Give People Essential Resources
Good leaders develop other leaders. Wise leaders empower them to succeed.
Leadership is not just about what you do, it is about how you multiply yourself, and it is impossible to overestimate the value of the environment you create for them. An empowering environment like that pays attention to the resources leaders need. This is the third piece of a six-part series about what it takes to create an environment that not only develops leaders but helps them succeed—what I call an empowering environment.
The first things that come to mind when you start talking resources are the easy, obvious things. Mechanics need tools. Chefs need knives. IT personnel need computing power. Teachers need crayons, markers, construction paper, curriculum. You get it. Tangible stuff required by the tasks at hand.
But, what are the not-so-obvious resources leaders need?
In reality, this conversation is about giving away the keys to the kingdom by doing everything you can to empower your people to succeed beyond your wildest dreams. To achieve that, I‘d suggest that the most important resources leaders need are development-oriented resources. Often, these are the the things we think of as nice extras rather than core essentials. My short list is that leaders need:
Training that develops genuine proficiency.
Coaching that helps solve the puzzles or problems they face.
Mentoring that gives them access to the learning and experiences of others.
Opportunities to be stretched by new assignments and test new skills.
Ignore these to the peril of your overall impact. Because, leaders without adequate resources… … experience a growing sense of disempowerment. … feel being set up for failure. … fear being “in over my head.”
Ask yourself, what resources are readily available to the leaders within your sphere of influence? What could you do to provide more?
How consistent and easily accessible are training, coaching, mentoring, and new opportunities for the current or emerging leaders in your organization?
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