BOSTON - July 2006 - Due to the shortage of qualified senior-level executives, companies today are more frequently providing coaching earlier in the development of middle managers and high-potential employees to prepare them to become the next generation of leaders, according to ClearRock, an executive coaching and outplacement firm headquartered in Boston.
"After selecting and assessing potential leaders, more organizations now want to make sure their managerial skills progress steadily along with their job-related knowledge and expertise," said Greg Gostanian, managing partner for ClearRock.
To ensure they grow quickly, more organizations are helping middle managers and high-potential employees develop qualities and abilities they desire in their upper-level managers earlier in their careers. These include strategic thinking, vision, creativity, innovation, decisiveness, motivating and engaging others.
"These are skills many organizations value most in their CEOs and other senior-level executives. They want to build their managers into motivators and leaders," said Annie Stevens, managing partner for ClearRock.
Providing coaching to employees earlier in their careers also benefits organizations by enabling them to make determinations sooner about which ones have the requisite skills and abilities for upper management. "Companies can get a better idea regarding which employees will be best able to make the transition from managers to leaders, which ones will need help in improving these talents, and which ones may be unable to progress much further," said Gostanian.
Some companies are assembling teams of high-potential employees and giving them visible problems for which to develop solutions. "This builds teamwork and strategic thinking skills, as well as uncovers new approaches to some chronic problems," said Stevens.
"You don't have to be a CEO to learn how to think strategically, be innovative, creative, or decisive. But it hasn't been regarded as critical for middle managers and high-potential employees to sharpen these attributes. Companies that drive these down through the organization will have an edge in the marketplace," said Gostanian.
Simulations, case studies, and mentors help future leaders hone these leadership traits, as well as coaches. "A combination of practicing these abilities in their current jobs, role modeling using mentors, and hypothetical situations provide the most well-rounded training," Stevens said.
"Mentors show how these skills are employed to create policies, procedures, and make decisions, and then explain the thinking behind them," added Gostanian.
About ClearRock
ClearRock focuses on executive coaching and outplacement. The coaching process helps link business objectives, vision, and direction with individual development of key leaders in the organization. The outplacement process helps individuals and groups successfully navigate through the career transition process, and clarify and implement career and life goals and objectives. For more information, please visit our website at www.clearrock.com.