Help People Succeed

Recently, I have been writing about what people want from their bosses based on what I have learned from facilitating 360 assessments, which capture people’s perceptions of what their bosses do really well and areas in which they feel their bosses could improve. I’ve read answers to 130 questions from about 700 respondents in the past 18 months, which has provided valid, important, and helpful information.

In the past few weeks, I have written that two common responses are, “I wish my boss were a better listener,” and “I wish my boss did not a micro-manage.”

Just as common is, “I wish my boss would help me learn, grow and succeed.”

Helping people succeed is a major motivator
In fact, studies and surveys continually reveal that this is one of the very most important desires that people have for their bosses, to feel that they are helping them. The sense that one’s boss and senior management are helping one develop professionally, that they care about their success, and are acting as mentors and coaches is a major motivator for employees.

Helping people succeed leads to commitment and respect from our people – and it brings on just the opposite if we fail to offer our support. In fact, negative energy in our teams will result, which is a cancer in our workplace.

Everyone wants to do good work and to be successful, and people expect their bosses and senior management to help them.  If they don’t, their spirits dampen, and they will neither give their best effort nor their best work and, very likely, they will look for a place to work where they feel appreciated and helped to succeed.

Helping people succeed is not a good deed—it’s our responsibility
This is not about being a hero by helping people with their careers. This is our responsibility. Yet in today’s business world, with the drive to do more with fewer people and demands to maximize profits, true servant leadership can be rare.  I hear lots of companies state “Our greatest asset is our people,” yet they do not invest in their people. And by invest, I mean help them with their professional growth.  And by help I mean not just paying for formal training and education, but also taking an interest in their growth, actually having conversations with their people, encouraging and coaching them.

I know, we’re crazy busy.  As a leader though, this is our important responsibility. We must make the time.  Remember, a short and sincere conversation is better than no conversation.

Helping our people learn, grow and succeed is the right and the smart thing to do!