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Leadership skills are in high demand, especially among the youth of Saudi Arabia. While these skills can be learned, it’s more important to spot potential leaders and help them develop their skills.
A leader's qualities are not set in stone. Leaders can grow and change their leadership style to suit the situation they are in, which means that leadership development is a lifelong process. Therefore, when you're hiring or promoting someone, you have to consider their leadership potential, and take into account that they need guidance and support to grow into a leader.
Developing leaders in Saudi Arabia In 2022, Misk announced the launch of the second batch of the 2030 Leaders program which includes 90 participants carefully selected from a pool of more than 6,000 applicants. These participants are leaders who work in various sectors in the Kingdom, including private, governmental, non-profit, and other professional sectors. The program is an exclusive world-class leadership development program that is tailored to develop different mindsets of these senior leaders, transform and enable them to be at the helm of Vision 2030. On the other hand, Aramco Young Leaders Advisory Board (YLAB) is a program which aims to harness the incredible energy of the younger generation working in Aramco. YLAB was established in 2011 as an autonomous body that acts as a bridge between the youth of Aramco and its executive management, which provides a platform that enables youth to share their input into the company’s strategic opportunities and challenges.
Characteristics of future leaders It's been said that people who are born leaders will always be successful in the workplace. But what does it really mean to be a leader? And how can you spot a potential leader? A good leader is someone who can motivate others to do their best work and be their best selves. They're smart, confident, assertive, emotionally intelligent, and know how to handle difficult conversations, or rather have brave conversations. Here are some characteristics or signs to look out for when looking to spot and nurture a future leader in your team:
1. They are active listeners The best leaders are active listeners. They learn from their employees, giving them an opportunity to share their ideas, thoughts and perspectives. Leaders who take time to listen to their team will garner a better understanding of what motivates the team and in turn will lead to higher productivity and better quality of work.
2. They are able to give feedback and guidance Feedback is integral to leadership as it provides guidance and direction for team members. It's also important that leaders give feedback regularly in order to build and maintain a culture of continuous improvement. Leaders should always remember that feedback should be given in a constructive manner and that it should be timely, specific, and honest.
3. They are good at delegating tasks and responsibilities Every leader must know that they can't do everything themselves. A leader's time is precious and should be spent on tasks that require their skill set. Leaders need to delegate tasks and responsibilities to the best person for the job, such as assigning someone with more experience on project planning and another on research.
4. They have a positive mindset Leaders should have a positive mindset, irrespective of the challenges, and be optimistic to be able to see the bright side in every situation and set clear goals to manage those challenges.
5. They have a high level of self-awareness Leaders are those who have a good understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses. They are also aware of the impact their decisions have on others and can harness their strengths to achieve the desired outcome.
6. They have strong emotional intelligence Successful leaders harness their emotions in order to create a positive work environment. They understand the emotions of others then use this understanding to make themselves effective as leaders. They can be empathetic, understanding, and supportive of others in order to help them be their best self.
7. They are good communicators Effective communication is a vital management skill for leaders. All functions and departments in an organization typically depend on leaders to communicate the company's vision, goals and objectives to employees so they are clear on what they are set out to do
Leadership development is an ongoing process that needs to be exercised and nurtured continuously in an organization. There are many ways to spot and train future leaders in organizations, and it all starts with a good hiring process that determines the potential of a future leader. Once hired, it's paramount to ensure that there is an adequate support system in place to develop these individuals into future leaders, which will benefit themselves, their teams, and the organization as a whole. It’s no easy task, but the future and success of an organization is highly dependent on this, since the future of a company depends on the leaders that are trained today. |
