Having a stimulating, rewarding occupation is an essential prerogative for most employees. It drives motivation and satisfaction in the workplace and encourages workers to unlock their talent in an effective manner.
As a manager or business owner, ensuring that your team members have the chance to unleash their potential is crucial. Not only will it benefit the well-being of your hard-working employees, but it will also boost the productivity and efficiency of your organization.
Here, with Dominic Fitch, Head of Creative Change at Impact International, we take a look at some tips that will allow you to maximise people’s skills and qualities, helping and educating companies that are truly want to make their workers shine.
What are we doing wrong?
In 2021, 48% of American employees were actively job-hunting and keeping an eye open for more engaging opportunities. In May alone, about 3.6 million US workers resigned, registering a record-high number of unfilled roles. Disengagement, as well as people’s inability to showcase their true worth, were – and still are – among the driving factors of this daunting trend.
So, how are businesses failing to unleash human potential? Firstly, it is important to highlight that most people crave goals and purpose. If employees are working in an organization that does not provide them with personal missions and targets, they are bound to lose interest in the (not so) long run. What this also means is that, if your team is not dedicated and lacks motivation, there is a good chance it will not operate to its full potential.
Moreover, being constantly on the receiving end of decisions, processes, and assignments can repress people’s creativity. Of course, it is normal for managers and business owners to instruct their employees on specific tasks to carry out. However, depriving them on a regular basis of some much-needed autonomy can be detrimental, and hinder workers’ personal qualities.
Another mistake that organizations tend to make is to neglect training and development opportunities for their people. Who knows what incentives a learning course in digital software or proofreading can spur in your employees? Failing to nurture your team’s hidden skills can limit both your workers’ and company’s ambitions.
Unchaining your team’s potential
It is fair to say that managers and directors should always proivde guidance and support, so that their employees can perform their duties in an adequate way. Therefore, if you are hoping to get the most out of your skilled workers, you may have to consider a leadership transformation. What can you do to favour and unlock your workforce’s talent?
Explain the reasoning behind tasks
There is no hiding that, from time to time, your team will have to deal with uninspiring assignments. It is likely that your employees will act professionally and complete the task without complaining, but there is a chance that they will struggle to find the motivation to perform the job with creativity and enthusiasm.
Make sure to set aside some time to explain and guide your people through tasks, highlighting the reasoning and usefulness of specific assignments. Not only will it provide them with a clear goal and objective, but it will also shine a light on the importance of their contribution. Furthermore, it will offer you the opportunity to reinforce the organization’s mission and vision and help your employee feel like they are a fundamental part of the company’s ambitions.
Nurture relationships and schedule one-to-one meetings
How can you unleash a person’s potential if you do not know ‘what they’re all about’? Some may have a soft spot for writing, while others could have a strong interest in computing or maths. Ultimately, the best way to discover your employees’ hidden skills is to get to know them personally.
Regular one-to-one meetings, for instance, could serve your purpose just right. They offer the perfect platform to provide feedback on their overall performance, strengthen your personal and professional relationship, and learn more about their passions. As a result, you can confidently assign the right tasks, goals, and incentives to the best-suited worker.
Furthermore, advocating for social relations within your organization is an excellent move to help everyone embark on a shared and common project. You can enhance your team’s sense of belonging and improve both their proactivity and creativity.
Compliment and reward
If a team member has achieved a remarkable result or has exceeded their personal target and your expectations, make sure their success is celebrated. It only takes an acknowledgement, a pat on the back, or some words of appreciation to boost your skilful employee’s morale.
If you would really like to reward your deserving employee, you could also repay their efforts with some exclusive incentives. Do they like soccer? Offer them a ticket for an upcoming match. Are they into plays and theater? Treat them to a seat in the auditorium.
Compliments and recognition can stimulate people to keep up the good work and incite them to showcase their full potential.
Train your workers and create internal opportunities
As previously mentioned, overlooking people’s professional development will hinder both their career and the company’s progress. Training is a vital tool to further employees’ knowledge, enlarge their skillsets, and reveal undetected qualities. Gaining new competencies makes jobs feel more worthwhile, and prepares workers for higher achievements and greater performance.
What’s more, as your team members absorb new notions and professional tools, they may seek to tackle diverse challenges. Why should a talented employee be blocked within the limits of their role description? You may want to consider offering unusual, interesting assignments from time to time to satiate their curiosity and versatility. More often than not, people put a lot of effort and dedication into tasks that appeal to them. Providing them with enticing assignments can actively unchain their creativity.
Everyone has an array of skills and qualities that can drive their career in the right direction. How can you make the most of people’s true potential? From training and curating relationships to pinpointing objectives and acknowledging success, you can unleash your team’s talent and benefit the productivity of your business.
