When you think about leadership training, do you focus on those at the top—the ones who need to guide, inspire, and make the big decisions? It makes sense, after all these are the formal leaders. What if something happens to one of those formal leaders, do you have someone to step into the role? Is there someone on your team who can come off the bench and lead?
This is the very definition of bench strength. “The ability and skill possessed by the reserve team members.” (Oxford Language Online Dictionary)
Building this reserve team starts by getting clear on the skills needed for each role within the organization. Once you understand not only the technical skills but also the soft skills (flexibility, problem-solving, conceptual thinking, etc.), you can now create a pathway of learning for your team.
I call this pathway to learning the Career Rock Wall. Think about it, a career ladder is so narrow and requires a promotion to get ahead. A Career Rock Wall provides a variety of routes to move toward the goal. Some handholds are close, others are a stretch.
Take the opportunity to build a Career Rock Wall with every team member using this free tool. Give me a call if you want to learn about using an online platform to assess current soft skills, train soft skills, and build a database for your entire team.
If you need another reason to provide this type of training to your staff, Gallup polls reveal that 41% of people stay with an organization because of engagement. Growth opportunities are part of that engagement experience.
PS: If you still need more reasons to build bench strength… next month I’ll share the biggest reason of all.
Additional Resources:
How to Become a Self-Aware Leader and Why It Matters
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People First, by Amy Lafko
