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Leadership Acceleration: Frequently Asked Questions

What is leadership acceleration?

Leadership accelerations is a targeted employee development strategy, in which team members with leadership potential are offered training and support in order to develop these skills, ahead of a possible promotion to a leadership position. Leadership acceleration often goes hand-in-hand with succession planning, as it involves organizations identifying future leaders, and taking steps to ensure they are ready for progression.

What does a leadership acceleration program typically involve?

Whilst leadership acceleration can take many forms, a leadership acceleration program is a formalized course which future leaders can undertake to develop the skills and capabilities they will need to undertake a leadership role in the future. A leadership acceleration program may include:

• Structured training sessions, including learning modules and an assessment framework to track and monitor progress
• Mentorship from a senior leader, with regular check-ins and contact points throughout the program
• ???????Learning and support resources, such as group discussions or literature on the topic of leadership and people management

While certain leadership acceleration programs may differ, there should always be a focus on skills development and support, in order for the program to be effective as a training tool for future leaders

How do we identify the right candidates for a leadership acceleration program?

There are a number of ways to identify potential leadership acceleration candidates from within your organization. Some examples may be:

• Recommendations from trusted people managers. Managers who work with certain team members day-to-day are often best-placed to identify positive qualities that could make them good candidates for future leadership positions. 

• Assessment and progression planning. By using existing frameworks such as annual reviews to determine which individuals have an interest in leadership, you can offer the option for upskilling and leadership acceleration to help them along that path. 

• Recruitment consultants. Some organizations prefer to work with consulting firms, like ZRG Partners, who have a wide range of assessment tools which can be used to identify future leaders within your business. By combining your own knowledge of your team with the objective insights of a recruitment consultant, you may be able to confirm your existing selection for leadership acceleration, or identify high-potential individuals you may not have previously considered.

What are the key skills an employee must learn to become a leader?

When considering whether a team member may be suitable for a leadership acceleration program, it’s important to consider what personal and professional qualities they have which make them a good candidate. Some positive skills that a team member may have which may make them a good candidate include:

• Good communication skills. Leaders should be able to communicate clearly and effectively, to ensure that every member of their team understands their role and responsibilities. 

• Excellent organization. Leaders often have to manage multiple priorities at once, so their ability to be organized and detail-oriented will be essential. 

• Empathy. When leaders are working with others, the ability to understand team members’ points of view and listen carefully when they’re shared will be invaluable.

• Integrity. Great leaders have a clear sense of what’s right and wrong, and conduct themselves in an ethical, honest manner, which also sets an example to their team.  

• Strategic thinking. Leaders should be future-focussed, and able to problem-solve effectively when things don’t go as planned. Resourcefulness and the ability to think on their feet will always be helpful in a leadership role.

Is it better to develop existing employees for leadership, or hire externally?

There is no definitive answer as to whether it’s better to develop existing employees for leadership positions, or to hire externally. This will be dependent on a number of factors, such as the current skillset of your team members, and whether you have time to develop the individual before the need for leadership becomes too great. 

There are benefits and drawbacks to both options. Whilst an existing employee will have more understanding of your existing processes and company mission, a fresh perspective from an outside employee may help to drive your company forwards.

If you’d like to assess your current team for leadership potential, or would like assistance with your executive search, ZRG Partners offer a wide range of consulting solutions to support businesses, and their future growth.

How can we implement the ZRG Partners leadership acceleration program at our company?

To learn more about our leadership acceleration program, and find out how we can help you to develop future leaders within your organizations, you can fill in the contact form above or submit an inquiry via our contact page. A member of our team will be in touch shortly to discuss your unique business goals, and what the next steps will be if you wish to implement the program within your team.