Raising the Next Generation of Leaders

Raising the Next Generation of Leaders
By Richard Green
NAPS Eastern Region Vice President

One issue that has become very clear to me as I travel across my region to different events is the need to identify and raise up the next generation of leaders. As leaders in the organization, we have an obligation to be good caretakers of what was passed on to us.

Raising a new generation of leaders requires fostering growing leadership skills, providing opportunities for growth and creating a supportive and nurturing environment. This involves identifying potential leaders, nurturing their skills through mentorship and developing and encouraging them to embrace leadership roles. It also includes cultivating a leadership mindset, promoting collaboration and ensuring that future leaders are equipped with the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to lead NAPS into the future.

As we raise the next generation of leaders, here are some strategies I believe will assist NAPS in this process:

Identify potential leaders—Recognize individuals with the inherent qualities and potential to lead, such as strong communication skills, empathy and a desire to learn and grow.

Nurture leadership skills—Provide opportunities for skill development through mentorship, leadership training and practical experiences. This includes training and doing advocacy work for members.

Foster a leadership mindset—Encourage individuals to embrace challenges, take initiative and develop a growth-oriented perspective. Have them shadow branch officers to learn the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Promote collaboration—Emphasize the importance of teamwork and collaboration as effective leadership often involves working with others to achieve common goals. Provide shadow opportunities to demonstrate how branch officers collaborate with district leaders for the betterment of members.

Create a supportive environment—Provide a space where individuals feel comfortable taking risks, learning from mistakes and developing their leadership capabilities. Be available to answer questions and provide guidance and feedback as they grow their leadership capabilities.

Encourage continuous learning—Foster a culture of lifelong learning, encouraging individuals to stay curious, adapt to change and continually seek new knowledge and skills. Send them to conventions and other meetings where they can learn and network with other NAPS leaders.

Provide opportunities for growth—Offer opportunities for leadership development, such as taking on new responsibilities, leading projects or participating in leadership training programs.

Bridge the generational knowledge gap—Facilitate the transfer of knowledge and experience from older generations to younger leaders, ensuring a smooth transition of leadership. Share your knowledge to help them prepare to lead their branch in the future.

Embrace emotional intelligence—Develop emotional intelligence skills, such as empathy, self-awareness and social skills that are crucial for effective leadership.

Teach conflict resolution—Equip future leaders with the skills to navigate conflicts constructively and find solutions that benefit all parties.

Encourage optimism and resilience—Foster a positive attitude and the ability to persevere in the face of adversity, which are essential qualities for leaders.

Lead by example—Model the desired leadership behaviors and values, demonstrating the qualities you want to see in future leaders.

Focus on soft skills—Emphasize the importance of soft skills, such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving that are essential for effective leadership.

These are just a few examples of how we grow our next generation of leaders in NAPS as we prepare for the future of our great organization. I am excited about the future and the potential of our organization as we share our knowledge with our new group of leaders.

Fighting for membership!