How to Identify High-Potential Manufacturing Employees
Chances are, you’ve already identified some high-potential employees at your business who just might be cut out for management roles. There’s just something about them — their work, their personalities, their leadership qualities — no matter what position they’re in.It’s important, though, to identify your high-potential employees strategically and not just by your gut feeling. Figuring out these employees’ specific strengths and where those strengths are needed in your company will help you develop them and build your business for the future.
Look for Next-Level Leadership Skills
Different levels of managers need different strengths, so it’s important to know where you need new blood and what kind of bench strength you have. Employees who naturally perform tasks that are usually associated with the level above their current position are displaying high potential.
- Front-line managers. People in this first layer of official leadership need to be technically skilled so they can pass on efficiencies to the line-level employees they manage. They must be effective teachers and leaders, and be able to confidently represent their team members in meetings with other company leaders. Front-line employees who have an ability to go beyond what they’re asked to do, and do so regularly, have high potential for being strong front-line managers.
- Middle managers. Front-line managers who are held in high esteem by their peers and are regularly chosen to represent them may be good candidates to move into this next-level leadership role. They often have good interpersonal skills and find ways to inform others about how their work helps fulfill the company’s strategy. Confidence, whether quiet or showy, is a key trait for success in this position.
- Executives. When you look for employees to fill high-level or executive positions, you’ll want to look at their track record of working up to the next level. They have a history of challenging themselves and others, and of looking for ways to innovate.
Look for Traits that Get Results
Which of your employees drive results? No matter what level they work at, employees who can improve processes and replicate their success through others have the potential to take those skills to the next level and excel as leaders. The ability to get things done shows that employees have key leadership traits such as creativity, problem-solving and risk-taking. In fact, they may take chances that their managers don’t, simply because they can’t help but try new things. They incorporate feedback effectively and learn from their mistakes.Don’t mistake over-managing for effective leadership, though. If the employee is managing a team but still doing most of the work themselves, that’s just working hard, not a sign of high-potential.
Consider Using an Assessment Tool
It can be tempting to see an employee’s technical skill or tenure as evidence they have a high potential for leadership. After all, if they’ve been around a long them, they must have talent, right?While reliability and skill are important, they’re not enough to make an employee a good leader and manager. If you think an employee has high potential for leadership, consider assessing the employee with a quantifying tool such as a personality or trait assessment. Doing so can give you a clearer picture of the employee’s true potential.Want to learn more about manufacturing leadership development? Read our guide:
Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more than 25 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to explore their business potential and improve their company and cultural performance. Contact us to get proactive about your people strategy.
