Play to Your Strengths

Legions of employees are still trying topursue a career ladder that no longer exists. They want to grow, but thetried-and-true strategies don't help them get far. In today's environment,leaders can help employees by making sure they are viable in the marketplace.

Help Employees Take Charge

The employees must step into the driver's seat and create their owncareer path. Nobody else can do this for them. There is definitely a time andplace for career planning with employees. But the challenge with is that theplan can be obsolete before the employee walks out of the office.

Your job as a manager is to help employees recognize their talents.Talent has more equity than stock options or pensions in today's marketplace.Advise employees not to wait for the perfect job to use their talents. Ideally,employees contribute their talents everywhere they go. The best careeropportunities are more likely to come when employees are doing what they love thanfrom internal job postings.

Many employees don't know their value because they have never takenthe time to recognize their impact. As a leader you can provide valuableinformation to employees on their impact. When you see the employees' talents inaction, give them feedback on what you appreciate. Let them know the positiveor even negative impact of their talents on the team and others.

Align Talents with Business Needs

Often the real work that needs to be done in an organization has notitle or job description. More career opportunities lie inside the white spacesbetween functions, than within a job description. Encourage employees toconsider ways to contribute to keyinitiatives and strategies. Talk openly with employees about the direction yourorganization is taking so they can rightfully assess where their talents fitin.

Take Initiative

Teach your employees to scan for relevant opportunities and encouragethem to come to you with ideas. Help employees recognize high-need areas withbig payback. Also alert them to projects that have low impact on the realpriorities. But, most importantly, challenge employees to think about how theircontribution can lower costs, improve efficiency and effectiveness, andincrease customer satisfaction. When employees think this way they become morevaluable in today's world.

Promote Networking

Encourage your employees to cross-fertilize with others. Suggest theyvolunteer to help out for an hour here or there in another department. They canalso talk to colleagues at gatherings and find out what they're doing.Knowledge workers love to network. Allow employees to look outside their owndepartment for cross-functional opportunities that might be there. There may beteam members working on issues that are right up their alley.

Turn Frustration into Opportunity

Take note of what the employee complains about. Problems are fertile ground for employee contributions.Frustrations also reveal interests and problems the employee might want to dosomething about. Encourage employees to consider how they can apply theirtalent to critical areas and they'll be less frustrated.

Remove Barriers

Identify obstacles the employee might encounter. Secure support forthe employee to move in new directions and take on an expanded role. The morecritical to business needs the project is - the more likely the individual isto gain support for what they are proposing.

Advise Going the Extra Mile

"Why should I volunteer for more work?" the knowledge worker mightask. "I'm already putting in a full weekand then some." The short answer is that doing the right work leads to jobsthat are more right for you. When you're working on projects that interest you,you're going to have greater energy and enthusiasm. And you'll add significantvalue.

Don't Allow Laggards to Linger

An individual on your team may tell others he's sick of his job and he"really wants to be doing something else". But the individual doesn't take theactions necessary to change anything. Whether it's talking to anotherdepartment or working on new project, the person doesn't take actions that willlead to a new position.

Over time, the desire for change can marinate in their mind. They justthink about it for too long, and eventually give up. It's easy to get stuck ina rut. Until recently it was easier to "just stick it out for a few more monthsor years." But in the knowledge economy, low performers are won't be able tosurvive in most organizations. When employees don't make good decisions andstay on course, the decision is often made for them.

We're All Learning

We're all pioneers in this emerging, entrepreneur landscape. And we'rebarely one generation away from the compliant, obedient mandates of the past.No one is immune to the change. Leaders are struggling as much as employees tofind their rightful spot. You can't promise knowledge workers upward mobilityor job security. But you can help them be viable in today's marketplace.

Encourage individuals to take responsibility for their careers andalign their talents with business needs. Help employees grow and develop intheir specialty areas and compensate for weaknesses that impede progress. Witha talent focus, everyone has the opportunity and responsibility to make adifference. Today, staying rooted in your strengths is the best developmentplan.

Topics

• Developing Employees