Question: What one tip do you have for identifying potential managerial talent from within your current employee ranks?
Question: What one tip do you have for identifying potential managerial talent from within your current employee ranks?
Look for a Natural Teacher
"When team members are naturally supporting and teaching others, that's a great sign of managerial talent. It tells me that they know what needs to be done, are seeing others who struggle and are proactively helping them with education and training without being asked. Combine that with an employee who can hold others accountable to tasks and standards, and you have a great manager!"
@krazevedo
Look for People Who Take Action
"I look for people who take action. Specifically, I look for people who have told me what they've done instead of what to do. There are so many moving parts in a company. You need people who are not just self-starters, but people who take responsibility to try things (regardless of whether they succeed or not) and then tell you about that success or failure."
@vtamethodman
Identify Dedication
"I identify potential managers by seeing how they work and what that produces. Along with that, I find the people who lead by example. You want managers whose work goes above and beyond. They will inspire other employees to do the same as they work with those managers and see the example they set. If you find those people in your company and reward that spirit, you'll create a really good work force!"
@KyleClaytonGore
Look for Good Listeners
"In a startup, we're often so focused on getting things done that we're talking over each other, going with whichever idea is the loudest or the person who talks the most. Instead, look for employees who both listen and contribute. A good listener is a sign of a good decision-maker -- she considers multiple points of view and really pays attention. She doesn't always have to be heard."
@SusanLaMotte
Ask for Their "Why"
"I'm a co-founder of an executive search firm. We begin evaluating leadership talent by asking one simple question: "What's your why?" Your "why" is your purpose for working. If that leader's purpose aligns with the organization's mission, we know that we can move on to the next phases of our evaluation process. Why? Because the people who excel in organizations are motivated by their missions."
@BrettFarmiloe
Look for People Who Confront Problems
"I like to see people who lead by example, work hard, can see the bigger picture and can have the difficult conversations. In my experience, the latter is a critical and often overlooked attribute. I believe it was Ben Horowitz who said that he could judge the caliber of a CEO on his willingness to have the toughest conversations right away. Managers need to confront them head-on, not wait."
@chuckcohn
Find Those Who Go the Extra Mile
"Staying after hours to knock out a project, the ability to handle stress (or mask it), communication style, loyalty and attitude are all important. People who go the extra mile as part of their personality (when nobody is watching) are great people to promote from within. It's easy to tell who genuinely cares about the success of a company versus those who are only there to collect a paycheck."
@zivelo
Look for Initiative and Execution
"Look for the people who not only have new ideas, but who have the ability to make them move forward."
@genyjobs
