Channel partners, more than ever, feel the pressure to develop the leadership talents of their employees.
The channel is facing a succession crisis. Many leaders of agencies and MSPs are entering retirement age and asking questions about the future of their business. But a large number of them are doing little to plan for the future. A 2021 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 56% of organizations lacked a succession plan. Only 21% of respondents worked for an organization that had built a formal plan.
It’s time for partners to get serious about the future.
Anthony Palmucci, founder and director of coaching at Thinking Without Restrictions (TWR), expounded on the topic of leadership at the MSP Summit and Channel Partners Leadership Summit. His keynote challenges the idea that there aren’t enough leaders available and sheds light on what it looks like to develop hidden leadership talents.
Palmucci fielded questions from Channel Futures about how entrepreneurs can develop their leadership skills and build succession plans.
Channel Futures: You say some leaders are born while others are bred. What do you mean by that?
Anthony Palmucci: The most frequently asked question we receive at TWR is: “Leadership, is it in the DNA or can it be learned?” The answer is both. While some individuals seem to possess innate leadership capabilities, there are others who through sheer will and determination, attain greatness. I’m sure everyone hearing this interview can give personal examples of both as well. The difference is, and has always been, whether an individual possesses the desire to grow as a leader and has the discipline to do the reps. At TWR, we assess a candidate’s leadership capabilities on these two criteria and on a five-point scale used by NASA and the military, where leadership can mean life or death.
