Spring Is Here. Here’s How to Help Your Team Bloom into Leaders
Spring is here and the world is blooming and primed for growth. We should really be thinking about our teams in the same way — especially high-potential employees who with the right care can grow into dynamic leaders that are the lifeblood of any successful organization. 
Showering your people with development opportunities and feedback will grow your team members who can help your organization succeed in today’s volatile business climate. There’s no better time to start than today.Here are three ways to help your team bloom into successful leaders.
Invest in Training and Development
“Spring is when life’s alive in everything.”—Christina RossettiWhether you realize it or not, your company’s best and brightest employees are hungry for opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills and to grow into well-rounded leaders. Too many organizations, however, neglect this important business factor until it’s too late, often waiting until a key contributor leaves to develop a replacement.If you’re failing to provide opportunities for learning and development, you’re at risk of losing your best and brightest employees to other companies that offer more chances for high-achievers to bloom professionally.Trainings, workshops, seminars, certification programs and continuing education are all excellent ways to get the ball rolling. If you’re unsure where to start, consider drafting a professional development plan that identifies areas for growth and outlines action steps can help.
Give Them Opportunities for Growth
“Never yet was a springtime, when the buds forgot to bloom.”—Margaret Elizabeth SangsterIt’s especially important to give emerging leaders and other high-potential team members projects, challenges and tasks that really highlight their strengths and skills. These types of projects allow your strongest employees to simultaneously showcase their existing skills (which builds confidence) while further strengthening those abilities.This could be something as simple as connecting the team member with others in your organization or allowing them to travel or work outside of the office. The focus, however, should always be on giving them the right ingredients to grow into their full potential.
Provide Positive and Constructive Feedback
“The deep roots never doubt spring will come.”―Marty RubinThe optimism and vibrancy of spring is an excellent time to rededicate yourself to productive positivity in your approach to your team members. If you’re planting negative seeds, you’re likely to have team members who grow into that negative frame of mind.Although research has found that workers respond more strongly to positive feedback, it remains one of the most neglected areas of workplace leadership. Remember, positive feedback doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. In fact, the impact can be profound when supervisors acknowledge that they notice an employee doing something well, even if it’s not a spectacular feat.That doesn’t mean you can’t offer constructive feedback when appropriate. But when giving constructive feedback, plan ahead by setting parameters for the discussion before you meet with the employee, and be purposeful by providing actionable feedback rather than mere complaints.So embrace the promise of spring and start planting the seeds of leadership throughout your organization. Through a combination of careful attention and access to the right ingredients, those seeds can bloom into dynamic team members who can help guide your company to long-term success.Success Labs is a full-service, strategic organizational and leadership development company located 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.