There would be little need for leadership if all subscribed to the notion that they should not depend on someone else telling them what to do to be successful. Required levels of performance, mentorship, and accountability will always be key elements of leadership, but who rises to the top? It is typically those who put their own plan together or augment the standard with their own level of awesomeness; it is those who are strategic thinkers and who come up with solutions, find new opportunities, and push past the limits of what has been done in the past.

Finding/developing true leaders is the largest never-ending leadership challenge. Getting others to find their passion and to unlock whatever mental block is holding them back from being the absolute best – that is it – that is the leadership challenge. And in every organization, leadership is needed at all levels; Sales Managers need sales people to be Sales Leaders,  Executives need Managers to be Leaders, Delivery Teams need those delivering services to be Leaders, Customer Service needs all representatives to be leaders in how they interact with clients, etc.

What are some of the things you do to assess people and cultivate future leaders?

Many high-growth organizations use a formal Growth Operating System; We use EOS, and one of the concepts is to tie in your Core Values to how you assess yourself and teammates. Here is example of how we use our Core Values to assess one another.

WE ARE FANATICAL ABOUT CLIENT SUCCESS          Demonstrates personal accountability to client (internal/external) success

WE DO THE RIGHT THING. ALWAYS.                             Consistently demonstrates a high level of character and integrity

WE INNOVATE AND EVOLVE                             Seeks and suggests ways to improve processes/products/services

WE ARE FUELED BY CRUSHING GOALS       Consistently achieves personal goals and does their part in team goal achievement

WE ARE UNREASONABLY PICKY ABOUT OUR TEAMMATES              Considered a great teammate by others; has a great attitude and excels in doing their part

WE EXPECT & EMPOWER OUR TEAM TO GROW Takes ownership of their own growth and development

Core values are not just about an outward facing identity; they are also crucial in evaluating what success looks like internally and having all aligned. In the context of this message, I believe they can also help coach rising stars!