Your employees are your greatest asset and may be as valuable as gold, but with one major difference, they need your attention! Much like a plant, people need a few specific things to continue to grow and potentially bloom. You should think of yourself as a gardener whose specialty is growing people.
Without some cultivation, a great employee can become disenchanted with your organization, stop growing their contributions or worse yet, leave and take the knowledge and skills they do have elsewhere.
What employees need from you to be successful
Management
What’s the road map for the company?
How can the employee grow at the company?
What are their goals & priorities?
How is their work aligned with company goals?
What can their do on their own? Do they need support?
2. Recognition and Appreciation
The words, “Job well done!” can have a tremendous impact on someone. Being recognized as completing a desired goal and in general, knowing that you are appreciated is a key driver for many employees.
Pizza lunches, and food of all sorts motivates some people, but the best is really for someone to know that you appreciate them and the way they contribute to the organization.
3. Coaching
What can you suggest to them to “up their game”
What are their Improvement opportunities?
Can you explain what they might not fully understand or appreciate?
4. Cheer leading
When an employee is close to the finish line, can you give them that little push?
If they’ve having a bad day or having other parts of their life interfere with work, can you help them get back on track?
5. Teaching
If an employee needs to know some specific skills or ways of doing things, can teach them or direct them to training that will provide what they need?
Can you teach them some of the more nuanced communication skills they may lack?
With good direction, recognition & appreciation for a job well done sprinkled in with coaching, cheer leading & teaching,
You will have an amazing team and lots of blossoming employees!
