The Importance of Training New Leaders and How to Do So

​​As the years go by, what defines a leader, or rather, how to develop a leader, changes. In the past, leaders may have been seen as managers who just sit down behind a desk and give orders. Nowadays, people want leaders that lead the team by example. So, what does this mean? Well, our ideal leaders may change as the years go by. However, if there is one thing for certain, it is the fact that we have to train the leaders of the future right now!

So, are you an executive looking to train leaders in your team? If so, let's discuss the importance of training leaders and the various strategies you can implement:

What's the Importance of Training Leaders in Your Team?

No one could deny the fact that leaders are the ones who inspire teams and show them the way forward. Leaders are the rocks that the team can rely on when times get tough. However, both leaders and teams alike need to be trained and developed to make the most out of their talents and ways of working. Not only is it important to develop leaders so they can lead better but also help the team build a growth mindset and improve productivity.

Here's why training your leaders is important:

1. Improved Communication

When leaders participate in training courses, they are able to learn how to communicate more effectively. We all know how communication is key in order to maintain close relationships, so this is an imperative especially in dealing with remote and a hybrid workforce.

2. Improved Leadership Skills

Training courses complemented with executive coaching also provide leaders with the tools and insights needed to learn how to lead better. This is an important consideration, especially if you have a new leader who has joined the organisation or taken up a new role.

3. Boosts Creativity

A training course can also give your team the chance to learn new ideas and concepts that you may not have thought of before. They can even surprise customers with new and exciting innovation and ideas!

4. Improved Soft Skills

If you have employees who are looking to develop their soft skills, training courses can be helpful. This can reduce waste in an organisation to ensure it is efficient. e.g. well thought out emails can reduce time wasted in going back and forth with clarifications.

5. Increased Confidence

Another benefit of participating in training courses is that when your team learns new skills and shares them with everyone else, their confidence as leaders will be boosted. As a result, they’ll be more prepared when facing new challenges and inspire confidence in their teams.

Strategies to Train Your Team Members into Leaders

There are many strategies you can employ to train the leaders of tomorrow, and here are just a few of them:

1. Mentorship and Coaching

If there is one thing that can help a leader fulfill the responsibilities of their position, it is guidance. Therefore, if you want to make leaders out of your team, you need to look to mentor and coach them. This is important as it will allow them to develop the necessary skills they need in order to become a good leader.

2. Encourage a Positive Working Environment

The best way to develop leaders is to encourage a positive working environment. Of course, you can't just give them a positive working environment. What you need to do is to lay down the ground rules and encourage an environment where both you and your employees feel comfortable working. You can even invest in various technologies and tools to promote such an environment, such as defining what a high performing team looks like and their ways of working. Not only will your team be much happier to work in such an environment, but it also motivates them to become leaders!

3. Be a Good Role Model

Ensure you are a good role model. This is important as it will allow you to convey good values to your team, not only through telling them what you expect of them but by being an example to them. Just imagine telling your team they need to listen carefully but you don’t encourage an open door policy yourself. 

4. Set Core Values

Another important aspect is to lay down core values. This is important as it will allow you to determine what values you want to instill in your team. For example, you can tell your team to always strive for excellence, to treat others with respect, etc. When the core work values are set, your team knows exactly what to strive for and how to embed them in daily activities.

5. Be Supportive

While it is important to be a good role model, it is also important to be supportive. Being supportive means that you not only tell your team what they have to focus on, but you are there to back them up as well. Your team needs to feel your presence and have access to discuss challenges to obtain guidance. 

6. Emphasise Personal Growth

One of the most important things you can ever do is to emphasise personal growth for your employees. This is extremely important as it lets your employees know that you care about them as individuals, their personal interests and not just a company resource. 

7. Keep Them Motivated

Instill motivation by creating an environment that is united on a sense of purpose and shared understanding. Complement them regularly and offer opportunities to celebrate the wins as a team. Anything from simply telling them that you are proud of them or rewarding them with perks! You can also provide opportunities to be challenged (stretch assignments) where they can work as a united team solving problems and being rewarded for their innovation and team spirit. 

Conclusion

In order to build high performing teams and inspire them, leaders need training, development and coaching. With a shortage of successful leaders, it’s important we start developing tomorrow’s leaders now. The various strategies mentioned above, can help create a new high performing team of leaders in your organisation, leading not only your business towards a brighter future, but a world to a better place too!
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Stuart Andrews offers leadership coaching to help business leaders and executives enjoy high-performing teams that lead their organisations to success. Find our more about his executive coaching and more. Also, if you would like to lead successful transformations, check out his book today!