Within every organization there is the opportunity for leadership.  Most businesses find that finding leadership from within is easier than attracting new leaders.  However, sometimes finding someone from inside to lead can be difficult.

Any business that is thriving is doing so because of strong leadership and if it is not it is usually due to poor leadership.  A strong leader can create a standard of achievement through what they do, how they work with others and how they develop their departments.

Unfortunately, too many businesses find that they are dealing with mediocre management instead of stellar people.  A question that comes to mind is, “Can we change poor managers into effective ones?” The answer to this question is that it depends on whether the individual is open to change.

Some experts say that leadership is intrinsic in most people and it can be brought out and honed as needed.  Others say that leadership can be learned if you take the people with potential and expose them to the right training.  The debate is still on; however, leadership potential is easy to spot if you know what to look for in your people.

Leadership Skills

When you are looking for leaders within your organization, it is important to think about what you see as a strong leader.  For instance, if you think about people you have admired as leaders, you will probably find teachers, colleagues or coaches.  What was it about these people that struck you and made them memorable?  What skills did these people possess that made you feel they were leaders?

Listen to what others are saying about the leaders in your business. Here are some things to think about:

• Who in your business is also active in their community? Are they in leadership positions in the community?
• When you ask others in their department about their performance, would you find them dependable? Is this a person that is asked for direction in situations?
• Who in your business works as part of a team and individually? Who brings you ideas that are feasible?
• Who is showing a degree of independence and seems motivated from within?

When you find all of these questions in one person, you may have what you need in a developing leader.

Another area that you want to know more about is the individuals leadership style. What style would be the best for your business?  Generally you will find leadership styles that are dictatorial or collaborative; in most organizations a collaborative style may work best.

Whatever is your leadership style, you will want to make sure that it complements your business style.

When you find the individual that meets your criteria it is time to nurture them into a leadership opportunity. These are the types of employees who will leave a business to find another opportunity if they are bored. By recognizing their skill inside the organization, you can be sure they will stay with you longer.

Finding leaders within an organization is also more cost effective than attracting those from outside.