TWO weeks ago, we talked about who hidden leaders are and where they reside in our organisations.
Due to popular demand, today we will drill down on how empowering hidden leaders benefits your organisation.
These leaders operate below the radar, yet their contributions can unlock significant business advantages.
Here are a few strategic benefits of empowering hidden leaders.
Resilience in times of change
It is essential for a company to position itself in the industry to enable it to adapt and withstand any form of obstacles and overcome any economic pitfalls.
Hidden leaders are very critical to organisational stability during times of change or uncertainty.
They are often informal anchors during transitions.
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The steadiness they bring to the organisation helps other employees adapt and keep the momentum when formal leadership is stretched.
This presents a great opportunity for the hidden leaders to shine and prove their worth.
It is a platform for the leader to hone their skills without the pressure and burden of officially being in the role.
This type of assignment might be labelled as a gig-assignment for the hidden leader.
High employee morale
When employees see that their leadership, official or otherwise is not confined to titles, they feel seen and heard.
This is the time when other employees bask in the joy of witnessing someone from their ranks taking charge.
Employees tend feel content, motivated, engaged in their work and happy about their work environment.
When morale is high, the workplace becomes a happy place leading to high productivity and job satisfaction.
The team members feel at peace and are able to be vulnerable among themselves and with the management if ever there is any need.
Happy employees are able to provide excellent service, resulting in customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Enhanced agility and innovation
Hidden leaders often work closer to the front lines and are deeply aware of operational realities.
Empowering them accelerates problem-solving, thereby helping the company become very nimble in its operational model.
Organisational nimbleness is the driving force behind having a very robust continuous improvement culture which, in turn, fosters a culture of innovation.
A positive work environment compels employees to take risks and try new methods of doing business.
Employees in such an environment share ideas and contribute meaningfully to innovation, thus embracing a learning and development culture.
Strengthened leadership pipeline
Empowering hidden leaders provides a practical and low risk way of developing future leaders in the organisation.
This is an approach where the management identifies, and avails opportunities to these budding leaders into leadership track assignments or rotations.
The more potential leaders an organisation has in its stable, the better.
This makes the succession strategy become manageable for an organisation that promotes the empowerment of their hidden leaders.
Cross-functional collaboration
These leaders often operate across boundaries to get things done.
This breaking down of silos enhances collaboration, and strengthens team dynamics.
The collaborative aspect tends to help the leaders with tools or skills on how to influence across different business functions.
In essence, companies that empower hidden leaders provide a platform for them to emerge, develop, and contribute to their full potential, ultimately leading to significant benefits for both the individual and the organisation.
Innocent Hadebe, with 25 years of experience and credentials as a John Maxwell certified business coach, serves as a trusted executive advisor through Innocent Leadership Group (ILG), empowering global leaders to think boldly, lead transformational change, and turn operational complexity into measurable success.
