[35]

Transfer School Work Back to Your Work

ENCOURAGING THOSE in your department to return to school or attend developmental certificate programs can have a major effect on the level of thinking in your area. Like everything else, it is not a panacea, but it can be one component of a comprehensive plan for developing those around you. After all, it lets others (in this case, the school) do some leadership development for you.

The mistake that many managers make is to assume that giving individuals time off and/or paying for all or part of their schooling is enough. We have found that managers with this attitude, while certainly positive, are missing an opportunity for themselves, the individual going to school, and the organization. What we suggest is that leaders take an active role in the education of others. One of the best ways to do this is to invite those in school to link some of their academic assignments to assignments at work. This is similar to the idea sharing in other tips we have discussed (see Tip #27: Host a Book/Article Club and Tip #37: Capture and Share the Learning).

Just because someone is taking a “nonrelated” course, don’t assume that it’s not relevant. Many courses can be linked directly or indirectly to work—not only business courses, but also psychology, sociology, anthropology, and art history, just to name of few of the many courses some perceive as not related to work. For example, an employee of one of our client managers happened to be taking an anthropology course. One of the components of anthropology is understanding culture. This individual actually designed a plan to assess the culture of the team and then involved the team in developing action strategies to follow up on the new desired culture—all from an undergraduate anthropology course.

Likewise, team members in school will be introduced to others in the community and may bring valuable suggestions and ideas to the team. When team members have the opportunity to work and learn outside the organization, many will jump at the opportunity. In fact, if you are doing it right, team members may appreciate what they have more. Let those around you know that you care about them and their development. If a degree program seems too large, what certifications, courses, or workshops will offer opportunities for growth? Each year, your team members should take advantage of opportunities to increase their skill sets through formal education, which challenges individuals to think in new ways and apply what they have learned.

What costs will your organization cover? What are the policies and procedures? How much money is in your budget for professional development? Investigate the answers to these questions and share the opportunities with those on your team.