Leadership
Effective leaders know their role is so much more than leading, directing, managing and coaching. It’s also about fostering a culture of continuous learning and development within the team.
Given how busy everyone’s schedule is – especially leaders – it’s often a challenge to carve out time to foster a learning and development culture. However, when leaders create an environment that promotes actively upskilling team members, you showcase investment in your people. That retains talent, develops them for their next step and empowers them to become more agile, innovative and engaged, which ultimately drives greater success for your organization.
Before you begin, ensure you create a psychologically safe environment that is supportive - where you encourage experimentation, risk-taking and open communication among your team members without fear of repercussion.
While people are ultimately responsible for pull-through learning to enhance their own development, there are several key strategies leaders can implement into their ways of working to provide opportunities and assist their team’s development.
First, consider fostering a culture that reinforces growth. This is emulated through leading by example – a leader’s actions and openness to learning can be demonstrated by pursuing your own professional development, then sharing what you are doing with your team.
Leaders also can recognize and reward learning achievements of team members by celebrating their accomplishments in acquiring new skills and knowledge.
Also, promote sharing the knowledge across the team – encourage team members to share key takeaways and expertise through peer share discussions, presentations during meetings and informal conversations. This enables a collaborative environment where knowledge flows freely across your team.
Next, uncover skill gaps and developmental needs of team members – as individuals and as a group. Set up regular development chats (a softer phrase than performance reviews) to explore individual strengths and opportunities for growth.
Add in a structured approach like customized surveys or questionnaires where you can gather feedback on desired skills, training preferences and career aspirations across the team. Be an active listener and ask open-ended probing questions to uncover the “why” behind what they do and how they do their job.
Provide clear, constructive feedback surrounding past behaviors and offer coaching to guide improvements in future behaviors. Support your team with regular check-ins and monitor progress on their development.
Another avenue to explore is setting up “peer partners” or mentors across your team and crossfunctional partners, where experienced team members are paired with those seeking development, guidance and support.
What about cross-training and job shadowing, where team members can experience different roles and gain exposure to new areas of expertise?
Delegation and on-the-job training is key to provide opportunities to learn new skills while working on real projects, and allows for agile adaptation to changing project requirements. These also foster cross-functional collaboration and provide clearer understanding of what’s involved in other roles.
And, of course, partner with your leader, training team and HR to explore diverse learning opportunities your organization may offer. For example – are there formal training programs available? Perhaps live, online or self-directed with external certifications to enhance specific skills.
Encourage self-directed learning through avenues like LinkedIn or LTEN and share access to online resources, books and industry publications.
Demonstrate agility as a leader – where you embrace change and are open to new ideas and are willing to adapt your plans based on changing circumstances. Clear communication, where you are consistent, open and transparent to keep your team informed about changes and the rationale behind them will demonstrate this.
When change and challenges arise, strive to focus on how to solve them, then work with your team to find creative solutions and adapt quickly.
Delegate projects and tasks to team members that align to their growth. Be mindful of the project assigned and determine what level of delegation is appropriate (do you check in to see if they need assistance or do they own it?). Empower your team to make decisions and encourage them to take ownership of the work.
Seems like a lot for a leader to do, on top of their actual role and official job duties. However, there are so many benefits to investing time in upskilling your team:
Increased engagement and motivation: When members of your team feel valued and invested in, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated. This boosts morale, job satisfaction, growth and retention.
Enhanced innovation and creativity: A skilled and knowledgeable workforce is better equipped to identify new opportunities, solve complex problems and develop innovative solutions.
Improved adaptability and agility: In today’s dynamic environment, the ability to be flexible and adapt to change is crucial to success. Upskilling equips teams with the abilities needed to navigate uncertainty and thrive in evolving markets.
Higher productivity and performance: When team members continue to grow and develop, they enhance skills, behaviors and competence to be more efficient and effective in their roles, which leads to increased productivity and improved overall performance in achieving goals.
Stronger competitive advantage: Ongoing development and open-minded skill growth provide your organization a significant competitive advantage in attracting and retaining top talent, as well as exceeding organizational goals and objectives – which ultimately leads to success across the board.
So, investing in the development of your team is an investment in the future of your organization. By implementing effective upskilling strategies, you can cultivate a high-performing, adaptable and innovative workforce that is capable of driving sustained success.
Remember, effective leadership is not just about achieving short-term goals; it’s about creating a culture of continuous learning and development that empowers individuals and strengthens the organization as a whole.
While an investment in time, it’s really an investment in your team and the future. And well worth every moment.
Kim M. Catania is principal, Catania Communications. Email her at kim@cataniacommunications.com or connect through linkedin.com/in/kim-m-catania-1312196.
