Finding and keeping the best people to create tomorrow’s leaders

The best businesses don’t just stumble upon great people – they support them, develop them and prepare them to step up when the time is right. Yet, many organisations struggle with this, leading to costly recruitment cycles and leadership gaps that slow growth and impact profitability.

So, how do you make sure your business is developing the right people in the right way? Here’s where to start.

Spotting potential early

Great leaders don’t appear overnight – they are developed over time. To do this well, you first need to identify your top talent.

Ask yourself:

Do you know who your rising stars are?
Is there a structured appraisal process in place to assess both performance and potential?
Do your high-potential employees actually want leadership roles? How do you know?
What needs to happen to move them on in their career?
Have you identifed and agreed plans and timescales with them?
Do you have a clear a succession plan to support your business growth plans?
Is there regular review of your plans (at least annually) and aligned leadership commitment to follow through on actions which come from it

It’s easy to assume that your best performers are the ones to promote, but leadership requires more than technical ability. Look for those who are not only excellent at their jobs but also have the curiosity, resilience, and people skills to take on bigger challenges – as well as those who actually want it, as not everyone does.

No business can full of rising stars – it’s important to understand where everyone fits into your business, and their individuals aspirations. Ensuring that everyone’s needs and goals are considered will really help with retention, employee engagement and productivity. After all, not everyone can be a site manager or Managing Director, but fulfilling the needs of each person in your business will help everyone thrive.

Making development a priority

Once you’ve identified your talent, the next step is to provide them with opportunities to grow. This doesn’t necessarily mean formal training courses (though those could help – and the CITB is a great place to start!). Some of the most effective development strategies include:

On-the-job learning – Give employees stretch assignments that take them outside their comfort zones
Mentoring and coaching – Pair rising talent with senior leaders who can guide and challenge them
Succession planning – Map out where key gaps might appear in your leadership team and develop a clear plan for filling them

A construction business we worked with introduced a structured talent review process, categorising employees into four key groups: shining stars, rising stars, solid performers, and those needing more support. By creating tailored development plans for each group, they not only boosted retention by 25% but also cut senior recruitment costs by 30%.

Aligning talent development with business strategy

It’s not enough to develop people for today’s challenges – you need to think ahead.

Consider:

Where is your business heading in the next 3-5 years?
How will market and technological changes affect the skills you need?
Will future roles require different expertise or leadership styles?

A forward-thinking approach ensures that you’re not just filling vacancies but creating leaders who can drive your business forward in the right direction. We often see instances where developing managers is one of the most effective ways to prepare for the future, from skills and technology to equipping managers to deal with neurodiversity or mental health issues.

Creating a culture of growth

People want to work in businesses where they feel valued and can see a future for themselves. Retaining your best talent means building a culture that supports continuous development.

This includes:

Open conversations about career progression
Investing in leadership development
Encouraging a learning mindset across the organisation
Tailored reward and recognition that reflects what people actually need, want and use
Feeling supported, heard and seen

One of our clients in the construction sector developed a leadership programme in partnership with a local university, offering employees a structured pathway into management. This not only helped with retention but also strengthened the company’s reputation as a place where people could build long-term careers.

The bottom line

Investing in your talent pipeline isn’t just about avoiding recruitment headaches – it’s about building a stronger, more resilient business. Growth for your people usually equates to growth for your business, and investing in the future talent and leadership of your business you can save significant recruitment costs as well as boost the enterprise value of your business. By identifying potential early, creating real development opportunities, and aligning people strategy with business goals, you can ensure you always have the right leaders – and engaged, productive teams – in place to drive growth.

If you’d like to talk about how People Puzzles can help you build a talent pipeline that delivers real commercial impact, get in touch.