A Practical Guide for Developing Leaders

Here's a practical guide for developing leaders, adapted from June Delano, a colleague and mentor, now with Monitor Executive Development.

While the guide does not include everything a leader needs to learn, it does offer ideas for developing people before and during new leadership assignments. And of course, every company is different, so you'd need to adapt the list to fit your company's organizational structure.

Pre-Supervisory
Before selection as a supervisor, people should have development and some experience in:
· Team and project leadership
· Basic budgeting and accounting
· Communicating to individuals and small groups
· Training, peer coaching

Supervisory
As first-level supervisors, people should have development in basic supervisory skills:
· Coaching and giving feedback
· Managing performance
· Leading groups
· Developing people

Pre-Management
Before selection as a manager, people should have development and some experience in:
· Leading multi-functional or cross-organizational teams
· Handling diverse and multiple tasks
· Influence and relationship-building (personal style and impact)
· Understanding the business system

Management
As managers, people should have development in:
· Basic finance, marketing and commercialization
· Doing business globally and cross-culturally
· Communicating to large groups
· Recruiting and retaining talent
· Leading change and culture
· Developing and implementing strategy

Pre-Executive
Before selection as an executive, people should have development and some experience in:
· General management (including P&L management)
· Managing multiple functions and geographies
· Understanding your company’s business environment and industry trends
· Building external networks
· Working with senior executives
· Organizational leadership (personal style and impact)
· Line and staff assignments

Executive
As an executive, people should have development in:
· Handling media and government relations
· Managing organizations at different stages of maturity
· Recruiting and nurturing high-potential talent
· Developing and implementing growth strategies
· Working with alliances, mergers, JV’s and acquisitions
· Serving on external boards, projects and/or ventures

Officer
As an officer, people should have development in:
· Global trends affecting the business
· National and global politics
· Managing a global workforce
· Handling investor relations
· Working with the Board
· Board of Director assignments