It’s no secret that Millennials surpassed Generation X to become the single largest cohort in the American Workforce. This means younger adults will be continuing to move into positions of leadership and management. Unfortunately, leadership training is generally lacking; even companies that offer this type of training are prone to some common mistakes that can hinder employee development and potential. Here, we’ll look at seven of the most common mistakes made.
Employee training needs to be an ongoing, continuous process, not a couple of weeks of onboarding training after a new hire joins your team. The same is true with leadership training. Keep in mind that most employees—even recent college graduates—are unlikely to have received training specific to their work roles: e.g., training in communication skills, giving and receiving feedback, etc.
Taking the time to find a solid performer will pay dividends in the long run. Think of it as an investment in the future because that’s exactly what it is. A tight labor market may make some recruiters and hiring managers eager to fill an open role but filling that role with a less-than-stellar candidate will only compound problems in the future.
Leaders who always hold on to the toughest assignments for themselves aren’t tapping into the potential of their teams and will always end up managing the hardest assignments. What many don’t realize is that by doing this they also hinder their chances for advancement.
When moving into management roles, individual contributors may not have the background, skills, or experience needed to serve in a facilitation or oversight role—another area where training and development is critical.
Getting great employees on board is only half the battle. Once hired, they need to be retained. Employee development and compensation is key in this respect. Market assessments should be conducted regularly, particularly for key positions, and salary and benefits packages audited to ensure equity and competitiveness—internally and externally.
Many of these mistakes have focused on the young leader’s staff, but another mistake many new managers make is not spending enough time focusing on their development. The organization can play a role here by building self-development into the employee performance review cycle for all employees.
As leaders earn new responsibilities, they will need to work more, and work/life balance will need to adapt as a result. Leaders need to be flexible in their boundaries, especially when it comes to making time for their employees and, of course, their families.
Gregg Thompson is a keynote speaker, author and executive leadership coach. As a much-in-demand speaker, Gregg leads his audiences on interactive, highly-engaging learning journeys that are both educational and entertaining. He dares audiences to abandon many of their closest-held beliefs about leadership and to explore new ways of seeing, relating to and influencing others. He confronts audiences with their own biases, judgments and attitudes, and challenges them to replace these with fresh new perspectives and practices. He vividly demonstrates how leaders can make a major shift in their personal impact and use their natural strengths to master the art of leadership. Gregg is the author of The Master Coach written for leaders who understand the impact of coaching on performance and career acceleration. The book is an invitation to leaders who want to make a significant shift in their attitudes, values and behaviors and become more coach-like in all of their daily interactions and conversations.
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This is a member-only resource. Contact sales at info@bluepointleadership.com for information on Corporate Membership or learn more here: Learn More
This is a member-only resource. Contact sales at info@bluepointleadership.com for information on Corporate Membership or learn more here: Learn More