Personal development plan care staff
How to encourage your team members’ personal development
As a team leader, you know you shape the future and direction of your team members’ careers, but did you also know that you also have the power to shape other aspects of their lives as well?
We usually think of personal development as something that we do in our spare time to help us advance with our professional goals, in the ‘real world’.
In fact, personal development is something that permeates every aspect of our lives. It can’t be separated from our lives at work. And people want and need meaningful work that enriches their lives beyond their day-to-day tasks.
As Stephen Covey put it:
“You can buy your employees’ time and muscle…but their hearts and minds come free.”
So what do we really mean by personal development?
When we talk about personal development, we mainly refer to three areas that are linked together: habits, health and career. But can professional and career development happen if there is no development in the areas of habits and health? Can someone who is not happy, healthy and fulfilled in their personal life be capable of being a happy, healthy and fulfilled employee?
In a way, you and your company are only as strong as your weakest link.
Helping your staff develop outside of work doesn’t only help them be more fulfilled in their personal life. It will also make them more productive and successful in their current roles.
Picture Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid. At the top of the pyramid is self-actualization.
Maslow defined self-actualization as “the impulse to convert oneself into what one is capable of being.”
In many ways, assisting your staff in personal development is exactly about assisting them on the road to self-actualization, to becoming the person they are capable of being.
How will this benefit your company and the rest of the team?
Motivation
Employees who feel fulfilled or see that their fulfillment is one of your priorities will actually be more motivated to put forward their best work.
Retention
“Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” ~ Richard Branson
Care about your people if you want them to care about you.
