Read Lean In or attend a panel discussion of successful executives and you often hear, “Then I was offered the opportunity to …” or “Then I was asked to join…” What they don’t tell you is that they were offered an opportunity after they asked for it. In a Forbes interview I read, Sheryl Sandberg, Marisa Mayer, and others, responded to many different questions, but one answer was consistent to a word: “What advice would you give someone who wants a promotion?” The unanimous response: “Ask for it.”
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your employees had the maturity to know what they wanted and what it could do for the team and your organization? In all likelihood, you would be thrilled to offer them more to do!! Managers can spend a lot of time thinking they are helping their reports, only to find them leave the organization in frustration. Here are some guidelines:
Make an assessment of employees with the highest potential. It may seem obvious, but I see managers every day who have favorites from a personality perspective, not based on skills and contribution.
Learn employees’ aspirations, work and personal, what motivates them, and how they like to be recognized and rewarded. Then listen. It may not be what you think. Help them understand the bigger picture or the industry ad organization and how their strengths contribute. Act like a consultant to their business and have them take ownership of it.
Put them in your shoes. You have someone to answer to, and need employees who can. Managers can spend a lot of time thinking they are helping their reports, only to find them leave the organization in frustration. Here are some guidelines:
- Make an assessment of employees with the highest potential. It may seem obvious, but I see managers every day who have favorites from a personality perspective, not based on skills and contribution.
- Learn employees’ aspirations, work and personal, what motivates them, and how they like to be recognized and rewarded. Then listen. It may not be what you think.
- Help them understand the bigger picture or the industry ad organization and how their strengths contribute. Act like a consultant to their business and have them take ownership of it.
- Put them in your shoes. You have someone to answer to, and need employees who can make your senior leadership feel confident about handing them more responsibility.
- Rinse and repeat. As employees evolve, so do their perspectives. Check in and listen anew.
Getting to the heart of an employee’s motivation is not rocket science, but it does take a little attention.
All my best,
Claire