Leadership Blog

A concerning trend is emerging in the business world, illustrated through a baseball analogy. Picture a fly ball soaring between center field and right field…which one will catch it? The right fielder assumes the center fielder will make the catch, while the center fielder believes it's the right fielder's responsibility—resulting in the ball dropping between them. This scenario mirrors the current state of leader development in many businesses. In this analogy, Operations represents the centerfielder, HR takes on the role of the right fielder, and the ball symbolizes leader development. Unfortunately, businesses are fumbling the ball. We regularly hear Operations Managers claim, "I am too busy running the company to focus on developing leaders. Leader development falls under the 'people' function, so it's HR's responsibility." Conversely, HR Managers assert, "I am solely accountable for hiring and payroll. Leader development is Operations' duty." Consequently, few companies take deliberate action to develop their leaders. The outcome is frustration among Operations Managers due to the insufficient proficiency and efficiency of junior leaders. HR Managers grapple with a surge in employee issues, and employees express frustration at the lack of personal development. The solution lies in fostering communication between the outfielders (Operations and HR) and building a purposeful leader development program for the company. Here are steps to initiate a leader development program: Begin by defining the values/traits desired in leaders in your company. HR can then incorporate these values into recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes. Operations and HR collaborate to establish a training program that instills these values in employees and junior leaders. Operations managers can reinforce these traits during daily interactions on the job site. By following these three straightforward steps, companies can make substantial progress in developing their leaders and successfully catching the metaphorical ball. If your company requires assistance in this process, Arrowhead Leadership is here to help build your values and establish a sustainable leader development plan.