Develop People, Not Just Employees

There are people who have crossed my path throughout my career who saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself. They gave me opportunities. They challenged me. They encouraged me to step into rooms I wasn't entirely sure I belonged in yet.

And they invested in my development, not simply because it would make me better at the job I was doing at the time, but because they saw who I had the potential to become.

Looking back, those investments changed the trajectory of my life.

That is the power leaders have when we intentionally support someone's development.

Last week, we talked about encouraging learning and creating cultures where people can try, reflect, adjust, and get smarter through experience. But supporting development takes that idea one step further.

Learning happens every day. Development requires intention.

Exceptional leaders don't just ask, “How can I help this person perform better in their current role?”

They also ask: “Who could this person become, and how can I help them get there?”

Development Is Bigger Than Training

When we hear “employee development,” it is easy to immediately think about training: Send someone to a conference, register them for a webinar, pay for a certification.

Those things absolutely matter. But formal training is just a portion of development.

Development might look like giving someone a stretch assignment before they feel completely ready. Or, it might mean inviting an employee into a meeting they would not normally attend so they can gain exposure to a different part of the organization. It could be assigning them responsibility for presenting a project, pairing them with a mentor, recommending a book, letting them shadow another department, or giving them an opportunity to lead something.

Sometimes it is simply saying: “I think you're ready for more.”

The best development is not always expensive, but it is intentional.

Leadership Lives at Every Level

I also think we need to broaden the way we think about leadership development.

You do not need the word manager, supervisor, director, or chief in your title to be a leader.

Leadership is a verb.

People lead through their actions.

They lead by taking initiative.

They lead by influencing others.

They lead by bringing people together.

They lead by speaking up when something isn't right.

They lead through the attitude they bring into a room.

They lead by making the people around them better.

That means leadership development should not be reserved exclusively for people who already supervise others.

In fact, waiting until someone receives a leadership title to begin developing their leadership abilities is a huge, missed opportunity.

Look throughout your organization.

Who has influence?

Who takes initiative?

Who do others naturally turn to?

Who asks good questions?

Who makes the team better?

Who has potential they may not even recognize yet?

Develop those people.

Not because you need to promise them a promotion, but because developing stronger leaders at every level makes the entire organization stronger.

The Development Opportunity That Changed Everything for Me

One of the single most transformative professional experiences of my career was participating in my professional association's Leadership Academy.

I can confidently say that without that experience, I would not be in the situation, position, or even the profession I am in today.

It changed me.

Yes, I learned about leadership. But the impact went far beyond curriculum.

I developed confidence.

I built relationships with people who expanded my thinking.

I gained exposure to perspectives outside of my own organization.

I started seeing myself differently and imagining possibilities for my career that I had not necessarily seen before.

Those relationships and experiences continued influencing me long after the program ended. That is why I am such a huge advocate for leadership academies and structured leadership development programs.

If your professional association offers one, attend it!

If your field doesn't have one, look outside of it.

If your employer will invest in sending you, ask.

And if you are already in a leadership position, look around your team and ask: Who could I encourage to go?

There may be someone on your team who needs another person to see their potential before they can see it themselves. That investment could change far more than their performance review next year.

It could change their life!

Ask People Where They Want to Go

There is one pretty important catch to all of this. You cannot develop people effectively if you never ask what they want.

Leaders sometimes make assumptions about someone's ambitions.

“She'd be a great supervisor.”

“He should move into administration.”

“They're ready for management.”

Maybe... But maybe they don't want any of those things.

Development does not have to mean climbing an organizational ladder.

Someone may want to become an incredible technical expert.

Someone may want to deepen their skills without supervising anyone.

Someone may want greater variety.

Someone may want to present at conferences.

Someone may want to lead projects.

Someone may want your job someday!

Great!... But you won't know unless you ask.

Try asking questions like:

What do you want to be better at a year from now?

Is there something here you would love to learn more about?

What kind of opportunity would stretch you?

Where do you eventually see yourself going?

And then listen.

Development should not be about molding someone into the person you think they should become. It is about helping them become more capable of becoming the person they want to be.

Sometimes Development Means Helping Someone Leave

This is one of the hardest parts of developing people! Sometimes you do such a good job helping someone grow that the next opportunity they need is not with you.

That can sting.

You have invested time in them. You rely on them. They're probably really good at what they do, which is exactly why another organization might want them.

It can be tempting to protect your own interests, but exceptional leadership requires us to remember that development is about the person, not our convenience.

If someone has outgrown what you can offer them, help them take the next step.

Write the recommendation.

Make the introduction.

Encourage them to apply.

Celebrate when they get it.

And yes, you may lose an incredible employee, but people remember the leaders who genuinely wanted what was best for them.

I know I do, because it happened to me!

Development Doesn't Require a Huge Budget

I don't want anyone reading this to think: This sounds great, but we don't have money for professional development.

Money certainly helps.

But some of the most powerful development opportunities cost nothing.

Let someone lead the next meeting.

Invite them to participate in a project outside their normal responsibilities.

Have them shadow you during something they have never experienced.

Give them ownership of a presentation.

Connect them with someone who has expertise they want to build.

Ask them to mentor someone else.

Give them a stretch assignment and coach them through it.

Development is often less about what you buy for someone and more about what you entrust to them.

Don't Wait Until Someone Is “Ready”

There is another trap leaders fall into.. we wait until someone is completely ready before giving them a developmental opportunity.

However, if they were completely ready, it probably would not be developmental.

Growth happens in that uncomfortable space between: "I know how to do this.” and “I think I can figure this out.”

That does not mean throwing people into situations where they are destined to fail. It does mean stretching them just beyond their current capability and providing support while they figure it out.

Tell them: “I think you're ready to try this. I'll be here if you need me.”

Then let them surprise you!

See Who They Could Become

When I think about the people who had the greatest impact on my career, I don't remember them because they helped me become slightly more efficient at completing my existing job duties.

I remember them because they expanded what I believed was possible for me:

They saw potential.

They opened doors.

They challenged me.

They invested in me.

And eventually, I became capable of doing things that an earlier version of myself probably would not have imagined.

That is what supporting development can do.

Your employees are not static resources assigned to accomplish today's priorities. They are people who are still becoming.

I challenge you to look around your team.

There may be someone sitting in a role today who could become an extraordinary leader, technical expert, mentor, innovator, or something neither of you has even imagined yet.

Your job is not to determine exactly who they become, but you might have the opportunity to help them discover it.

Exceptional leaders don't just build exceptional teams. They help build exceptional people.