There’s no doubt about it. As I’ve crisscrossed the country the last 7 years, advising companies large and small on their leadership issues, my observation is that most companies are in deep trouble. Most firms are seriously lacking the emerging leaders who will capably take over as the senior leaders head to retirement. In some cases, the successor is basically the same age as the retiring leader. That doesn’t make sense. In other cases, the owner/founder/CEO has not built a leadership team, but rather a supporting cast with him in the starring role. The problem is that when the “rock star” retires, the supporting cast can’t carry the show. Others just have anemic teams for a variety of reasons…lack of understanding of the importance of developing people, not investing in the development of people, and many other reasons.

But one reason that I hear frequently is “I don’t have time to develop people! I’m too busy running the business.” Statements like that set off all kinds of alarms and red alerts in my mind about the leader’s commitment to the future survival of the organization, about his priorities, about his understanding of his own role and responsibility in the organization. But I’m going to lay those thoughts aside for another day, and focus on the time issue.

There is some validity to the time issue. Whenever I am advising clients on leadership and leader development initiatives, I am highly conscious of the pace and time demands on leaders. And I go to great lengths to help them reorganize their priorities and responsibilities, not just add to them. Most of us live lives so full that we can’t stack one more thing on the pile.

This tension caused me to remember something that was pointed out to me many years ago when I was studying how Jesus developed leaders who eventually changed the world. A thoughtful study of his life will show that he did not send his men off to seminars and training programs. They did not go through intense psychological testing and assessments. They didn’t go off to get their MBA’s and other graduate degrees. In fact, it was common knowledge that they were very common and unlearned men. The key it was pointed out was that they had been with Jesus.

When you analyze how Jesus spent his time in public, you will see that there is a marvelously balanced use of his time. A third is spent before large groups, a third in small group settings, and a third with individuals. However, the biographers of Christ, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, over and over use the phrases “with him” or “with Jesus”. Whether Jesus was interacting with crowds, small groups, or individuals, he managed to have some or all of his key men “with him.” And in the process they learned more about who He was, his character, his purpose, his values, his work and his expectations for them. They learned from the Master by being with the Master. Wherever he was, whatever he did, they were with him.

My recommendation to you, whether you are a senior executive or just starting out in supervisory and management work, never do something alone — to the extent that you can do it — but always take someone with you. Going on a sales call? Take someone along to watch! Negotiating a contract? Settling a labor dispute? Working on strategic planning? Whatever it is, have someone go with you. Then as you walk, drive or fly back, ask them what they saw, what they thought, what ideas they had. You will learn so much about their potential as future leaders, and you will be giving them invaluable learning. And, as a by-product, they may give you ideas and insights you may never have thought about.

And let me encourage those of you who are senior leaders to not just take along the usual suspects. Dip a grade level or two lower down and begin to expose younger people to your world. You might be surprised at the payoff from this activity.

And guess what, this was all done without adding another thing to your schedule! So who will you take along with you today?