The 3Es framework of developing leaders
“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”
I truly agree with this statement, once said by American political activist, author and attorney Ralph Nader. But where does one start? There are countless books written and far too much ‘content noise’ on the internet about leadership development. It can get overwhelming.
In a recent Maxwell Leadership Podcast episode, leadership expert John Maxwell provided a simple but powerful framework on developing leaders which I found both helpful and incredibly easy to remember, because it just made sense.
The framework was called ‘The Three E’s of Developing Leaders’ and I’ll summarise it for you here:
1. Environment
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said: “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” And it’s true.
When you put someone in an environment with other leaders, they can immerse themselves in it. They will see it, feel it, and experience it, and eventually they will understand leadership principles and values. With time, they will start behaving like one.
Abstract concepts like leadership are more caught than taught. So as a manager, our job is to create environments where our people can ‘catch’ leadership.
2. Equipping
Just like any other skill, leadership can be learned. As managers, we need to be very intentional in creating formalised and structured leadership development programmes to identify and train team members to become leaders.
A good equipping programme should focus on building both the capabilities and character traits of a potential leader while still balancing their current responsibilities as an individual contributor.
3. Exposure
As managers, we need to be able to inspire our people by exposing them to leadership. Here are some ways to do that:
Expose them by having them actually lead someone. Nothing beats on-the-job experiences, and it’s one of the fastest ways to grow as a leader.
Expose them to other great leaders, whether through projects, work events or conferences. Engaging with other leaders leads to new perspectives.
Developing leaders isn’t always easy. In fact, it has taken an emotional toll on me at times. But I dust myself off and keep going, because one of the most satisfying feelings for me is being able to cultivate someone, not something, into becoming a leader they never imagined they would be capable of being. Now with this 3E framework, I have an even clearer system to follow in the business of leadership development, and I hope you do too. ●