Developing High-Potential Leaders Step #2: Helping people see how they show up as leaders

Hey, Richard Hodge again from the Cultivating Leaders Center of Excellence with a 5th truth from our recently released white paper titled 5 Truths and a Lie About High-Potential Leadership Programs.

This 5th truth is that the most successful HIPO development programs help people see how they show up as leaders, so let's jump right in. There's been a lot of discussion about transparency and authenticity. It seems to be at a premium, with everyone dealing with lots of ambiguity, constant change, and fake news. We want to trust our leaders and work in a place where we feel psychologically safe.

So the most successful organizations value emotional intelligence and self-awareness in their leaders and have incorporated assessments and content into various aspects of their current or planned HIPO programs. The best of the best invest considerable energy and time into prioritizing one-on-one discussions with HIPOs about their interests, needs, goals, and nature.

There are many ways to develop self-awareness that creates a high level of congruence in one's self-perception and that of those they work with at all levels. Self-assessments, 360 tools, and professional coaching for starters, and some companies are using the power of cohorts, accountability partners, or mentors to help leaders understand how they are perceived while expanding their self-awareness.

So help your next generation of leaders see how they show up and how they impact the environment that they and their co-workers operate within. Find the tools and content that best align with your organization’s learning strategy and processes, and include them in your future learning journeys.