This past Semester I taught a General Psychology class for the University of Delaware. It never fails to amaze me the number of students that tend to wait to the last minute to see if they can do some extreme measure to pass a class they have been failing the whole semester. Warnings at the beginning of the Semester, regularly posted reminders throughout the semester, notes on the exams, nothing seems to work.
You see the same thing at Christmas time. Last minute shoppers disappointed they were not able to find that “perfect” gift. Or last minute trips to the supermarket only to find empty shelves, or closed doors.
Unfortunately, I observe the same short sightedness in many companies. Instead of developing the leadership skills of younger employees, the majority of companies wait too long. I see many companies that have supervisors half way to retirement age, who are getting no leadership training at all. By the time I'm called to help with leadership development, it's usually with people over 45 years of age, and many times after they are in deep trouble.
Practicing anything, like say golf, or horse riding, without training is inadvisable. The fact that so many managers are practicing leadership without training should ring an alarm bell for you.
Problems with waiting loo long
Creation of bad habits. Any skill set is easier to learn while you are young than later on. When I visited Brugge, in Belgium, I learned that the skill of making hand lace was taught from mother to daughter starting no later than at 7 years of age. When I asked why so early, they explained that it was almost impossible for the fingers to learn the best way to tat without injuring their hands after that age.
Supervisors and other leaders left to their own devices will tend to practice the wrong set of skills over and over, ingraining deeply ineffective leadership habits.
Practice is helpful only if done correctly. Practicing for hours doesn't automatically create excellent skills. Many years teaching piano made me very aware of this. If a student wanted to advance faster than was feasible, and started practicing new lessons on her own, with no understanding of the challenges or needed technique. The result was practicing the same errors and bad hand position over and over again. It was then almost impossible to correct the errors. Yet, deliberate, focused, and informed practice paid off. It is perfect practice what makes perfect performance.
Waste of time and money. Supervisors and managers are leading people from the moment they start their job, whether they are trained or not. From the first day habits are being formed. Attitudes are being created. Management practices begin to develop. Would it not be in the organization's and the individuals' best interests to begin the training process the moment they're selected for a leadership position? Or, better yet, before?
In this era of more collaboration, flatter organizations, and more individual responsibility, everybody could benefit from leadership development programs. And no, a few hours of a canned program is not too helpful. Individualized, on-the-job programs that stretch over a year or so are much more effective.
We hear a lot today abut talent development. And well we should. With many baby boomers retiring or getting ready to retire, the leadership gap will be very dangerously large unless you start developing your people right away.
Remember. . .
Don’t wait too long to develop your people’s leadership skills. It may be possible to teach old dogs new tricks, but it will cost you a lot more in time and resources. The sooner you begin, the easier it is. Think about starting a leadership development program with your potential leaders sooner rather than later.
I can help you and your organization design an effective and successful leadership development program. Contact me now to find out more about a special introductory offer which includes a FREE consultation day. Click here.