| There are many great leaders who lead things from | | | | approachable. Subordinates should be comfortable |
| small businesses to large countries. Each of those | | | | enough to be able to communicate with their leaders |
| leaders had to start somewhere. Leadership starts | | | | about anything. This is a major key to their |
| at different stages for different people; some start | | | | success. This will help build trust and confidence on |
| learning as a small child while others may not start | | | | both sides. Once established, your relationship will |
| until adulthood. But regardless of when they start, | | | | continue to grow professionally, which will make them |
| its how they get there and where they finish that | | | | more receptive to their development and eager to |
| matters. | | | | learn. |
| Leaders are ultimately responsible for developing the | | | | Leaders have to teach them what they need to do |
| leaders of tomorrow. Leaders cannot be too | | | | without showing them how all the time. By just |
| consumed with themselves; they should be | | | | teaching them, you are allowing them to think and |
| consumed with the organization and the | | | | come up with their own ideas by exercising their |
| subordinates. The leaders will guide their organization | | | | mind, which will result in them utilizing initiative and |
| through today, but the subordinates will guide them | | | | judgment. Keep in mind, everyone doesn’t |
| though tomorrow, and if leaders don’t properly | | | | process things the same, so some subordinates will |
| train their subordinates, it will ultimately lead to | | | | need more guidance, and require more attention and |
| demise. | | | | patience. |
| Just because people are in leadership positions | | | | Leaders must be able to provide constructive |
| doesn’t make them leaders. People are often | | | | criticism and twist it up and end on a positive note. |
| placed into leadership positions well before they are | | | | When there are initiative and judgment errors, it is |
| ready to lead. But regardless, people will still look to | | | | still the leaders’ job and responsibility to correct |
| them as their leader and expect them to lead them | | | | those errors and guide them in the right direction. |
| in the right direction. Take Eli Manning of the New | | | | However, leaders must not cause discouragement, |
| York Giants for instance, who entered the NFL in | | | | because subordinates may develop confidence issues |
| 2004, but didn’t become a leader until 2007. He | | | | and no longer want to excel. Help them understand |
| was placed in the key leadership position for the | | | | that all leaders make mistakes, but it’s what |
| football team well before he was ready. The problem | | | | they learn and how they recover from them that |
| in his situation is that he didn’t have a chance to | | | | matters. |
| develop before he started to lead. His development | | | | Subordinates must be held accountable for their |
| started with “on the job training.” He spent | | | | actions. Subordinates must also understand that it |
| the first 3 years of his career learning, fighting | | | | goes far beyond that. They are not just responsible |
| adversity, and trying to find himself, all while he was | | | | for their actions but the actions of those they lead. |
| being further developed as a leader and learning how | | | | Take Brett Favre for instance, the former |
| to lead. Furthermore, he lost some of his supporting | | | | quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. When his |
| cast around him to help guide him in the right | | | | team would lose, it was him, the quarterback, who |
| direction. Instead of supporting him, they grew | | | | took the responsibility because he was the leader of |
| impatient and ridiculed him. With all the stress placed | | | | the team. It was ultimately his responsibility to |
| on him, he never quit; he kept learning. Finally in mid | | | | teach, guide, mentor, and motivate while leading the |
| season of 2007, everything that he learned came | | | | team to success. After a loss, he would watch and |
| together. He stood up and took his place as the | | | | analyze the entire game, the players, and the plays |
| leader of the New York Giants. | | | | to come up with a solution to help prevent it from |
| There are many ways leaders can develop | | | | happening again. He would always try and find |
| subordinates’ leadership and show them how to | | | | ethical ways to reach success. And after 17 years |
| lead. First and foremost, leaders must lead by their | | | | in the NFL, he only got better. That is passion. That is |
| own example and give subordinates something to | | | | dedication. That is the job of a leader! |
| follow, because subordinates often times become a | | | | These are just a few things leaders can do to |
| reflection of their leaders. They try and emulate | | | | develop subordinate leaders. Leaders shouldn’t |
| and follow in their leaders’ footsteps. If leaders | | | | be afraid to do further research to educate |
| fail to properly set a good example for their | | | | themselves as well as their subordinates. No matter |
| subordinates, one of two things can happen. Their | | | | how good of a leader someone maybe, they should |
| subordinates will become just like them and set a bad | | | | train their subordinates to be better. If they |
| example. Or, their subordinates will not want to be | | | | developed them properly, their legacy will live through |
| like them. They just learned what not to do as a | | | | them. And regardless if they chose to develop |
| leader, which could result in them losing respect for | | | | them or not, were they stand today is where their |
| their leaders. | | | | subordinates will stand tomorrow. |
| To further develop subordinates, leaders must be | | | | |