4 ways to develop your leadership while developing your people. After all, as a leader you are only as good as your team.
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I believe that one of the most important elements of leadership is employee development.
Often when we go to parties, we hear friends and acquaintances talking about being in a “dead-end job” with the usual complaints.
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Why does it matter? There’s no question that all of the research shows that when employees get individual development, morale increases, enthusiasm rises, and employees feel validated and supported. Therefore, it is critically important as a leader to provide development for each employee. Different generations perceive work in different ways. Individual development provides the end of the dead-end job. Often when we go to parties, we hear friends and acquaintances talking about being in a “dead-end job” with the usual complaints. The beauty of having an Individual Development Plan for each employee is that it literally takes any job that someone has and then gives them a future (with hard work, of course) that is very bright.
Here are four elements that you need to look at which relate to the individual development of employees.
#1 — Everyone Gets Development: If you have a department with 16 employees, then that means that each and every employee deserves individual development. Yes, you must make the time and spend the energy.
I remember one time sitting and talking to an employee about her future goals. She shyly looked down at the floor and her face turned red. When I asked her what was wrong, she looked up at me and said, “I’ve been working for almost 30 years, and you are the first leader I’ve ever reported to who has actually asked me what I want.” This was obviously a delightful development for her.
In a recent meeting with a client, both the head of HR and the head of marketing both had started as the administrative assistant to the CEO. When I asked, “Is that the normal track?” They said, “Well, one of our other executives started that way as well. We like to promote from within.” Think of the morale that is built when everyone, and I mean everyone, knows that it is a possibility.
#2 — You Have To Care: I know it sounds like an odd statement, but if you’re going to help people and coach them through their development, then it is critically essential that you actually care about the results.
If you don’t like the person, you certainly can concentrate on the aspect of making a difference in someone else’s life and as a leader knowing that you get better results by developing each employee.
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What do I mean by that? If you are not truly committed to caring about the results, they will be able to tell that you’re not being authentic and that you’re just going through the motions. You can’t fake it.
The question that often comes up in my discussion with people in leadership roles is, “How do I care if actually don’t like the person who is reporting to me?” Well, it really is your responsibility to figure out a way, psychologically, to develop a sense of caring. If you don’t like the person, you certainly can concentrate on the aspect of making a difference in someone else’s life and as a leader knowing that you get better results by developing each employee. Make no mistake, you must figure out a way to care, because if you don’t care, they will know. It will come through in everything that you do; you will reek of insincerity. No one respects an insincere leader.
#3 — They Have To Care: They also have to care about growing and developing and they have to be committed to the plan. If they don’t care about the results, then it is simply an empty exercise.
Why bother? If you sense that the employee specifically does not care about their development, I think you need to have further in-depth discussions before moving forward. It is important to get to the bottom of their motivation, or lack thereof. If you cannot convince an employee that development is to their advantage and benefit, then it may not be advisable to do one at all.
Let’s get real: there are some people who are satisfied with where they are and with what they do and have little to no interest in growth. That is okay for them, but I must say I wouldn’t want them working for me. I will take a growth oriented person any day over someone who isn’t.
#4 — Don’t Discount People’s Dreams: It is not up to you to squash potential. “Dream Killer” is not in your title, but “Dream Builder” should be. Your role and responsibility in a leadership position is to build people up and to help them move towards their dream.
Imagine how excited someone could be if they actually have a discussion with you about becoming a Vice President, and instead of laughing them out of your office, you said you would work with them on a plan to make that happen long-term.
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If I have a cleaning person who tells me they want to be the CEO, it is not fair for me to tell them that it is not possible. So in this situation, it is now up to me to do an analysis to talk to them about the skills needed to be CEO versus the skills that they currently possess, and to help them start working towards that goal. I will tell them there will be a lot of work involved in working towards that position, but it is not up to me to tell them that they can or cannot.
Besides, there are many famous cases where people who were security guards or cleaning people have indeed eventually become the CEO of the companies. For instance, the founder of Wendy’s started out as a grill cook. Imagine how excited someone could be if they actually have a discussion with you about becoming a Vice President, and instead of laughing them out of your office, you said you would work with them on a plan to make that happen long-term.
Those are just four of the elements that you need to think of in terms of individual development of the employees. After all as a leader you are only as good as your team.
Originally Published in B2B Magazine
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Photo: Getty Images