How Much Support Do Fledgling Leaders Need?

Last spring, I witnessed something astonishing right outside my window. While birds frequently visit my porch, it was a bright flash of yellow that caught my eye this time. There, in a nest, were three baby birds with beaks straining upward, eager to be fed. Little did I know I had front-row seats to nature’s leadership lesson.

Over the next couple of weeks, I watched these little ones grow as they were faithfully fed by their mother and another bird. Then one day, they looked entirely different, and I realized it was time for them to leave the nest. I’d always assumed that once birds grew too big for their nest, they simply hopped out and flew away, fully independent. Was I in for a surprise!

Instead, I watched each fledgling take its first tentative flight to a nearby bush just a few feet away. One even flew straight into our glass window (wrong direction, little one!). They spent time hopping around on the ground, trying to stay out of harm’s way. Though they had strong wings and could manage short flights, they weren’t ready for full independence. It would be another one to two weeks before they could truly fly solo.

This scenario perfectly mirrors emerging leaders in the workplace. Many grow in their roles until they naturally outgrow them, seemingly ready for the next level. From the outside, they may look prepared to take on new challenges, but like those fledgling birds, they still have areas that need strengthening.

It’s easy to spot individual rock stars who excel in their current roles and assume they’ll naturally shine as leaders too. But transitioning into leadership requires an entirely different skill set. Like any skill, it takes time, practice, diligence, and a healthy mix of failures and successes to master.

This is where seasoned leaders need to take emerging leaders under their wings. They need to “feed” them with knowledge, wisdom, experience, and sometimes the discipline that will shape their leadership capabilities. Yet how often do we see new leaders thrown into tasks with minimal development? The statistics are sobering – most leaders don’t receive formal leadership development training until their 40s, meaning many have been leading for over a decade, flying into metaphorical windows and experiencing crash landings along the way.

So today, I encourage you to reflect: Which leader are you? If you’re an emerging leader, do you have a mentor or experienced guide helping you grow in your role? If you’re a seasoned leader, have you identified someone newer to leadership whom you could take under your wing?

These relationships matter on both fronts – both pairs of leaders need each other. At some point in our careers, we’ll all need support, and later, we’ll become the supporters. It’s crucial to embrace this reality and open our minds and hearts to this notion. When we do, we create workplaces built on support, safety, growth, and belonging.

How do you like to support other leaders and/or feel supported? Leave your comments below.