As much as I talk like I know what I'm doing as a software development manager, I definitely enjoy it when I read an article that validates some of the processes that already exist within my group. Hence the Homer Simpson title about how smart I am.
For example, this article titled 'Test Their Leadership' talks about rotating the leaders for weekly meetings. Having a rotating leader that is responsible for the content and flow of a meeting allows everyone to have a shot at a leadership role, even if they happen to be the most junior member of your team. This minimizes your risk because you can test their leadership in a safe environment.
At TG, we have bi-weekly developer meetings. During these meetings, 3 or 4 developers get up and present some geeky topic that they're interested in. This might be a chapter out of a book, a new concept in .Net 2.0 or a new way to do something in our application. Each of these meetings is planned and coordinated by a rotating leader. At the end of the presentations, this leader picks a developer that is in charge of planning the next meeting.
The process has worked very well for us. It helps me to identify potential leaders while also giving the developers an opportunity to practice the leadership skills. As if this win-win situation wasn't enough, it also helps me become a better Lazy Manager.