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How to Build Future Superstar Leaders
It’s no secret that raising existing employee through leadership training is the most cost effective way to obtain strong leaders, especially if you want someone to carry legacy knowledge for years to come. However, this plan requires a solid leadership develop program and a conscious effort to mentoring and raising team members to become future effective leaders.
Mitch Golob, president and founder of Corporate Navigators, reflects on the value of building strong leadership within your organization, ” Having strong leadership at your organization is invaluable because a strong leader elevates their team, drives performance, and helps shape the company’s future.”
Crafting a leadership development plan is essential to nurturing the talent that will lead your organization into the future. By systematically closing skill gaps and preparing leaders for future challenges, such as managing complex teams or driving innovation, these plans help build a resilient leadership pipeline that supports long-term organizational success.
In this article, we’ll explore what a leadership development plan is, why it matters, and how to leverage recruiting research to identify and develop your next superstar leaders.
“Having strong leadership at your organization is invaluable because a strong leader elevates their team, drives performance, and helps shape the company’s future.”
– Mitch Golob, President and Founder of Corporate Navigators
What Is a Leadership Development Plan?
A leadership development plan is a strategic roadmap designed to enhance leadership capabilities within an organization. As opposed to external hiring, this action plan prepares existing employees through continuous learning and training, building future leaders from within.
This plan outlines specific goals, learning activities, and support mechanisms tailored to an individual’s growth as a leader. The plan typically includes SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals that focus on building leadership skills aligned with both personal aspirations and organizational needs. It can also identify the individual’s leadership style and build upon its strengths.
Example of a Leadership Development Plan
A typical plan might set leadership development goals for a mid-level manager to improve their strategic thinking skills within six months by attending targeted workshops and leading cross-functional projects. Learning activities can include:
- Formal training sessions
- Mentorship programs
- Job rotations
- Assignments that challenge individuals
This variety of growth-stimulating projects and workshop are empowering to the employee and are geared toward improving their leadership competencies. Naturally, this process should incorporate ongoing feedback and progress tracking to ensure they are building readiness for a future leadership position. In addition, these regular coaching sessions and performance reviews help individuals stay on course and adjust their development strategies as needed.
Why Having a Leadership Development Plan Is Critical
Having a leadership development plan is more than a nice-to-have; it’s a strategic imperative. Organizations that invest in leadership development reap numerous benefits that directly impact their bottom line and workplace culture. It’s not a mere “bonus” to professional development, but will become a lifeline for your company’s future.
#1: Well-developed leaders make better decisions.
They possess enhanced strategic thinking and emotional intelligence, enabling them to navigate ambiguity and lead teams effectively. This results in more thoughtful, data-driven choices that propel the organization forward.
#2: Leadership development fosters higher employee engagement.
Leaders who are confident and skilled at motivating their teams create environments where employees feel valued and inspired. This engagement translates into increased productivity, lower turnover, and a stronger employer brand.
#3: Leadership development plans ensure succession readiness.
By identifying and grooming internal candidates for key roles, organizations reduce the risks associated with leadership gaps. When a critical position opens, there’s already a pool of qualified individuals prepared to step in, minimizing disruption.
#4: In today’s fast-paced business environment, adaptability is crucial.
Leaders trained in change management and innovation are better equipped to respond to market shifts and technological advancements, ensuring the organization remains competitive.
#5: Leadership development programs improve retention rates.
According to LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report, companies that invest in leadership training see a 23% increase in retention rates. This can be closely connected to young professionals’ strong interest at working for companies in which they have professional growth opportunities.
How to Develop Superstar Leaders from Within
#1: Define Future Leadership Needs
The first step is to clearly define what your organization’s future leadership needs will be. This means aligning candidate selection criteria with long-term business objectives. For example, if your company plans to expand into international markets, you might prioritize candidates who demonstrate cross-cultural agility, multilingual skills, or experience working with global teams. Understanding these needs upfront ensures you’re looking for the right traits and experiences that will help your leaders succeed in the context of your unique business challenges.
#2: Assess Potential, Not Just Performance
It’s important to recognize that high performance in current roles does not always equate to leadership potential. To evaluate a candidate’s capacity to lead, incorporate a variety of assessment tools. Psychometric assessments can measure critical traits such as resilience, adaptability, and learning agility—qualities that predict how well someone will handle leadership challenges.
Scenario-based interviews, where candidates respond to hypothetical but realistic leadership dilemmas, can reveal problem-solving skills and strategic thinking under pressure. Additionally, 360-degree feedback from peers, supervisors, and direct reports provides a holistic view of a candidate’s interpersonal skills and influence.
Research from organizations like Korn Ferry highlights the importance of “people agility”—the ability to connect with, motivate, and develop others—as a key predictor of leadership success. By focusing on potential and behavioral competencies, rather than just past achievements, you increase your chances of selecting future leaders who will thrive.
#3: Leverage Data-Driven Insights
Another powerful approach is to analyze data from your existing leadership team to identify patterns that correlate with success. Look at the career paths of your top performers: what early leadership experiences did they have? Did they manage cross-departmental projects or lead initiatives outside their comfort zones? How quickly did they acquire critical skills like conflict resolution or strategic planning?
Tracking these timelines and experiences can help you create a profile of what successful leadership development looks like in your organization. This profile can then guide your recruiting efforts by highlighting candidates who exhibit similar trajectories or experiences, improving the quality of your talent pipeline.
Using Recruiting Research to Identify Future Superstar Leaders
While developing good leaders from within is ideal, there are instances when it’s simply not possible. Whether a key leader retires or another person unexpectedly leaves for a different company, skill gaps can present themselves and create hiccups in productivity. In these instances, a leadership development strategy from within isn’t enough. Instead, you will need to recruit from outside your organization.
Through recruiting research, you can hire a third party firm like Corporate Navigators to identify potential leaders. This nuanced process is ideal for finding higher level positions that require niche skills and backgrounds. At our firm, we go far beyond reviewing resumes or past performance. We call into companies, engage with live sources, and deliver data-driven insights that can dramatically improve your ability to spot candidates with true leadership potential.
Build a Candidate Pipeline
a robust talent pipeline. This means not only identifying candidates but also continuously nurturing and developing them. Internal mobility programs are a great way to upskill high-potential employees by exposing them to new roles and responsibilities. Partnering with universities or industry associations can help you tap into emerging talent pools and bring fresh perspectives into your leadership pipeline.
Regularly monitoring both internal and external talent pools ensures you have a steady stream of candidates ready to step into leadership roles as they arise. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of leadership shortages and keeps your organization agile.
Build a Superstar Leader from Within… and We’re Here if You Need to Find Someone Too
Leaders are the driving force behind organizational success. They shape culture, inspire teams, and steer companies through change and growth. However, effective leadership doesn’t emerge by chance. It requires a deliberate, well-structured approach.
A successful leadership development plan is a blend of personalized growth strategies and strategic talent identification. By integrating recruiting research—such as psychometric assessments, scenario-based evaluations, and data-driven candidate profiling—you can identify individuals with the resilience, vision, and people skills needed to lead in today’s complex environment.
Start by assessing your current leadership bench strength, aligning development goals with your business strategy, and investing in tools and processes that reveal true leadership potential. Remember, great leaders don’t just manage—they inspire, innovate, and build lasting legacies. Is your organization ready to create the leaders of tomorrow?
