Building a leadership pipeline

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I have been in the leadership training and development longer than I care to remember.

As a leader and entrepreneur who does consultancy work for many of the country’s business organizations as well as government institutions, I can summarize my findings in one phrase:

“Leadership ain’t easy.”

In today’s world, it has become even more demanding.

CEOs and senior leaders face twice as many critical issues as they did a decade ago. Technology, geopolitics, economic volatility and cultural shifts now arrive in waves — and they are coming faster and harder.

How then do we build leaders who can thrive in such an environment?

According to recent insights from McKinsey senior partners and advisers, the answer is not found in individual heroics or one-off programs.

The answer is in creating a leadership factory — an intentional system that consistently develops leaders across every level of an organization.

Many CEOs and business owners view leadership development through the lens of succession planning.

They work with their boards to identify candidates who could one day replace them. That is important, but far too narrow.

A leadership factory looks beyond succession planning for one role. It is about building a broad base of leaders — not a handful — who can execute strategy, adapt to change and inspire teams.

They are now asking:

“How do we build as many leaders as we can trust with critical missions?”

That requires discipline, design and a belief that human capital is not an afterthought but a true differentiator.

McKinsey’s decades of research highlight six characteristics that define the best leaders today:

• Optimism — Gives leaders the energy to move forward when challenges pile up.

• Selflessness — Keeps the focus on the mission and the team, not personal glory.

• Continuous learning — Ensures leaders remain curious and relevant in a fast-changing world.

• Resilience — Allows them to absorb shocks without breaking.

• Levity — Keeps perspective and balance because humor in tough times is not weakness but wisdom.

• Stewardship — Reminds leaders that their role is not ownership, but guardianship — to leave things better for the next generation.

These traits are not “soft skills.” They are survival skills — and they can be taught, practiced and institutionalized.

Great leaders are rarely “ready” when they are first given responsibility.

Instead, they grow into it.

The best organizations create stretch assignments — promote people before they feel prepared and give them space to rise to the occasion.

Sometimes this means skipping levels and allowing someone two rungs down to take on a big challenge. Other times, it means giving field promotions, trusting individuals to lead in situations that demand courage and improvisation.

It is in these uncomfortable roles that leaders discover what they are capable of.

The philosophy behind this initiative is:

“If you are comfortable, you are not growing.”

Discomfort is not a sign of failure — it’s formation.

McKinsey identifies three types of resilience organizations must build:

• Financial resilience – The capital and liquidity to withstand shocks.

• Operational resilience – The agility to adapt when conditions shift.

• Organizational resilience – Leaders and teams that absorb disruption without panic.

Too many companies rely on what’s called “hero culture,” where a small group of hardworking individuals carries the entire load during crises.

This can work in the short term, but it’s not sustainable.

True resilience is built when systems, not just superstars, carry the organization through turbulence.

Another theme is the surprising strength of vulnerability.

Great leaders do not hide behind a mask of invincibility.

They admit what they do not know.

They share their struggles.

They reverse wrong decisions when new wisdom emerges.

Leadership is not about having all the answers. Sometimes it is about asking better questions, listening deeply and staying teachable.

As I reflect on these insights, several lessons stand out:

• Leadership is no longer about a few at the top; it must be scaled across the organization.

• Stretch assignments and discomfort are not punishments but gifts that form stronger leaders.

• Resilience must be built into systems, not left to individual heroics.

• Vulnerability and humility are not weaknesses; they are multipliers of trust.

• Stewardship is the ultimate goal: to leave behind something better than what you inherited.

The world will only get more complex.

Leaders will face storms we cannot yet predict.

But if we invest in building leadership factories, meaning organizations that intentionally grow people from the ground up, then we will create not just better companies, but better futures.

And maybe, we will rediscover what one mentor once said:

“Everything is possible. Play to win. And keep learning—even when it’s uncomfortable.”

Join Francis Kong and Mark Schaefer together with other prominent speakers at SpeakersCon 2026, a one-day experience designed for leaders, educators, executives and professionals who want to communicate with clarity, credibility and purpose. Happening on Feb. 11, 2026, at SPACE, One Ayala Makati. Gain practical insights on leadership, influence, and authentic communication in today’s evolving landscape. For inquiries, email us at [email protected] or send us a direct message at facebook.com/SpeakersCon. Visit www.speakerscon.ph for details.