When hiring a staff, fleet managers might look for applicants who are well trained and will make good employees, as it’s important for fleet managers to fill roles with the right people who can get the job done.
But once those employees are hired, then it’s time to develop and train them to be leaders. For a fleet operation to run efficiently, it needs staff members who can step into roles and assignments as they are needed. By properly identifying potential leaders and giving them the right training, fleet operations can have motivated staff members ready to lead projects, tasks and teams. This enables operations to eventually promote employees from within instead of needing to hire from the outside.
Get tips below on how to develop leaders within your fleet operation.
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Identify Potential Leaders
The first step in training new leaders is to identify which staff members are good candidates for leadership roles. Fleet managers can identify these employees by watching them on the job, how they interact with teammates, and how they perform in various situations. Operations can also conduct assessments on employees to identify who shows good leadership qualities. These can be done as specific tasks or skills tests the organization creates. Some potential assessments organizations might want to administer include: Myers Briggs Type Indicator, DISC profile and Strength Finder.
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Encourage Employees to Network
To expand employees’ skills and knowledge, managers should encourage potential leaders to form an internal and external network. Internally, staff members can form a group of peers to exchange ideas with and talk through issues they are having in their day-to-day jobs. They can also form a group of internal advisors made up of managers and other supervisors to help guide them through training and projects.
After establishing an internal network, employees can form an external network. This group can include peers from other operations who can help provide different perspectives on issues than their internal peers. This can also include leaders in the industry who can help stretch staff members’ thinking and provide more expertise.
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Provide a Mentor
Fleet managers should assign a mentor – either internal or external – to an employee they want to develop as a future leader at the company. This mentor can help guide the staff member through additional leadership tasks and training, and be a point person for him or her to go to with questions. The appointed member should be someone who can offer industry and career expertise.
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Provide Growth Opportunities (Give Ownership)
When developing employees into potential leaders, managers should provide them with opportunities to grow their skills and career. This can include offering employees the chance to work on projects that push their comfort zone and allow them to develop new skills. These types of tasks allow staff members to develop new resources and gain confidence as they figure out how to complete the project. Assigning special projects also gives employees ownership of a task. This is a great way to see how the staff member handles delegating tasks and seeking out solutions.
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Provide Training
Employees need to know they are being given the chance to succeed as leaders. To accomplish this, managers should provide the necessary training to help staff members progress from their current roles into leaders. This training can include professional training through courses and seminars, online webinars, or conferences and events where the employee can enhance his or her skills. This training can also be conducted within the operation through mentorship programs, or regular one-on-one meetings with management to discuss the employee’s progression and address any questions or concerns he or she might have.
To find out how RTA Fleet Management Software can help improve your fleet operation, contact us today to schedule a free demo.