More and more, I’ve seen managers question their growth into leadership roles.

They ask: Is it worth it to make the jump? Will I still find worklife balance? What about all these articles on executive burnout?

Then I also here: I’m not sure how to keep growing. What opportunities even exist? Do I have what it takes? How will I know?

Motivating the next generation of leaders is an important responsibility of current leadership, as well as organizations more broadly. It needs to be a priority to not only support recruitment and retention, but also to address looming gaps due to high levels of retirement in the coming years.

So, how do we motivate our up and coming leaders, many who already are in their own right, here are a few suggestions:

✨Provide mentorship, mentors who can guide employees and help them develop the skills necessary for leadership roles.

✨Encourage participation, encourage employees to get involved in activities that promote leadership skills, such as volunteering. This a great way to build leadership opportunities through corporate initiatives. This is also a great opportunity to encourage take me with you moments, where employee participation is encouraged to create wider exposure to the organization and better understanding on how leaders work.

✨Create opportunities for employees to take on leadership roles. This can be achieved through acting opportunities, developmental programs, assignments – to name a few. This is also where sponsorship can help identify talent within an organization to create visibility for employees that could benefit from these roles.

✨Offer leadership training and development programs that provide the next generation with the necessary skills and knowledge to become effective leaders. Often times, training exists but employees don’t know it or don’t know how to access it. Promote both internal and external training opportunities that will help them become a well rounded leader and fill potential gaps in their current experience.

✨Lead by example and show the next generation what leadership looks like. This can be done through your actions, communication, and decisions, and should align not only to the leadership competencies but also values and ethics.

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These are just some examples to keep in mind as we consider the people management aspect of leadership and how prioritizing the growth of your team can help empower our future leaders of tomorrow.