Leadership Series Part I - The Teachable Leader

We’ve all heard the term “natural born leader." But, is it accurate to claim a person can be born with an inherent ability to lead? Or, more likely, is leadership something that can be nurtured and developed over time?

LEADERSHIP: NURTURE OR NATURE?

At Awarding You, we’re firmly in the nurture camp when it comes to identifying the roots of leadership. Like many, we’ve seen it happen right here in our own work setting. Hires are coached and developed, and their work lives enriched by team members who see the value in cultivating such an atmosphere. The reward is that people who are nurtured in this way, tend to stick around, and become nurturers themselves.

SPOTTING POTENTIAL LEADERSHIP IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

What are the signs that a co-worker, intern, or teammate is on track for becoming a leader in his or her field? According to leadership guru, John Maxwell, one of the most significant ways in which to spot leadership potential, is to recognize those that are teachable.

When asked how to identify this trait in "The Leader’s Greatest Return" podcast, hosted by Bergman Partners, Maxwell replies:

“ Well…three things that I look for. Number one is do they have the ability to produce themselves. In other words, whenever you give them an assignment or a job, do they bring it home? Well, that’s one. Number two is do they have the ability to get others to do it. The reason one is essential is if I can’t do it for myself, the odds are very high that I can’t do it for you either. And the third question is how teachable are you? Because…if you don’t have teach-ability, you don’t have growth potential, because all growth comes from the willingness to listen and learn…

NURTURE GROWTH THROUGH RECOGNITION AND REWARD

Once potential leadership is tapped and development is in full bloom, how does an organization keep successful growth healthy and non-stunted? Through recognition and reward. It’s true, when accomplishments are made, due primarily to good team leadership, it’s warranted to reward those at the top. However, it’s also good to bolster leadership growth by recognizing those that are being “brought up” on the nurturing atmosphere and by praising individual efforts and achievements.

CULTIVATE LEADERSHIP WITH ANNUAL OR PERPETUAL AWARDS

One way to recognize intersecting parts of a whole team is by creation of a perpetual award that can be added to over time as each new accomplishment is achieved. The creation of an annual award that distinguishes company nurturers and leaders, is another great way to cultivate leadership and growth. 

Our sales team can help you with choosing just the right award option to tell the story behind your company and your award recipients’ leadership contributions year after year. Give  us a call today so we can help you tell your story and help you reward the contributors.