Nurture Leadership from Below

"Leaders are made, not born. You learn to become a leader by doing what other excellent leaders have done before you. You become proficient in your job or skill, and then you become proficient at understanding the motivations and behaviors of other people."

Brian Tracy


Every leader started somewhere, and typically it was at or near the bottom. A big part of your job as a corporate leader is to recognize the innate and latent leadership ability in your subordinates and nurture those future leaders.

Ralph Nader once remarked that “the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” Successful and responsible leaders are always on the lookout for talented people within their organizations. They ask their managers for recommendations of employees with leadership potential, and they seek out potential leaders from outside the organization.

Formalize your leadership development programs. Make sure they are well-organized and providing the right opportunities for new leaders in the company. Take an active role in leadership development by regularly communicating with top prospects and building a solid pipeline for the future.

Last but not least, speak about the importance of leadership for the company. Communicate to your employees the importance of their leadership role within the organization. Inspire them to aspire to take your place. If you care about the organization, then you will inculcate leadership lessons in new generations.

(c) Adonis E. Hoffman, 2008.