If there is one thing that every single business owner I’ve worked with over the years has in common… it’s that he/she is busy! As a business owner, there is barely enough time in the day to get through the essential tasks – and when you end the day, there is always something more that you wish you could have gotten done.
Unfortunately, this reality can result in important responsibilities being overlooked. One of these responsibilities that is commonly ignored is employee development. The truth is that investing time into coaching and developing your employees is one of the best ways you could use your time, because the time you invest up front results in increased effectiveness and productivity from your team. Yet, many business owners don’t take the time to invest into their employees, and as a result are left doing most of the “heavy lifting” by themselves because their team isn’t up to the task.
Trust me, I can tell you firsthand that spending the time to coach and develop your employees is well worth it. Below are five tips to keep in mind during this process:
1) Take a long-term interest in each employee. Your employees have long-term interests and aspirations, just like you. For some of them, this will mean that one day they will leave your business and move on. Others may be looking for opportunities to advance within your business. In either case, ignoring the long-term prospects of your employees is a mistake. Invest into helping them improve their job performance and their career potential. They’ll appreciate it and reward you with loyalty and hard work.
2) Look for ways to leverage each of their unique skills and abilities. Each employee is different—so don’t try to fit a round peg into a square hole! Get to know each employee’s personality and abilities, and do your best to put them in position to leverage these abilities. They’ll be more effective workers… and they’ll be happier, too!
3) Be clear about areas in need of improvement. Part of coaching is pointing out areas that need improvement. This can be uncomfortable, but don’t beat around the bush. Explain clearly what needs to change, and how the employee can go about doing so. Your employees will appreciate the clear, direct guidance!
4) Provide the resources each employee needs to succeed. From an employee’s perspective, there is nothing more frustrating than being given a list of skills to develop… but not being given the necessary support to get it done. Whether it’s equipment, training, or simply time – give the employee what he or she needs to succeed!
5) Provide feedback regularly. Finally, don’t make feedback a rare occurrence. Provide regular feedback, both positive and negative. Feedback is often the only way an employee can gauge his or her performance, so don’t leave them in the dark!
Coaching your team is essential for developing an exceptional workforce. If you’d like to learn more about this subject, please get in touch with me today!