One of the important traits of good supervisors (of engineers or others) is their ability to spot potential leaders.  Managers with this talent can make a valuable contribution to their companies or engineering firms.  To develop and grow, companies must have a pool of future leaders from which to draw.  And it is supervisors who are in the best position to spot them.

One important quality to look for is independence of thought.  Not rebellion or defiance, but a certain confidence in and ability to think for one’s self.

Here are 8 ways to spot potential leaders:

1. They may have original ideas that benefit their group, department, or company.
2. They are not constantly pestering those above them for advice or guidance.
3. They produce answers as well as questions.
4. They work well under pressure and can get the job done without outside help.
5. They can be trusted to work in their boss’s absence.
6. They will stand up for ideas that they believe in.
7. They will put their judgement on the line and be willing to be judged by the results.
8. They realize the importance of cooperation, even when they have to back down on pet ideas.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 27th, 2009 at 1:46 pm and is filed under Employment, Leadership. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.