I was reading Marshall Goldsmith’s blog and came across  ”4 Tips for Efficient Succession Planning” today.  One of the world’s most trusted executive coaches has finally put his finger on a big, broken piece of Leadership Development.   

In my experience, companies are way too focused on standard assessments and planning meetings, where they sit in a room, talking about their “top talent”, and moving young hi po names around on a board like puzzle pieces.  This is all part of “succession planning,” and Goldsmith says we spend far too much time doing it.  Instead he says, why don’t we start calling it “succession DEVELOPMENT.” 

“Plans do not develop anyone,” says Goldsmith, “only development experiences develop people. We see many companies put more effort and attention into the planning process than they do into the development process.”

If we focus on “planning” instead of “development,” we end up promoting smart, technical people who can’t motivate, inspire and empower people.  These leaders have business sense but hardly a clue about how to influence others and get results.  

After years of watching young leaders succeed and fail, I’ve noticed that the missing link for most of them is what is often called “executive presence.”  Executive presence is a combination of skills and qualities that make a person highly effective with others.  It’s often described as the impact you have when you walk into a room, engage in a conversation; it’s also how you listen, treat other people, behave in work and social situations, and even the way you dress.  

I think those things are important but the definition of executive presence is much broader.  It’s the knowing your leadership view, being able to speak your mind and articulate a big idea that excites others.  Even the strongest business mind will not be able to build a collaborative, innovative, progressive organization if they don’t know how to influence others and move them to act.

What too many companies are doing is sending their high potential leaders to a few courses and calling it development.  What they need to do is provide a structured, long term learning environment where leaders can learn and apply these communication skills in real time and real life situations.

If Human Resources groups charged with “succession planning” could get their companies to focus on the long term development of communication skills as an essential part of the leadership package, they would be pleasantly surprised at how these high potential leaders could quickly assimilate into new roles.   

This is the main reason we developed our Executive Coaching in Communications program.  Few coaches or courses are able to help leaders develop this critical skill.  Too often, leaders are told they need to improve their communication without being given a structured, long-term plan and resources for doing so.

In our program we focus on working with leaders in real time on real events, so that they learn to exercise this muscle - finding their leadership voice - and making it stronger.   If you’d like to learn more I recommend reading Motivate Like a CEO especially chapters 3,4, 11 and 12.   

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The other day I was talking to the head of leadership development for a global company.  “What does it really take, when you have 30,000 employees and only 350 senior positions?” I asked. 

“The differentiation is around leadership behaviors,” she replied.

“What does that mean to you?”  I asked.

“It’s the everyday things you do that demonstrate you have it, beyond your technical abilities,” she said. “Like your management style, your leadership style, and if people trust you- if you’re well respected.  And all of those things come down to your ability to communicate.”

Too often, executives focus on how to make a big impression; the big project, the big deal, the big customer, the big whatever.  It’s not that those aren’t important.  But  the people who are making the decisions about your future are watching how you communicate every single day. 

Just something to keep in mind - on your way to the top.

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