Municipal Monitor Q1 2017 | Page 34

plans that other organizations have adapted and adopted , and that are now commonplace . Similarly , military forces have benefited from personnel being trained in non-military institutions . This migration of personnel and knowledge has resulted in these organizations being more than ever similar in the way they operate .
Regardless of the organization , the skill of being an effective leader is extremely difficult to teach . It is therefore critical to ensure that current and potential leaders are presented with the fundamental concepts in an effective method . This requires a customized , comprehensive training plan that draws upon all available techniques . This plan can be developed based on the successes of other organizations , with changes made to make it compatible with the organization . The plan should go well beyond the initial presenting of information to include the organization ’ s day-to-day operations .
This can be accomplished by clearly identifying the core leadership principles that the organization deems
fundamental , such as the military principles of leadership , and making them a constant focal point . Posting them in the workplace , incorporating them into a strategic plan , using them in employee assessments , and a variety of other methods will help maintain this focus . This will encourage individual employees to routinely consider leadership principles with the goal of including them in the way they conduct themselves in the workplace . It will also expose junior employees , who are not yet trained as leaders , to the organization ’ s leadership expectations . Junior employees will thus have a better opportunity to demonstrate their potential leadership abilities , which will greatly assist the organization in identifying these individuals for developing the skills for internal advancement . This comprehensive plan will ensure maximization of the organization ’ s leadership potential , which will encourage higher employee retention , reduce the need to attract outside leadership candidates and guarantee the highest levels of leadership from staff at all levels .
Although it is up to an organization to determine what level of leadership is deemed acceptable , few would argue there is always room for improvement . Once improvement is made a priority , the organization must recognize the value of leadership experience that other organizations possess . It is also important for them to recognize the similarities with other organizations that would otherwise be dismissed as too dissimilar to be relevant . This will grant them a wealth of experience that will not be overlooked when developing or updating leadership training programs .
Ultimately , the programs that fail to offer a clear definition of the core leadership concepts that the organization will enforce can become little more than self-improvement campaigns or motivational seminars that result in no meaningful long-term improvement for the organization .
Brian Raymond is supervisor of plans and permits , Building Division , for the City of Brampton .
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