In my previous blog post, I shared the true meaning of bench strength, the skills and abilities of team members in reserve. This is the bench strength that is ready to step up and step in when needed.
This is one of the two reasons you need bench strength. The other reason, having a team that can self-lead the majority of the time. Building bench strength isn’t just about preparing for the next role—it’s about creating a workplace where everyone is empowered to contribute to the organization’s success.
I recently worked with a leader spending nine months, one staff meeting at a time, training their frontline staff in conflict resolution. The entire team, not just leaders, learned how to identify issues, manage emotions, and ask better questions.
The result?
Leaders were no longer bogged down with minor disputes, and the team became more cohesive and self-reliant. This shift allowed the leadership to focus on bigger, strategic initiatives, while employees gained confidence and ownership over their roles.
Joseph Greeny, author of Crucial Accountability, found that in high-performance teams peers manage 90% of performance problems with one another. By investing in soft skills like emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and social awareness across all levels, you create a resilient, adaptable team ready to handle challenges as they arise.
Bench strength is not just about preparing for what’s next; it’s about thriving in the now. In case you didn’t download it last month, here is my Career Rock Wall template again.
Resources:
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People First, by Amy Lafko
