Leadership Development for Emerging Leaders: Tips and Strategies

Leadership Development for Emerging Leaders: Tips and Strategies

Developing new leaders has become more than just a nice-to-have for any organization – it’s a strategic imperative. Whether you’re a manager looking to grow into a more senior role or a senior leader tasked with developing the next generation of talent, you should be thinking about investing in cultivating emerging leaders.

This piece talks you through some key strategies to identify high-potential employees, build essential leadership skills, and create sustainable leadership development programs. Along the way, we’ll share actionable tips and insights to help you create a roadmap for success.

Why Leadership Development Matters Now More Than Ever

Organizations across industries are facing a leadership gap. With experienced leaders retiring and new business challenges on the rise, developing a leadership pipeline is critical. Good leadership is more important than ever and increasingly hard to find. Take the Deloitte 2023 Global Human Capital Trends survey, for example. Ninety-four percent of those who responded thought that leadership capabilities and effectiveness were important or very important to their organization’s success – pretty much everyone. No surprise there.

But did the same respondents believe that their organization’s leaders currently have the necessary capabilities? Just 23 percent of them. That’s a startling and disturbing stat.

For a start, the times are a-changing. Emerging leaders must now be prepared to deal with:

• Hybrid and remote work environments
• Digital transformation and AI disruption
• Increased demand for inclusive and agile leadership styles

Investing in leadership development programs not only builds individual confidence and capability, it also drives business results:

• Improved employee engagement
• Higher retention of top performers
• Stronger succession planning

By nurturing leadership potential now, you’re building a future-ready organization.

Identifying Emerging Leaders in Your Team

Not every high performer is a natural leader. Leadership is about more than just competence, although it’s important. But many have untapped potential. Spotting leadership potential requires looking beyond technical skills or tenure.

The key traits of emerging leaders include:

• Curiosity and continuous learning mindset.
• Initiative and ownership of results.
• Emotional intelligence and interpersonal influence.
• Willingness to mentor others.

Tools you can use to help you identify potential include:

• 360-degree feedback assessments.
• Performance review insights.
• Peer nominations or manager referrals.

Don’t assume that the loudest voice in the room is the next great leader. Often, the best emerging leaders are those who demonstrate quiet influence and a strong team-first mentality.

Essential Skills for Emerging Leaders

Leadership in 2025 is about more than just managing teams – it’s about navigating complexity with confidence. Emerging leaders need a blend of soft skills and strategic competencies.

The top skills emerging leaders need to demonstrate and develop are:

• Strategic thinking. Seeing the bigger picture and aligning your work to company goals.
• Effective communication.Inspiring, persuading, and listening with intention.
• Decision-making under pressure. Making smart calls even with limited data.
• Adaptability and resilience. Embracing change and helping others do the same.

These leadership skills aren’t innate – they can be developed with the right support and practice.

Practical Strategies for Leadership Development

So, are you ready to start developing leaders within your team? Here are proven strategies that combine learning with action:

1. Mentorship and Coaching

Provide potential leaders with the right kind of guidance.

• Mentorship: Pair emerging leaders with experienced mentors to provide guidance, perspective, and honest feedback.
• Coaching: Invest in executive coaching or internal coaching programs for more personalized development.

2. Stretch Assignments

Give emerging leaders opportunities to:

• Lead a cross-functional project.
• Manage a short-term team.
• Solve a high-impact business challenge.

Stretch assignments accelerate learning by putting theory into practice.

3. Formal Leadership Training Programs

Provide access to:

• In-house training modules
• External workshops and certifications
• Online leadership development courses

These programs can focus on communication, change management, strategic thinking, or emotional intelligence.

4. Feedback and Reflection Loops

Encourage a culture of continuous growth by:

• Using regular 360-degree feedback.
• Promoting reflective practices like journaling or peer reviews.
• Creating time for action learning debriefs.

And remember: leadership development works best when it’s ongoing, experiential and personalized.

The Role of Senior Leaders in Nurturing Talent

Senior leaders play a pivotal role in enabling successful leadership development programs. Your involvement sets the tone and opens doors for growth.

Key ways to support new talent include:

• Modeling the mindset. Show what learning, vulnerability and developmental feedback look like.
• Creating opportunities. Advocate for promotions, projects, and learning budgets.
• Breaking down barriers. Ensure access is equitable and not limited to a select few.

When senior leaders invest time and trust in emerging talent, the impact ripples across the organization.

Measuring Success and Iterating the Program

Leadership development isn’t a “set it and forget it” process. You need to measure outcomes, learn what works and refine your strategy.

Metrics to track include:

• Percentage of internal leadership promotions.
• Retention of high-potential employees.
• Employee engagement scores post-training.
• Performance improvements on key business objectives

Ask participants for feedback and build a learning loop into your development programs. What worked well? What felt unclear? Where did they struggle? Use this data to improve both content and delivery.

The Time to Invest in Leadership Is Now

The best time to plant a leadership tree was five years ago. The second-best time is today. Whether you’re a mid-level manager eager to grow or a senior leader building the next generation of talent, a proactive approach to leadership development pays dividends.

Start by identifying potential in your team, then offer structured learning, real-world experience, and ongoing support. The result? Confident, capable leaders who are ready for the challenges – and opportunities – ahead.

Share this post