The pathway to leadership isn’t always a straight line.
And when the line originates from within the company itself, it often tends to get tangled with multiple challenges, creating a complex puzzle. Indeed, homegrown leadership can be as much a hurdle as it is a boon.
Take the case of Tech Titans Inc.
A tech phenomenon, they believed in fostering talent from within. Their star engineer, gifted with the acumen for innovative tech solutions, became their chosen one for the CEO role.
But soon, they experienced a backlash. The engineer-turned-CEO struggled with strategic decision-making, couldn’t manage conflicts effectively, and lacked the emotional intelligence necessary to lead a team. The problem? His expertise was in technology, not people.
A common tale, isn’t it?
Now, let’s pause for a moment.
How many of you have seen a similar situation unfold in your organization?
How often has an excellent employee turned into a less-than-stellar leader?
And, most importantly, how can we resolve this puzzle of homegrown leadership?
Curious about your thoughts on this.
My two cents: We can’t assume that someone will be good as a leader just because they were good at something else. Each role requires different skill sets which translates into a training need.
If we don’t equip our new leaders with proper training, we are not only setting them up for failure, we are setting our business up for failure, too.
Let’s fill in that skills gap.
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