Why is an inclusive approach to identifying future leaders important?
Evidence suggests that leadership pipelines are more unstable than ever. A worrying 34% of employees never want to become leaders and almost a third of organisations are unsure that their leaders have the skills required to take the organisation forward. When identifying future leaders, sometimes there is a temptation to replicate existing successful leaders rather than looking at employees’ broader potential or what is needed in the future. What is clear is that fishing in the same talent pools will only yield the same results.
What is leadership potential?
At Kiddy & Partners, we define leadership potential as “the opportunity for significant and rapid acceleration in an individual’s ability to deliver greater value in the future”. Our model focuses on underlying potential, not just current effectiveness. This is important as it helps to identify individuals from diverse backgrounds who may not have had the same opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities.
Key components include:
- Learning agility: Do they recognise diverse learning styles and are they adaptable?
- Drive: Do they value different forms of motivation, by acknowledging varied expressions of ambition and commitment?
- Critical thinking: Do they appreciate diverse perspectives and cognitive styles, which is crucial for problem-solving?
- Personality: Do they embrace unique interpersonal and intrapersonal strengths, recognising traits like resilience and empathy?
- Organisational alignment: Do they align with the organisation’s culture and goals, thereby promoting effective integration?