“Describe the methods you’ve used to develop the potential of your staff.”

The job descriptions of the vast majority of leaders and managers calls for them to “develop direct reports.” For some this is a competency that is burned deeply into them; it’s as natural as it is for birds to fly. It’s part of who they are as a professional and a person. It’s what they do and how they do it. People recognize this trait in them and look to them for guidance. For others, however, not so much. Either way, developing your personal brand as a leader includes being mindful of and known for empowering the people who work for you to continue growing and developing professionally and personally.

There are many reasons why developing the people in your organization is valuable, and failing to do so is a recipe for disaster. A PwC survey found that for younger staff (yes, “millennials”), training and development programs were at the top of their lists of things that make a company compelling to work for (following career progression and compensation). According to an IBM study, employees who feel they cannot develop in a company and fulfill their career goals are 12 times more likely to leave the company. Other negative outcomes that arise from failing to be a people developer include under-performing teams, reduced productivity, increased costs and reduced profit, poor employee morale and engagement scores, negativity in the workplace and more.

Admittedly it is inconvenient and costly to have to check the oil in the car, wash and wax it, and have the periodic service checks and maintenance done. But we all agree that it’s way more expensive and inconvenient not to. Likewise, developing your people takes time, attention and some investment. But as Henry Ford observed, “The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay.” The rewards that come from talent development in the forms of profitable revenue, employee retention and esprit de corps are why outstanding leaders make the effort to develop their people.

Be mindful of the people developer component of your professional brand. Know that even though you may not be, the people who work for you certainly are. Know also it will come up in your next quarterly review and career advancement discussion. But also know that for many leaders and people managers, this is one of the most rewarding parts of their jobs – being other focused.

Here is my challenge to you. Schedule 30 minutes on your calendar this week to sit quietly and think about the people developer part of your brand. Consider:

• What have you done during the last quarter to make your people more effective?
• What methods did you use?
• Score yourself on the “develops direct reports” line of an imaginary performance review. What did you do that was great? Where is there room for improvement?
• How can you make this part of your work more visible and a bigger part of your reputation?

Drop me a note and let me know how it goes.

Dane Cannon | dane.cannon@kilyx.com
Lead Solutions Consultant, Founder

About Kilyx: Build Your People Developer Brand
In the symposia of ancient Greece, the kilyx (κύλιξ) was the cup around which citizens gathered. Here they networked, bonded and kept learning by sharing wine and new ways of thinking. The Greek symposium nurtured high performers in a disruptive, overachieving, nimble and creative culture that continues to inform, shape and inspire us 2,500 years later.

Today, Kilyx professional education cohorts provide leaders and managers like you with a proven platform around which to gather your people, inform their minds, and improve their performance from the inside out.

Kilyx virtual cohorts are co-facilitated with you. They are smart, social, bite-sized, relevant and actionable. They are tailored to align with your strategic priorities and embed the learning into your organization’s processes. They immerse busy, mobile professionals in emerging research, great stories, and the brilliance of intellectually and emotionally collaborative teams that think differently, catalyze change, and inspire action.

It’s a simple, proven and timeless approach to realizing the limitless human potential of your employees while you engineer sustainable enterprise growth. You and your teams will love the experience and the outcomes!