| Creating a leadership bench takes the skill of a | | | | leadership bench. The inside review and |
| coach and the precision of an engineer. But there | | | | assessment, as we've mentioned, should focus on |
| are five distinct steps you can take to build your | | | | maintaining the standards your organization |
| leadership bench - and keep it moving. | | | | requires of its leaders. Identify high professional |
| First, and most obvious, you must create and | | | | and high potential leaders as well - high |
| maintain a leadership development program. This | | | | professionals can be counted on to lead within |
| isn't simply an order to the training department to | | | | their field of expertise while high potentials can |
| create leadership courses. You must obtain buy-in | | | | probably be moved from one area of expertise |
| from your management team by showing the | | | | to another if necessary. With this evaluation and |
| benefits: the leadership bench, succession planning, | | | | assessment, you'll be able to fill your bench with |
| talent management, and career pathing. Your | | | | "A" level players and coach "B" level players into |
| program should begin with classroom training -at | | | | the "A" position. The beneficial side effect of this |
| all levels, if possible. Everyone in your organization | | | | approach is that "C" or "D" players will either |
| should know what your definition of a leader is - | | | | strive to achieve a higher level or self-select |
| and how to get there. But as you move up the | | | | themselves out of your organization. By |
| ranks, leadership development should be ongoing, | | | | conducting regular review, you're keeping your |
| challenging, and not necessarily a sure thing. The | | | | leadership bench ready and always manned. |
| program should include real-time projects, | | | | Fourth, consider rotational assignment within your |
| seminars, assessment, and evaluation. Program | | | | leadership bench. Some organizations see merit in |
| participants who slip should be coached back up - | | | | moving high potential leaders into temporary |
| or out. Once someone is in the leadership | | | | positions - to expose them to other areas of |
| program, he or she should continue to improve in | | | | specialization within the organization. Doing this will |
| all aspects. | | | | also help you separate your high potential leaders |
| Second, create a succession plan. Many | | | | from your high professional leaders - and also to |
| organizational leaders have a succession plan that | | | | focus on creating succession planning for both |
| resides in their heads. This is not the best place | | | | areas. Once a leader comes off of a rotational |
| for a succession plan - and you must have the | | | | assignment, he or she adds further strength to |
| input of the rest of the management team. From | | | | your leadership bench. |
| your leadership program participants, identify | | | | Finally, meet with your leadership team regularly |
| where strengths and opportunities lie. Find out | | | | to assess the bench, make changes to standards, |
| what makes these people tick - it's possible you | | | | or to consider how quickly (or slowly) you need |
| have an operations manager whose first love is | | | | to add to talent to the bench. This ensures |
| marketing. The idea here is that you should know | | | | continued buy-in and weigh-in on the leadership |
| who your talent is and what motivates each one | | | | bench and its members. |
| of them. But more importantly is the fact that | | | | As we mentioned earlier, building a leadership |
| your succession plan, drawing on the strength of | | | | bench takes coaching and precision. In the |
| your leadership bench, will help determine where | | | | precision category, you and your team have to |
| people go in the event of planned or unplanned | | | | manage the bench to make sure it's not too big |
| losses of leadership. You won't have to worry | | | | or too small. If you have a huge bench with too |
| about who would take your place or the places of | | | | many members, they'll start to look for |
| other seniors or executives, just in case. With this | | | | opportunity elsewhere. After all, as you move up |
| plan in place, you're building your leadership bench. | | | | in the organization, there are only so many slots |
| Third, conduct regular talent review. This step is | | | | available for potential leaders. But if your bench is |
| twofold: you should be conducting regular talent | | | | too small, you could find yourself in trouble if the |
| review both outside and inside your leadership | | | | business expands or changes rapidly. |
| development program. The outside review and | | | | Focusing on these steps will help you build your |
| assessment should be your tool for identifying | | | | leadership bench and ensure leadership |
| potential leaders - and grooming them for the | | | | continuation for years to come. |