Develop People
Some leaders are more fun to work for than others. Why? Because, consciously or unconsciously, they operate in a way that makes it more fun and more interesting for everyone concerned.
There is no denying that much of the effort required in business is routine, repetitive, and monotonous. That’s something we all have to accept. But good leaders still try to challenge people with assignments that match their mental capacities. It’s the only way capable people can be kept interested.
If associates have thoroughly mastered certain responsibilities, smart leaders try to enlarge them by giving them something new to worry about. If someone shows special ability, they try to provide more problems in that area.
Good leaders expect people to think about how to do things better – they ask them for their opinions and really listen. When they have problems they share them – everybody is expected to think.
They share their responsibilities too – to the limit that people show they can carry them. They stretch people and help them grow.
If leaders want to have capable associates and keep them happy, they have to operate this way. Worthwhile people cannot be really content in jobs where they are not being challenged, not learning new things, not making personal progress. If you are after good results, this is a fact of life you cannot afford to ignore.
In a fast-growing business or department, it is relatively simple to keep competent people happy. New problems and responsibilities keep cropping up – sometimes faster than people can be developed to handle them.
In a slower-growing business, or a relatively stable department, it is not always that easy. You may have to switch people from job to job – despite the occasional drop in efficiency – just to keep them interested. You may even have to invent a few problems now and then to keep them challenged. But it is worth doing – especially if the alternative is letting people stagnate.
Seeing that associates have every opportunity to grow and develop is fundamental to good management. It produces better morale, better work, better results, better employees, and better organization.
First things come first. In most successful organizations, developing people heads the list. And the best way to develop them is to make them stretch a bit. The more capable your subordinates, the more they need a constant challenge to maintain their interest.
