5 Signs Your Company Needs Help Developing Its Talent
Falling behind on talent development can cause serious problems for any organization. Strategic initiatives may fail, employee engagement can drop, and your business simply won’t be operating at its peak form. If you see your business displaying some of these signs, it may be time to call in some experts and get your organization back on track.
Your Review Plans Aren’t Very Strong
Review plans are vital for identifying high-potential employees and those who may be called on to lead in the future. “If leaders struggle to identify enough A players, there might be a tendency to fill gaps with sub-par stand-ins,” says Tim Toterhi of Plotline Leadership. “Leaders should never be afraid to ask: Are our best good enough? Then selectively go to the outside for niche players in tough markets.”
Employee Engagement Drops
If you regularly survey your employees and find their engagement has been stagnant or drops, you may need to bring in some help. It’s especially important to watch the numbers related to manager effectiveness, Toterhi says. “Having strong managers at all levels can be correlated to greater engagement and customer loyalty. Access to development is a backbone to this equation.”
There’s a Lack of Accountability
It’s vital to establish accountability among all stakeholders at your organization, Toterhi says. “My preferred philosophy related to the gym analogy: The organization supplies the equipment, the manager can act as trainer, but in the end the employee has to do the pushups,” he says. “If people are uncertain about the rules, you have a problem.”
You Have Millennial Employees
If you have millennials working at your organization, they are going to want some development training. “They are entrepreneurial by spirit, so employers must foster environments that encourage millennials to have creative and challenging roles, and not just be pigeon-holed in administrative positions,” says Jim Link, chief HR officer at Randstad North America.
There’s a Resistance to Change
If your organization is encountering resistance to changes or new strategies, it may be time to offer some leadership development that can help people think strategically. “Many times a plan will be developed at the top, seem good on paper and get rolled out and the people doing the work take one look and say well that won’t work in real life because x,y,z. A ton of time and money gets wasted in organizations every day from this one issue,” says leadership coach Anna Olson of Amo Consulting Firm.Sometimes it’s as simple as learning to listen, she says. “When we take the time to listen we create better relationships with stakeholders at all levels, internal and external, better products and better services. Listening well can increase employee engagement, productivity and positively impact the bottom line. It pays to listen!”Leadership development is one of our specialties. Contact us if your company needs help with it.Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more than 25 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to explore their business potential and improve their company and cultural performance. Contact us to get proactive about your people strategy.
