He says for any company to reach its full potential it needs the right people and leadership in the right positions to take it to the next level. So, when a potential leader with all the right ‘stuff’ rises to the fore, companies should act fast and acknowledge it before they lose that critical talent.
Some of the best leaders can be found within a company’s ranks, which is why managers must get to know their team-members well, be aware of their strengths and weaknesses and regularly observe their behaviour and responses to different situations and problems.
True leaders will naturally distinguish themselves from the rest of the team and those with the qualities and competencies of a great leader must be nurtured, mentored and developed to their fullest potential.
However, companies should be weary of appointing “average” employees to leadership positions, when people who are not natural leaders are forced into leadership roles; they will not be able to develop leaders better than themselves with the result that teams will always be weak to average.
“As the old adage goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” comments Kruger.
Identifying potential leaders is probably the easiest part. The real challenge lies in choosing the right people for the right leadership role because a great leader in the wrong position will not be effective. Companies need to be able to identify future leaders and then match their personality types, skills and potential with the right position within the organisation.
Kruger says agencies, like all companies, should have a clear plan for the future that includes identifying, developing and retaining competent leaders to lead them through their crucial stages of development.
“Many businesses are the result of an extraordinary individual with a great idea but unfortunately many do not achieve their true potential because they lack the right leadership to take them forward.
An advertising agency for instance can go from four to 40 members almost overnight and therefore great leadership is imperative from the very beginning to manage this growth and change,” he adds.
Instilling a culture of developing leaders should be a priority from the very beginning.
“When you instil a culture of developing leaders within an organisation, it changes how people think about their roles and how they see their future within the company. Our people have clear development paths and know where they are going. Leaders in each department are fully accountable for their own teams and already develop the next level of leaders. Their task is to mentor and encourage their teams and to develop their potential. Staff turnover is at an all time low and productivity at an all time high,” explains Kruger.
He concludes by pointing out that leadership development is ongoing and continuously evolving.
“Leaders are not satisfied with mediocrity and not one great leader will admit that they have achieved their full potential. Leadership development never stops because leaders will always find themselves in new and challenging environments that will call for further development or training. If you stop developing the leaders around you, you may as well close shop.”
