Setting the Stage Up Front for Growth

Set the stage up front for growth for both existing and new employees. One of the best leaders I ever worked for had a saying and it was “growth is not optional.” This sent a very clear message of expectations for the entire team.

Each team member has to understand that the expectation each year is to grow. The manager has to back up that philosophy with money, time, and energy in order to constantly reinforce the message. It is also up to the manager to define what growth is in terms of expectations, which will be covered later in this chapter.

When interviewing candidates for positions in the department, the manager needs to first determine how they feel about learning by asking questions: (1) What have they learned in the past? (2) What are they currently learning? (3) What would they like to learn in the future? (4) How do they feel about learning in general? Careful attention should be given to the candidate’s responses to the questions. Are they enthusiastic about learning? Do they want to develop? Do they ask additional questions?

In addition, the manager should explain the expectations around development. The list could be similar to the one below:

•   Each year, you and each member of the team are expected to grow.

•   This is not an optional activity.

•   The development has been budgeted and it is a priority.

•   Each team member will have an individual development plan.

•   The plan will be developed by the team member and their manager.

•   There will be periodic developmental meetings.

•   Every employee will have a review every six months.

The manager should then try to get a handle on how the employee feels about the expectations. How do they feel about the expectations? How do they feel about developing every year? How do they feel about an individual development plan? What do they think of having a review every six months? If the response to the questions is less than enthusiastic or is lukewarm, then the manager needs to find out more about the employee.

During orientation, the manager should make sure that a new employee is reminded about the expectation and the commitment to learning. Keep in mind that learning doesn’t necessarily have to be in a class. There are many different learning methodologies and a list of them is provided in this chapter.

It is interesting to note what noted business guru and author Peter F. Drucker had to say about development of employees: “Leadership is not magnetic personality—that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not making friends and influencing people—that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to higher sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.”