How to identify and train future leaders

Leadership potential often hides in plain sight. Some employees openly display ambition, while others quietly guide their peers, solve problems, and inspire trust—without the job title.

In fast-moving organizations, there's rarely time for formal succession planning. That makes it essential to spot and support leadership talent early—so your team is ready for any role gaps.

Investing in employees before they step into leadership roles pays off in ways that matter across your organization:

• Reduce hiring costs as you fill leadership positions internally
• Shorten transition periods when promotions occur
• Improve employee retention as team members see growth opportunities
• Create a stronger organizational culture when leaders rise from within
• Enhance succession planning for business continuity

Go beyond performance metrics. High-potential employees often stand out in how they think, collaborate, and adapt.

• Problem-solving: They analyze challenges through a broad lens and consider the bigger picture.
• Influence: They build consensus and support—without needing formal authority.
• Learning agility: They welcome feedback, adjust quickly, and keep improving.
• Emotional intelligence: They navigate team dynamics with empathy and self-awareness.
• Initiative: They step up in high-pressure moments, often without being asked.

You don’t need a formal leadership program to start developing future leaders. Here are immediate, practical ways to help high-potential employees grow today.

1. Go beyond traditional reviews

Traditional evaluations often miss leadership potential. Be sure to push the bounds of performance reviews by:

• Looking at cross-functional or collaborative work
• Gathering peer and skip-level feedback
• Using scenario-based assessments to test judgment
• Highlighting contributions that impact broader business goals

2. Offer leadership micro-learning

Learning doesn’t have to be long to be impactful. Try:

• Sharing short leadership tips via Slack or email
• Hosting 15-minute “lunch and learn” sessions
• Using Go1’s bite-sized leadership courses in daily schedules

3. Assign stretch projects

Encourage your high performing employees to lead small projects or manage a subset of larger work. This could look like:

• Leading on the logistics of a new assignment
• Coordinating a cross-team research task force
• Planning a team or company offsite event

4. Build informal mentorship

Mentorship builds confidence and context. Start small:

• Pair future leaders with experienced mentors
• Encourage regular check-ins to discuss real-world challenges
• Offer job-shadowing opportunities for exposure to leadership thinking

5. Increase their visibility

Help future leaders gain recognition and experience by:

• Involving them in cross-functional or strategic projects
• Letting them present work to senior leadership
• Publicly recognizing their contributions in meetings or updates

6. Involve them in decision-making

Give high-potential employees opportunities to think strategically by:

• Inviting them to observe and contribute in leadership meetings
• Assigning them business challenges to research and solve
• Asking for their input on team priorities or process improvements

Leadership development doesn’t have to wait for a formal program. It’s easy to provide high-potential employees with access to leadership content, micro-learning modules, and real-world skill building—without disrupting daily workflows—when it’s all under one subscription. We can help you get there.