How To Elevate Your Team And Create Future Leaders
From our episode with Gábor Till
Unlocking Leadership Potential: Key Insights on Developing Future Leaders
Creating future leaders within a team is an important part for any organisation that values growth and succession planning. But how do you identify who has the potential to lead, and what steps should you take to guide them on their journey?
The Leadership Link teamed up with Gábor Till to talk about elevating your team and how to create future leaders.
Building Future Leaders in Software Engineering Teams
The first step in developing future leaders is to understand that not every team member aspires to a leadership role. Some may prefer to focus on improving their technical skills and becoming better developers.
Being able to recognise different ambitions within your team is important to creating a supportive environment where everyone can thrive in the direction that suits them best.
To identify potential leaders, regular one-on-one meetings are important. Building trust in these conversations allows team members to openly share their career ambitions, even if that means aspiring to take on their manager’s role someday (which of course can feel awkward for team members to say).
It's about creating a space where they can express their goals without fear, if there's a strong element of trust then your team members will feel comfortable to share their ambitions with you.
Clarifying Misconceptions About Leadership Roles
Many engineers have misconceptions about roles like being an architect or a tech lead. They often see these positions as an opportunity to make technical decisions without realizing that they also involve a lot of responsibility, collaboration, and much less coding which isn’t actually what they want!
Implementing Mentorship Programmes
Mentorship is a critical element in developing a growth-oriented environment. Finding mentors who are just a few steps ahead in their technical skills can make guidance much more relatable for team members. For developing soft skills, seeking out experienced mentors who can provide deeper insights into leadership and communication can be really beneficial.
Implementing a buddy system for new team members also plays a crucial role in creating a supportive environment. This approach helps newcomers integrate more smoothly into the team's culture while receiving guidance on both technical and non-technical aspects.
As a leader by promoting mentorship you can see which individuals take that role in their stride, a good mentor will become a good leader.
Assessing Leadership Readiness
Sometimes, even when someone expresses interest in a leadership role, they may not be fully ready for it. The challenge is to ask the right questions: What does leadership mean to them? Are they more interested in people management or in making high-level technical decisions?
As a leader it's your job to make sure that your team members are taking the right path so clarifying these details will help you determine which path is best for each individual.
Creating a Personal Development Plan
For those who show a genuine interest in leadership, creating a structured personal development plan is essential. Using the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) can help break down long-term goals into smaller, achievable milestones. This approach not only makes progress more achievable but also helps celebrate the small wins along the way which also keeps motivation high.
Development plans should be tailored to the individual's experience level:
Junior Engineers should focus on strengthening their technical skills and overcoming the fear of asking questions where as more experienced engineers often need to concentrate on enhancing their soft skills, as they've typically already mastered the technical aspects of their role.
A significant challenge for engineering leaders is inspiring their teams to adopt a growth mindset and continuously strive for self-improvement. Gábor stressed that encouraging continuous learning shouldn't be a one-time or monthly checkbox exercise but a part of everyday culture.
Strategies for Leaders:
Lead by Example: Share your learning journey with your team. Talk about the books you're reading, the conferences you're attending, and the people you're following on LinkedIn.
Embed Learning in Daily Routines: Encourage activities like pair programming and knowledge-sharing sessions. Make learning a habit, not an event.
Finally, as an engineering leader, staying up-to-date with the latest trends and knowledge can be a challenge. Gábor’s approach to staying up-to-date involves subscribing to newsletters and following leaders on LinkedIn, as opposed to the more traditional approach of reading books.
If you want more information then make sure you check out the full episode, you can watch it on YouTube or listen on Spotify…