Lean Quote: 6 Tips to Help Employees Grow

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better."   —  Jim Rohn

Taking an active role in the development of your team demonstrates confidence and concern for the future of the organization. It also gives employees feelings of significance, community, and value.

When you create a culture in which employees can reach their goals and know their thoughts and insights are appreciated, you boost productivity, morale, and engagement.

Put these six tips into practice to help employees grow:

1. Encourage professional development

High-potential employees are not satisfied with the status quo. If given the proper guidance in their development, they will become the future leaders of your organization.

2. Create a development plan

Help your employees establish goals that are aligned with their strengths, interest and experience, as well as with the overall business strategy. Establish goals and expectations to help them set their sights on career opportunities.

3. Pair employees with mentors

Find someone who is in a similar role to the employee. Mentoring relationships can foster positive and productive working relationships, helping employees learn and gain encouragement and support in their careers. When coached with encouragement, your employees can help your business adapt to changes and reach the next level of success.

4. Help them build their networks

Recommend opportunities within the organization, as well as networking or professional groups that will help them build strong connections.

5. Challenge employees with assignments

Get your employees to leave their comfort zones. Employees can’t move forward if they don’t grow, and they can’t grow if they never leave their comfort zones.

6. Show employees you trust them

If you want to help employees develop, trust them to do their jobs by getting out of the way. Let them know what your expectations are by modeling the behavior you expect—show them you trust them. This not only lets employees know what they need to succeed and gives them greater ownership, but it also shows them that credibility and trust are important in your organization.