Founders have a lot on their plate. Often, talent development gets pushed to the back burner. When talent development is overlooked, it allows complacency and mediocrity to creep in. This is where B and C players live.
If you want a thriving team where you’re not doing it all, then cultivating talent is how everyone rises. Here are some suggestions to get you started.
🤎 Design-a-thon to create for practice + fun. | Quarterly set aside a Friday or half-day where EVERYONE on the team practices their creativity or the trade your business is in. It allows new ideas to flourish, mistakes don’t cost anything, support staff have a better understanding, and it boosts morale.
🤎 Go offsite, explore, and include a challenge. | This isn’t happy hour. This is an opportunity for the team to bond over solving a challenge together. It can be a scavenger hunt in the city or park. It can be building or creating in a studio.
🤎 Role-play through client conversations. | Set your team up for success. Talk through difficult conversations before they happen. Have a team member do a mock client presentation. Preparation plays a key role in confidence.
🤎 Roundtables to discuss industry changes. | Oftentimes, team members aren’t aware of industry changes and risks. Bring them into the discussion. You can share resources with them prior to a meeting and then talk through how your business can leverage the situation. As founders, you don’t have to do it all yourself. Bringing your team into the fold helps you see things you might overlook and encourages them to think ahead.
🤎 Shared library of articles, books, and podcasts. | Super easy. I have a Notion database where I save relevant resources and tag them by topic. It’s convenient to share and reference.
🤎 Catch them doing something right. | Don’t take good work for granted. When you see a team member who resolved a client situation, acknowledge it. Recognize them personally and then share it again with the team. Sharing it with the team reinforces behavior that elevates company culture.
🤎 1:1 monthly performance coaching. | Use this time to discuss challenges and opportunities. It’s an opportunity to strengthen your relationship, invest in their growth, and reinforce alignment. Viewing it simply as another task is a disservice to the team member and hurts the business in the long run with poor performance, low morale, and cost of turnover.
It’s a privilege and responsibility to have a team. Let’s make sure we fully utilize the opportunity by developing, encouraging, and rewarding their growth!