Leaders are forward-facing and driven to grow, improve, and achieve. They recognize the importance helping those around them to grow and achieve as well as being driven to grow and develop themselves. They even desire to improve and build the organizations that they lead. These are character traits present in most effective leaders. Therefore, one of the practices of leadership is to build.

Some of the key practices of  leaders are to build, inspire, communicate, challenge, enable, and encourage. Let’s look specifically at what it means for a leader to build.

Leaders build their organizations. They are not satisfied with being a caretaker and they aren’t satisfied with “good enough.” Rather, they are always on the lookout for ways in which the organization can improve its processes, its products or services, its culture, and its people—everything and anything about the organization.

Leaders scan the horizon for information that could represent threats or opportunities for the future of the organization. They seek input from a wide variety of sources—peers, industry associations, economic development sources, technical or academic advisors, etc.—and look for information that might be useful in developing a vision of the future. They ask the questions, “How might this information affect me?” and “How might this affect my organization?” Leaders also look within their organization with a critical or analytical eye, in a search for ways to improve. They then lay out a plan of action and guide the decisions and actions of the organization to move toward that future.

Leaders build the people, teams, and culture around them. A leader’s efforts to build the people around him depends also on his effectiveness of managing the arena in which the people operate. The culture provides the environment in which personal growth is either enhanced or undermined. In a similar way, teams can serve as the petri dish where elements of personal growth are practiced and perfected.

Three motivations drive the leader’s effort for developing her people. First, leaders know that the team can accomplish more than an individual or even a group of individuals. Second, building the people and their ability to work as a team today provides the capacity to get more accomplished tomorrow. And third, with a servant mentality leaders are committed to helping others grow and reach their potential.

Building into people requires first understanding them well enough to know their strengths and weaknesses as well as their personal vision. With this knowledge a plan for growth can be developed. Leaders are responsible for mentoring and coaching their people. They need to identify the new responsibilities and assignments that will provide the learning and developmental experiences for growth. Leaders need to be observant of the actions of their people and reinforce positive growth and provide guidance to correct negative behaviors.

In order to help the people around them reach their potential, leaders are cognizant and intentional about forming effective teams and cultivating a positive and energizing culture. Building a team that works well requires assembling a group that can work together and managing the relationships within the team. The team must utilize the capabilities of all members and operate as a unit, and it is the leader’s responsibility to develop this unity.

Culture is important when we talk of people growth because a positive culture can reinforce our efforts. A negative culture can sap the energy or demotivate people in their growth efforts. The culture, of course, must be one that energizes and encourages personal growth and contribution to the organization’s vision and mission. To develop this culture, the leader needs to model and encourage the behavior desired and to defend and protect against behavior that is counter to the desired culture. In the same way, our people should be encouraged to contribute to the positive growth of culture as well. This both adds to the positive climate and provides an opportunity for personal growth and contribution.

Leaders build themselves in order to continually become more effective. Leaders develop their self-awareness through reflection, self-examination, and the input of others to identify gaps and areas for improvement. They find the proper resources to build their leadership character and competency. A previous article spoke in more depth about the process of developing as a leader. This process includes learning or growing our skills or competencies. It also includes retraining our brain to build certain character traits and to build the emotional intelligence that enables us to develop and manage the relationships that we need in order to influence as a leader.

Leaders are designed to build—build their organizations, their people, and themselves. Not satisfied with status quo, leaders look for opportunities for growth and improvement.

Are you building yourself, the members of your team, and your organization to face the challenges of tomorrow?