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Develop Influencers, Not Just Leaders

Develop Influencers, Not Just Leaders
by Catherine Iste

Talent management, professional development and mentoring programs often focus on spotting potential leaders and developing their talent. While having a pipeline of leadership candidates is beneficial, these programs often overlook the importance of influencers.

While good leaders are influencers, not all influencers are or want to be leaders. Yet their talents can have a positive and significant impact on all levels of the organization. It is time to start nurturing and rewarding the talents of influencers within the organization.

Six of one ...

Influencers can be both positive and negative. Those who are positive contributors have naturally earned their colleagues' trust via their work product, work ethic, communication and or team-building skills. They are "go-to" employees who can influence their peers and co-workers outside their teams and those in more senior positions.

Often their people skills allow them to get work through the system or bring and keep a group together. While these are necessary skills for leaders, not all influencers want to be leaders.

This should not be held against them by withholding training, mentoring or opportunities to contribute. Instead, the skills these employees possess should be recognized for their organizational value. Since positive influencers are normally known for their work-related expertise and respected for their interpersonal skills, their contributions can be formally acknowledged and developed in three ways.

• Enhancing and sharing institutional or specialized knowledge
• Encouraging and soliciting insight into critical processes or projects
• Supporting and developing their natural interpersonal skills

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