I have had many mentors during my career that have helped shape me into the person that I am today. Many high-achieving employees could say the same thing: They've possessed the inner drive to succeed, but they've also needed support and guidance from time to time in order to grow professionally.
As a leader of a department or company, how can you help your team develop their talents?
What is talent development?
Much like talent is developed in the minor league in baseball, or the “D” league in basketball, companies need to develop their talent. Talent development is honing job skills and supporting activities that foster learning and growth of your team.
A positive talent development culture fosters a culture of learning, where someone is excited to learn new knowledge and skills. Additionally, fostering a culture of psychological safety is paramount.
Developing talent will likely be critical to the future workforce as it is estimated by 2025 that 50% of the overall workforce in the US will need some sort of upskilling, or to be taught additional work skills. Upskilling employees may also help to reduce retention costs.
It starts with onboarding.
One of the reasons that many leave a job today is for career advancement. Building relationships at the onboarding stage is paramount to helping to develop and retain future employees. Being mindful planning for succession is important as you bring on new talent and develop other employees into new roles.
Identify what success means.
The labor market is competitive, many are fighting for the same individuals. Think about how your organization will define what success means for a specific role and how that translates into success for an employee.
Implementing a talent development plan.
Leaders must be trained on how to coach their staff. They must also understand the employees' role on their team. It’s important to offer mentoring, whether formal or informal. Additionally stretch assignments or cross training can be beneficial.
How do you empower your team to achieve their top potential?