Key Takeaways:
- Catalyst Constellations’ research revealed clear skill differences between Junior and Executive Catalysts as they journey toward making an impact.
- To maximize Catalyst impact, help them build these key skills: strategic prioritization, deep listening, and the ability to co-create.
- Mentoring a Junior Catalyst requires honesty and a commitment to telling hard truths, but must be founded in absolute trust. Create a psychologically safe space for success.
Upskilling Your Junior Catalysts
Mentoring a Junior Catalyst isn’t just talent development—it’s protecting a valuable organizational asset. These change agents see possibilities others miss and drive toward those possibilities relentlessly. But without strategic guidance, they can burn themselves out pushing low-priority initiatives or even get rejected by the system before making a meaningful impact.
Our latest research confirms that the evolution from Junior to Executive Catalyst depends on developing specific skills that amplify their natural catalytic strengths. As their leader, you need to help them harness their transformative energy without extinguishing their fire.
The Patterns That Separate Junior from Executive Catalysts
When our Catalyst Leadership Trust executives reflected on the workflows of their most successful projects, our research team identified distinct patterns that separated high-impact Catalysts from those who remained trapped at the junior level—regardless of title.
The output of these efforts is the visual representation below, which lists the different skills of the Executive vs Junior Catalyst at each stage of a Catalyst’s journey toward making an impact:
By guiding Junior Catalysts to develop their Executive Catalyst skillset, you’re not just shaping a future executive. You’re ensuring that their unique ability to make an impact doesn’t get lost, but instead grows into something that can transform organizations at the highest level.
And that? That’s what true leadership is all about.
Continuing the Conversation:
Want to learn more about upskilling Junior Catalysts in your organization? Access our latest research, offerings and insights:
- Download the Differences Between Junior and Executive Catalysts here.
- Listen to Tracey’s podcast with Dan Ward: Catalysts are Just Powder in a Jar.
- Learn more about our course for emerging Catalysts: Catalyzing Organizational Change
Contact us to discuss how we can help you achieve your boldest strategic initiatives.
