Every manager should think about the fact that one day he will be promoted or will find new employment and therefore he should train his successors in advance. The leaders among your subordinates are better able to make decisions and organise their work themselves. But how do you turn employees into future leaders? The thedailymuse.com website recently focused on this issue, recommending that a manager should act as a mentor to his people, and made the following recommendations.
Take them to social events
To begin with they may hateyou but later they will appreciate that you taught them how to make contacts and communicate with people they don't know. You can start inside the company and then gradually move on to large conferences and other important events in your field.
Show them what a manager's work entails
Make a commitment to familiarise your people with the broader context of your role within the company. Allow them to try out the role of project manager or to conduct meetings, for example. Teach them to bear responsibility for other people's work.
Teach them to think independently
Don't answer every question straight away. When employees come to you asking for help, first of all make them try to find a solution themselves.
Instil a sense of joint purpose
Your employees will not use the skills that you have taught them until they feel that you trust them, that you know how to appreciate them and that their work is meaningful for the functioning of the company. Begin by giving them the opportunity to make independent decisions. You should listen to their ideas and put them into practice.
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