Empowering New Leaders — Kerry Anderson

Creating new conversations with new people in new places at Collie, Western Australia.

An important aspect of being a leader, whether in your community, organisation or business, is to empower others; not necessarily to follow in your footsteps but to forge brave new pathways. How can we attract potential new leaders and help them to develop the confidence and skills required in a rapidly changing world? Here are a few steps that we’ve incorporated into the Operation Next Gen Program.

1# See their potential

Celebrating diversity and passion in leadership is far more important than skills, education, and pedigrees. Look outside that immediate circle of ‘wannabees’ and see the potential in those who tend to slip under the radar but may well have great skills and networks. These creatives and quiet thinkers may well be your biggest asset in the long run and will help spark innovative ideas when combined with other personalities within the team. It sends a powerful message to everyone: We are all in this together.

2# Tap on the shoulder

While some are oozing with confidence and have the opportunity, it is not always the case for those with much to offer. All that is needed is a simple tap on the shoulder and a few encouraging words from someone known and trusted by them. Have you considered? I think you have something to offer to this conversation … Why not give it a try? Please note that long term commitment and talk of ‘meetings’ and formal pathways will be off-putting to many. Try framing your conversation in terms of Want to make a difference? You get to decide how to do it …

3# Give them resources

Ensure support is available to them but offer it in flexible ways. Start with the basics like freeing them up from other duties, and transport and finance if required. Provide a trusted mentor as a backstop but understand that they may initially be attracted to mentoring and skills development offered in fun and informal ways. The big-ticket items are not always the most effective, it is those that are the most engaging and authentic.

4# Let them fail

Anticipating and watching that ‘train wreck’ happen right before your eyes is one of the most powerful (and traumatic) things a leader can do. It is so crucial to instil a sense of learning in every failure. Two questions need to be asked. Do you understand why it went wrong? What would you do differently next time? Analysis of these two answers is what is most important and deserving of praise.

5# Step aside

I’ve left the toughest one until last. How can they learn with us dictating their every move? Our role is to let them take centre stage and cheer them from the sideline. Set budgets and necessary boundaries but don’t stand in the way of their passion even if you don’t understand or agree with it. Let them try new ways of doing things as it may well prove to be better. Give advice and open doors when asked. Otherwise, step aside.

While it is a natural tendency to want to retain control of something that is important to us, it is the new conversations with new people in new places that create the most exciting new ideas and opportunities. Best of all, it helps to empower a new generation of leaders. Just don’t expect them to think and act like you do.

KERRY ANDERSON: Founder of the Operation Next Gen program and author of Australian Rural Entrepreneurs and ‘Entrepreneurship: It’s Everybody’s Business’, Kerry works with small businesses and rural communities to help them embrace new opportunities. In 2018 she was named as one of Australia’s Top 50 Regional Agents of Change. READ MORE