From Reluctant Leaders to Hidden Gems: HR Strategies for Every Type of Leader

In any workplace, we find different kinds of leaders. Some people are born to lead, while others find themselves in leadership positions without really wanting or knowing how to lead. It's important for the Human Resources (HR) department to understand these differences and help each person succeed. Let's talk about four types of people you might find in a workplace and how HR can help them.

The Ready Leader. These people want to be leaders and know how to lead well. They are the dream candidates for leadership roles. The main job for HR here is to keep these leaders happy and growing. This means giving them new challenges, helping them learn more, and making sure they have chances to show their skills and lead bigger projects.

The Unnoticed Leader. Some people don't look for attention or leadership roles but are very good at leading. These are the hidden treasures in a workplace. HR needs to find these people, encourage them, and help them step up into leadership roles. This can be done by teaching them more about leadership, letting them be part of important decisions, and putting them in teams where they can show their leadership qualities.

The Unsure Leader. Sometimes, people end up leading without the right skills or even the desire to lead. This can happen for many reasons, like needing someone in the role quickly. HR has a tough job here. They need to help these leaders get better at leading through training and support or find a better fitting role for them that matches what they're good at and enjoy.

The Eager but Unskilled Leader. There are also people who really want to lead but aren't quite there yet with the needed skills. Their enthusiasm is a good start, but they need help to become good leaders. HR should identify these eager individuals early on and offer them training and chances to lead small projects or teams to gain experience and improve their skills.

For HR, understanding and managing these different kinds of leaders is key. They need to make sure that everyone gets the right support, training, and opportunities to either become a good leader or find where they fit best in the organization. By doing this, HR can help make the workplace better for everyone and help the organization succeed.