, people spend years in organizations and communities with few opportunities to truly develop and grow as the Olympic gymnast or culinary master does.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT EVERY DAY—OUR MODEL

As you think about a leadership development system, we would like to place the image of a flower in your mind. If you are like us, perhaps some flowers have died under your watch. Amazing, given the fact that, in essence, they simply need sunlight and water. It’s so simple. Your development system is no different. It will need water and sunlight to grow. It will need your time and attention—not a lot—but enough for it to grow.

The system we present is one way to develop the leadership capacity of the individuals with whom you work each and every day. The “classroom” is the work environment, and the facilitator is you, the manager. Changing how you approach your role will not only develop the leadership capacity of those around you, but it will likely increase their productivity as well. This may actually decrease your workload in some areas so that you can spend the time on activities where your unique expertise is called for. Though easing your own workload should not necessarily be your ultimate goal, it does imply that you’ve successfully delegated important work to others and is reflected in improved organizational performance. In other words, leaders create more leaders.

We propose six steps to implement your system of leadership development.

Step 1:
Get your own shop in order.

Step one is to get your own shop in order. As you read this book, reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses as a leader. If you are not aware of these and not willing to work on them, very few of the suggestions contained in this (or any other) book will be of benefit. Why? For one primary reason: Our entire model is created on a foundation of trust. Those around you must trust that you have their best interests at heart. This is important because, as you design your system of leadership development, team members must honestly have confidence in you as their guide.

Did you ever have a coach you did not trust? How did you feel? How did you respond? How effective were you? Likely, your motivation and enthusiasm were diminished. Do you have any of those dissatisfied team members around you? What part do you play in their dissatisfaction? If it is for reasons out of your control, that may be reality, but, before moving forward, look within. Work to imagine why they could perceive you to be a part of their problem. After all, perception is reality. Talk with friends, your own manager, and former co-workers and see what they have to say. If those with whom you work know that you care and that you want to improve, they will be more likely to buy in to the process and improve themselves.

Note that this is hard work. Not only is it difficult to hear what others think of you, but it can be difficult to change your behavior. One leader with whom we worked was “picking up the pieces” after receiving feedback from those with whom she works. She acknowledged the initial surprise of hearing some feedback that challenged her self-image as a leader. In response, she worked with others to change those areas she hoped to improve. This was a win-win opportunity; she improved her abilities, and those around her benefited from the changes. And there were some “secondary gains” here—her honesty and desire to change rubbed off on others. This is a great example of leadership in action.

Step 2:
Build your leadership development system.

The second step in the process is to build your leadership development system. This will take on a different form for each of our readers. As you read the 50 tips in this book, flag the ideas and concepts that you currently practice or could practice, as well as the ones that are not realistic at this time. We would be fooling ourselves to think that all organizations are alike and that one size fits all.

Some of you are in large organizations, some small, some with a supportive environment for development, and others not. There are simply too many variables. However, together we will create a leadership development system tailored to your department and your organization. We recommend beginning with one or two changes at first.

Psychologically, when any of us overestimates the number or intensity of changes we can realistically make, there is a higher probability of failure than if we selected something more manageable. Consider one study by researchers that found that individuals make the same New Year’s resolutions over and over, and vow to discontinue their vices each year for ten years running on average.³ And 60 percent give up after the first week. Why? Because the goals they set for themselves were unrealistic, like trying to lose weight, quit smoking, and train for a marathon at the same time.

Both of us have been in the management trenches and understand the significant obstacles to change that can push us in directions away from the targeted course. That’s the reason for moving slowly and ensuring wins. Remember, this is a long-term endeavor. We suggest the LD50 Snapshot found at the back of this book to help you identify which of the 50 tips you plan to prioritize.

Step 3:
Involve others.

Third, you need to involve others. Ask people on your team what they think about their own development needs and see if your perceptions are in alignment with theirs. This is an important discussion to have because others will be part of the process. Furthermore, it is wise to remember the adage “People support what they help create.”

One leader recently asked why his strategic planning process was failing. He wondered if the organization should change its vision, maybe tweak the mission, and perhaps develop more concrete goals. In an “aha” moment, he discovered that only executives were participating in the effort. Yes, there was communication to inform others of decisions, but nothing that really involved people in meaningful ways. In response to this insightful moment, he engaged people by involving them in significant decisions that affected their work lives and involved representatives from various constituencies in meaningful ways as part of the process. This increased buy-in to the strategic planning process and its ultimate success.

If you hope to develop a system outside the scope of your unit, department, or community, it is important to involve key constituents. Who has the ability to assist or squelch your efforts? Think of strategic partners who have the political capital to make or break what you are trying to do. Politics is something to consider seriously. Some believe politics is evil and should not be played. We disagree. In certain circumstances, leaders actually do the opposite—they extol the virtues of politics at work. Detecting the complex web of relationships that defines the way things really get done can present a daunting challenge, but it is one that any successful manager must meet. Think of politics not as a negative dynamic, but one that will allow you to ethically drive the initiatives that are important to you and your staff.

In their book Manager’s Desktop Consultant, Essex and Kusy identify four key questions that leaders should ask themselves to truly understand the political system in their organizations:⁴

1. What are the ways success is measured in your organization?

2. How much time is given for results to be obtained?

3. What are the decision-making processes for choosing and driving key decisions?

4. How much risk is tolerated for failed attempts at change?

Step 4:
Manage the system.

Next, be cognizant of how you will manage the system. This does not need to be overly complicated; there’s no need to create or purchase a new software program. A leadership development system specifically tailored to meet the needs of your unit or department will likely work the best. In fact, this may be one of the first developmental assignments given to your team. A word of caution—until these changes are imbedded into the culture, pay very close attention to the process. While delegation is critical in many venues, early on in this process keep a close eye on progress and follow through with those individuals in charge of various aspects of your system. Add this as a topic for discussion at select staff meetings and ensure that team members are following through with their tasks. Host a discussion on how members of the group will hold one another accountable so, when you need to, you can refer back to the conversation later.

Managing the system is where the rubber meets the road and it will need your close attention in the beginning. If you fail to manage the system, in the end there will be little or no system to manage. It will likely fail. We have experienced this personally, not only as consultants but also as leaders in organizations. Here, we have discovered that short, purposeful check-ins are excellent ways to manage the leadership development system. In particular, it’s not just about including the agenda items related to the “real” work we do in organizations but, just as important, it’s about including space for people to discuss their own leadership development activities.

One group of team members recently asked themselves fundamental questions such as:

How will we communicate?

How will we confront each other?

How will we ensure one another’s development?

The team discussed such concerns as:

When working with me, there are four things you should know …

In the past year, areas I feel I have grown in are …

My areas of weakness include …

These conversations ensured that everyone was developing with some intentionality. At times, the conversations were difficult but, in the end, everyone knew where each other stood and what they were working on to improve. Ultimately, the activity fostered self-awareness. Amazingly, when the group members “checked in” with one another, each individual usually mentioned aspects they needed to work on.

Step 5:
Evaluate the system.

Along with managing the system, spend some time evaluating the system periodically. Do so at least once a month in the beginning. Ask questions such as “How are we doing?” or “What is working well?” Like managing the system, evaluating the system is an essential step—always. If your team is dissatisfied or feels that a certain activity is not working, this needs to be revealed and discussed. Otherwise, the whole process becomes a joke and people will not take it seriously.

It’s likely that the way we have presented the ideas in this book will not mesh exactly with your situation—so expect that some adjustments will have to be made along the way and know that there will be bumps in the road. As consultants, we would rather get these needed changes out in the open than have them fester and impede progress later. Think of this stage in the process as the “continuous improvement” component of your developmental planning. This is an often overlooked and undervalued stage of the process. On the contrary, challenge your team to ensure that it is meeting their needs and helping them grow.

Step 6:
Add new pieces with caution.

Once you have rooted one or two of the 50 tips into your culture, begin thinking about adding new pieces to the system. However, only do so if you feel you have accomplished the first five stages successfully. This will be an important discussion with your team. If you and your team determine that additional components should be introduced, reintroduce the six stages and begin the process again.

Implementing our system is a start. There may be other steps in the process; they will likely present themselves along the way.

USING THIS BOOK

Here are a few additional suggestions for using this book. Remember that the tips will not always be a perfect fit for you. It is expected that some adjustments will need to be made. However, approach each of the tips with this question in mind: How could this tip work in my environment? By thinking about the possibilities, you will open your mind to new ideas. In the end, you may determine that a suggestion is not appropriate; however, at least you and your team will have thought through the possibilities and potential rather than only the obvious limitations or barriers.

Don’t feel the need to read the book from cover to cover—put the book down and reflect. If one tip hits you, ask others whom you trust if they think this is something relevant for your team to work on. After hearing their suggestions, write all of them down in a sort of brainstorming mode and revisit “Box 1. Our Six-Step Model.” Often, people begin too soon—better to explore a number of possibilities before choosing one or two.

To remove yourself from the notion of having to read all of this book at once, read the last few tips, some in the middle, and then some at the beginning. This will help you get out of the mind-set that leadership development is a recipe.

Some of the tips seem rather simple and they are—in theory. However, we are amazed at how often they do not exist in the organizations with which we work and consult. If you find yourself saying, “That’s easy. It’s nothing new,” great. Then ask yourself how well it is working in your department. If the concept is already in place, wonderful. If not, it may be one of the first you prioritize with your team. Many of the tips are based on leadership and management theory, but our goal is to present them in a user-friendly manner. One word of caution—do not overthink or overcomplicate these tips. They are designed to be simple and easy additions that align with the flow of your department. Resist the urge to put a lot of structure and complexity around the system. Keep it simple.

Some tips are short and to the point and others have a story or more detail associated with them. In essence, our goal is to provide you with a quick read based on sound advice. There is great power in each of these tips and some may read at times as common sense. However, as we have learned in our practice and research, common sense does not always equal common practice.

OUR 50 WAYS TO BRING OUT THE LEADER IN EVERY EMPLOYEE

In his book Learning to Lead, leadership scholar Jay Conger divides leadership development into four approaches: skill building, conceptual understanding, personal growth, and feedback.⁵ Skill-building activities help a team member develop capacity in a specific task, such as public speaking. Conceptual understanding, often linked with classroom training, aligns closely with the theory of leadership or related topics. Personal growth opportunities are those that challenge participants to reflect on their behaviors, values, and desires. Essentially, the purpose of these activities is to increase self-awareness and emphasize self-exploration. The final approach to leadership development are activities or programs where feedback constitutes a large portion of the time and emphasis is placed on measuring skill in a wide range of leader behaviors. As you can imagine, there is overlap in each of these four approaches. For instance, a personal growth opportunity can lead to feedback and additional skill building, which all lead to a higher level of conceptual understanding.

We have divided our tips into these four categories and also added a fifth, which we call modeling effective leadership. These are tips for you as a leader. Effective leaders walk their talk and model the way. We believe that these tips, if implemented, will model leadership for those on your team. Included within each of these tips are well-studied behaviors that embody an effective leader—communication, inspiration, coaching, setting clear expectations, and so forth. We believe that by your example you will create a culture where others will develop and grow.