10 Ways to Develop Your Employees

10 Ways to Develop Your Employees10 Ways to Develop Your EmployeesInvesting in the development of employees isthe mostimportant and rewarding thing a manager can do. For some reason,its often the last thing on a managers to do list. From a purely selfishperspective, when you develop employees, they become smarter,more productive, they perform at a higher level, and ultimately, make you look like a jupe star. Developing employee skills also helps with recruiting and retaining the best employees, and it allows you to delegate so you can focus on your other roles as a manager. Most importantly, its rewarding because its what leadership is all about making a difference in the lives of others.If youre unsure what steps to take to be a mentoring and motivating manager, these ten steps will help you. Start With Yourself Before you can credibly and effectively develop others, you shoulddevelop yourself first. Otherwise, you may come across as hypocritical, instead of mentoring. Shaping good behavior starts with role modeling and will also help sharpen your development skills. Establish a Foundation of Trust and Mutual Respect Employees need to know that a development discussion isnt just a sneaky way to get an employee to admit their weaknesses. To know the right way to go about this, seeHow to Build Trust on Your Team. Turn Your Weekly Meetings Into Learning Opportunities Development isnt a once or twice a year occurrence or something you send your employees to HR for. Susan M. Heathfields guidepostLearn the Best Talent Management Practiceshas some excellent instructions for tackling this. Ask Questions Coaching questions force an employee to think and figure things out for themselves. Questions can also be revisited after an assignment is completed as a way to reflect back on lessons learned and a way to cement the new knowledge or skill. SeeCoaching Questions for Managers Using the GROW Modelfor a plethora of examples. Learn How to Delegate A lo t of managers will spend time on work that comfortable, but do not need to be doing. Letting go of the responsibilities you enjoy will help you develop your employees skills and frees up your time, so its a win-win. But, dont expect your employee to do things the same way you would do them. Your employee may fall at first and need additional instructions, but thats how people learn. Give Stretch Assignments Other than a job change, stretch assignments are hands down the best way to learn and develop. As a manager, youre in a position to look for opportunities for your employees that are aligned with their development needs and career aspirations. Dont think about picking the most qualified person for the assignment. Instead, think about picking the right developmental assignment for the person. Make Networking Introductions Managers are often in the enviable position of being able to make introductions, open doors, and connect employees to role models, subject matter experts , and mentors. Most likely someone helped open doors for you so pay it forward whenever you can. Feedback We all have behavioralblind spots. A manager is often the person who can tactfully help an employee see a weakness thats getting in the way of his or her effectiveness or advancement. Use7 Ways for a Manager to Prepare for a Performance Reviewas a useful guide to help with this sticky issue. Help Navigate Organizational Politics and Culture While politics is often viewed as a dirty word, its the way things get done in organizations, and your staff needs to know this.Job shadowingand role-playing are two ways to educate employees about the ins and outs of being politically savvy. Be Willing to Spend Real Money Lastly, whenever possible, enrich your employees developmental goals with training, conferences, coaches, and other tangible resources.A good training program, while not a substitute for what you can accomplish as a manager, will enhance your efforts.