Are You Growing Your Talent or Uprooting Them? 7 Unique Ways to Unlock Potential in Your Team as a General Manager
Ever heard the joke about the manager who uttered to an employee, 'I don't know what your talents are. I'm not a mind reader!' Well, as a general manager, it's time to get those psychic skills in check! Let's dive into how to unlock the potential in your team.
1. Plant the Seed: Identify Your Team Members' Strengths and Weaknesses
Knowing what each team member brings to the table is a fundamental part of talent management. You may not have X-ray vision, but with tools like Gallup’s StrengthsFinder or Myers-Briggs tests, you can see beyond the surface and identify what truly makes your team tick.
2. Nurture the Growth: Establish a Safe Space for Development
Steering a safe space for development is crucial for the growth of potential. After all, flowers don't bloom in a day! Create an environment that nurtures growth – think of it as your managerial greenhouse!
3. Water Frequently: Provide Regular Training
Riddle me this: why was the talkative manager a great gardener? Because he knew plants grow better when you 'poo(t)!' Just like plants, your team needs consistent feeding via regular training to grow and bloom.
4. Prune the excess: Develop a culture of constructive feedback
Just as a gardener would prune a plant to help it grow, constructive feedback can help employees develop. As Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor, says, "Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind."
5. Bask in the Sun: Opportunities to Shine
Avoid foliage's folly for your team and ensure everyone has a chance to shine. Therefore, promoting opportunities for team members to showcase their talents is essential.
6. From Buds to Blossoms: Potential to Performance
Remember, potential is all about possibilities. As a general manager, your goal is to transform these buds of possibility into full blooms of performance.
7. Reap the Harvest: Celebrate Success
Dreading the thought of another fruit basket as a reward for hard work? Internal awards, recognition programs and sometimes yes, even a hearty congratulations can make all the difference.
References:
- "StrengthsFinder 2.0", Tom Rath
- "MBTI Basics", The Myers-Briggs Company
- "Radical Candor", Kim Scott
