Where do your next leaders come from?
(Photo: phototechno / DigitalVision Vectors / Getty Images)
All strong growing companies rely on a pipeline of leaders to fill the ranks and propel their growth. Without the right leaders in training, you will never grow profitably at the rate you want.
There are three places to find the next leader — you know them all — so I will outline a NEW way to think about each.
1. Look within your organization.
Of course, that is the first place to look. You may overlook people who currently don’t show an interest or you didn’t know they have the skills in their toolkit. They are like a dormant seed, ready to be watered in order to spout.
They may also be hiding underutilized in one department but would prosper in another.
You have to engage them in conversations about their dreams and opportunities for growth.
One of the reasons I have set up my Summer Growth Summit is so that you can bring your team with you and expose them to the larger world of opportunity.
It helps them see what’s possible. If you go to events by yourself, you miss the larger ROI of educating and inspiring your team of leaders and potential leaders.
2. Look outside the industry.
This has become an increasingly necessary place to look for leaders. Recruiting firms (as opposed to headhunters) are the perfect tool to help you attract leaders from other industries into your company.
Recruiters cost less than headhunters and can help you implement a professional recruiting effort for critical-level employees.
All great companies employ outside firms or develop this in-house recruiting ability. Do one or both to turbocharge your growth.
3. Attract potential leaders from another company.
Is it ethical to encourage people to switch companies and join your firm?
My answer is “yes” if you are also raising the bar on the industry and making our world a more professional place for all workers to grow their careers!
In other words, if you are building a Destination Company that naturally attracts the best and brightest to want to work at your firm.
If you are a Destination Company, it is natural for potential leaders to want to work for you.
To help you build a Destination Company environment, you can download a free copy of my book Become A Destination Company.
If you want a bigger company, build a better company.
If you don’t steadily improve your company from the inside out, you will fall behind as your competitors continue to improve. This will give them a jump on the next generation of great employees looking around for a better opportunity.
Your challenge
Do all three of these strategies for maximum impact!
Click here to learn more about my Summer Growth Summit (and to take advantage of the early bird discount).
About the Author: Jeffrey Scott
Jeffrey Scott, MBA, author, specializes in growth and profit maximization in the Green Industry. His expertise is rooted in his personal success, growing his own company into a $10 million enterprise. Now, he facilitates the Leader’s Edge peer group for landscape business owners—members achieve a 27 percent profit increase in their first year. To learn more visit www.GetTheLeadersEdge.com.Subscribe to Landscape Management
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