- [Narrator] A pool of potential future leaders is vital to the continuity and success of any organization. So how can you identify and develop them? 

To identify your future leaders, here are some of the key qualities to look for. 

Empathy and emotional intelligence. Look for someone who listens to their colleagues and responds to them thoughtfully, with a genuine intention to understand and help. They're also natural communicators, who people will want to listen to and work with. 

Problem solving skills. You want a person who can think laterally and solve problems on their own initiative. If they can't solve a problem themselves, they know how to bring in the right people to help. Is there someone other employees tend to go to for help with problems? That could be your leader. 

Curiosity and a desire to learn. A person who actively seeks to expand their horizons and grow their understanding, has the makings of a leader. Curiosity about the business and industry will help them to develop a vision and strategy in future. 

Motivation and drive. Someone who is intrinsically motivated to perform and succeed, is an ideal future leader. But it's also important that they show a desire to lead. Look for someone who not only gets themselves going, but inspires and energizes others too.

Accountability. A good leader takes responsibility, both by taking the lead and by putting their hands up if something goes wrong. Someone who is happy just to do what's asked of them, or who blames others when things go wrong, is probably not leadership material. 

Once you've found the right people, here are some top tips to develop the skills and experience they'll need. 

Give them stretching, unfamiliar tasks and projects to expand their skill set, and push them out of their comfort zones. 

Rotate your future leaders through different jobs in various areas of the organization. That way they can get to know each area of the business and understand everyone's roles, priorities, and needs. 

Give regular feedback and support, to help them understand what they're doing well, what needs work, and how they can develop their leadership skills. 

Set them up with a mentor. An effective mentor will guide and support your future leader, to develop the necessary personal and professional skills. If you can use experienced employees to pass on their knowledge, you get the bonus of retaining the knowledge if they move on. 

Don't be too prescriptive. Give your future leaders scope to try and fail, and to learn from the experience. But ensure there is a support system they can lean on when they need it. Build your leadership development initiatives around this advice, and you'll create the pipeline of leadership talent that you need, to support the future success of your business. © 2022 Mind Tools by Emerald Works Limited.