Investing in the overall development of your team is one of the best and most rewarding things that you can do. If you are the manager or owner of a company however then you may find that this is the last thing on your to-do list.
At the end of the day though, when you develop your team, they become way smarter, and they can also become way more productive. This will help them to perform at a higher level and it will also help you to look like a rock star. If you want to help your team achieve their full potential, then this is the guide for you.
Start with Yourself
Before you can develop others, you have to make sure that you are developing yourself. If you don’t then you may come across as being hypocritical as opposed to being a genuine leader. If you can shape your behavior, then this will help you to be the best role model and it will also help you with your own self-development.
As if that wasn’t enough, it will also help you to develop others. If you can go on any training courses, even if it is getting basic first aid certification online, then this will certainly inspire your team to do the same.
Mutual Respect
You have to let your employees know that discussing their development is not just a sneaky way for them to admit that they have a weakness. You have to encourage them, and you also need to take some degree of ownership over the process. You need to start by building trust and you also need to let them know that you are truly invested in their success.
Weekly Meetings
Employee development isn’t something that should happen in an annual review and nothing more. It’s also not something that you should be passing on to your HR department. Your regular interactions, whether it is your reviews or a project check-in, are all chances for you to be working and developing your team. If possible, you need to try and find ways to integrate a developmental mindset into all of your regular meetings.
Ask some Questions
Not many people respond well to being told what they have to do. It’s a good idea for you to avoid dictating the process, and instead involve your team by asking them good questions. Questions that revolve around coaching, force your team to figure out things for themselves.
Queries can be revisited after the assignment is completed as this gives them the chance to reflect on any lessons that might have been learned. It also helps to cement them for those who do not have any kind of knowledge or skill.
Learn how to Delegate
Most managers will spend time on work that they should not be doing. Letting go of your responsibilities will help you to develop your team and it will free up their time. It’s a win-win at the end of the day, but that being said, you should not expect your team to do things the way that you would do them from the get-go.
They may fail at first and they may require additional instruction, but at the end of the day, that is how most people learn.
