Do You Allow Your Employees to Flourish?

Do you allow your employees to flourish, explore, and expand their talents? When employees work in a job where they can utilize their talents, they grow, have less anxiety, and produce more. The company maximizes their employees’ strengths. The following are strategies you can use as a manager and leader to create a growth environment for your employees:

Trust

Trust that your employees can do their jobs. That’s why you hired them in the first place. Micromanaging your employees only creates anxiety, and you will eventually lose them. No one likes to be micromanaged. I used to tell my employees that I trusted them in two ways. First, I trusted that they were good people, trustworthy employees who were there to earn an honest living. Second, I trusted they could do the job I hired them to do. I trusted their skills and knew they had the talent to perform the duties of the job. I provided them with guidelines and, depending on the project or nature of the job, I provided them with specific instructions. Then I left them alone to go do it.

Challenge

Challenge your employees with new things where they can use other talents they may not have an opportunity to use in their daily work. Doing so re-energizes them and encourages them to continue to grow. They will appreciate that you think of them beyond their job and develop as a person too.

Value

Value your employees and acknowledge their talents and what they bring to your organization as a person. Get to know their hobbies and other interests. Create an environment where they can grow. Allow your employees to flourish. When you provide additional opportunities to grow, their loyalty toward you and toward the company will significantly increase. Even when employees don’t like their jobs very much, they now have a new reason to stay—new learning opportunities.

As employees are re-energized by learning new things, they become motivated to continue learning which in turn makes them more productive. They can’t wait to finish their routine work so they can get to the “fun stuff” and the new responsibilities.

Lastly, when you provide opportunities for your employees to flourish you will notice their attitude will improve and they will be more positive. Employees like to be trusted and want to feel valued. As a manager and leader, you will enjoy the results. You will feel so much more fulfilled and you will reap the rewards. I know I have.

This article is an excerpt from my book Bring YOUR Shoes: A Fresh Perspective for Leaders with Big Shoes to Fill.