As a manager, it is important for you to assess your staff continually for potential sub-leaders. Remember that there will be times when you are absent and someone will have to deputize for you. Delegation to cover your absence, or to take over part of your work temporarily, will provide an opportunity for potential future leaders to step into your shoes. Develop reliable deputies by deputizing as much and as often as you can. This will free you to concentrate on high-level tasks.
You, as a leader, are ultimately responsible for appointing or removing sub-leaders, altering instructions, or changing levels of responsibility. However, the more authority that you give your sub-leaders to exercise on delegated tasks, the more they will develop their own skills including those of delegation. Always encourage sub-leaders to follow your example and share as much authority as possible with their own delegates.
There are plenty of leadership courses from which to choose, and effective ones will teach specific skills and reinforce the personal characteristics and expertise needed by a sub-leader. Leadership training is often run in combination with other programs, such as quality management. However, learning the theory of management is not enough. Leadership is an interpersonal skill and has to be practiced in a real environment. So consider providing opportunities for subordinates occasionally to lead a team. The role need not be permanent, nor need it depends on status. Rotating the leadership of task forces or similar sub-groups is an excellent means of showing people, through their own experiences, what the requirements of leadership are.
To avoid negative reactions following a promotion to a leadership position, you must be careful to choose your candidate solely on the grounds of merit. People who are promoted beyond their capabilities will feel inadequate, and their insecurity will make them less effective. Others, especially those who have been passed over, may feel that they have been unfairly treated and will be demotivated. Even with a deserved promotion, the attributes that you have recognized may not be immediately appreciated by others. So show confidence in your delegate/sub-leader as the right person for the job. A genuinely deserving delegate will not take long to fulfill your expectations and justify his or her appointment.
The salient criteria for selecting a sub-leader are loyalty to the organization, commitment to the task, expertise in communication, steady temperament, and a confident manner. Also important are professional skills, reliability, and enthusiasm. Delegated leaders should be given the opportunity to prove their worth to their colleagues. Sharing authority does not mean giving it away. The manager always remains ultimately responsible. Trusted deputies should be given the freedom and discretion to do jobs their own way. Character as well as professional knowledge plays a part in the making of a successful leader.
