While there are many styles and attributes of leadership, there are three phases that every effective leader leads their employees through. Read the full breakdown and flow of the 3 Phases of Leadership here. Today, we’re talking about phase one, educate. Learn why you educate first and how to strategically engage employees in their own career development.
Your Role as Educator
As a leader your purpose for education is two-fold. You have a responsibility to your employees to ensure that they have opportunities for career advancement. You also have a responsibility to the company to ensure that the employees’ skills and career progression are in alignment with the growth goals. That means you have to ensure that your strategic training plan is total alignment.
It is imperative that leaders have a clear understanding of the trajectory of the business and how your employees fit within the ever-evolving needs of the business. That is the only way you will be successful as leader and add immense value to the company. Sadly, this is one of the most overlooked parts of leadership. Most leaders only send their employees to training classes when the employee asks for it. Employees who do not take the initiative to seek out higher learning becomes more stagnant in their skills and value with each passing year. These employees, over time become expensive for the company to carry.
Clarity of Mission and Vision
If this is all sounding foreign to you, let me pause and make a recommendation. Stop what you’re doing (after reading this of course) and schedule a meeting with your immediate manager and your training manager. Ask them to explain the direction of the company and help you to outline opportunities to ensure that your team meets the needs of the company. The training manager will be able to help you outline specific training courses or simple learning opportunities that you can provide.
That’s a great point… let’s talk about your role in providing learning opportunities. First and foremost, make sure that every employee is equipped to do their job. Start by sharing with them the projected direction of the company and how they fit within that puzzle. Then, ensuring that they understand all aspects of their job and how it affects other departments, revenue goals and the overall health and welfare of the company. People are more likely to care when they feel cared about and when they know what to care about. If they feel like a number or just a worker bee, they aren’t likely to put in their best effort.
Why Educate: Increase Buy-In and Productivity
If an employee
- Knows how they fit within the growth goals of the company
- Feels valued as a person
- Has a clear learning and implementation path
Then, you will begin to see increased productivity and likely a better attitude from your employees. In all things that you do as whatever your title is, you are a leader of people first. Never forget that.
For help instituting the three phases of leadership in your organization, schedule a consultation today.
