Want to grow your company? Then help your employees grow
According to Geoffrey James, in order to grow a company, you must be able to help others, namely employees, grow. Is this another discussion about the importance of employee engagement? Maybe, maybe not. In a post on Inc., James writes that “Nimble companies adapt to new situations and marketing conditions while rigid companies eventually crack under the strain.” And the key ingredient of nimble organizations? A commitment to personal growth.
James contends that growth requires change, which requires employees to “take on new challenges, expand their capabilities, cultivate new behaviors and entertain new ideas.” How can an organization take meaningful steps toward growing its people? James offers four tips:
- Think “community” rather than “machine.” Your company isn’t made up of gears and levers but people.
- Reorganize seldom (if ever).
- Pay your employees to expand their interests. Tempted to cut the professional development budget? Don’t!
- Be committed to your own personal growth. By this, James doesn’t mean professional development for executives but learning to let go. A company can only go so far if it’s being micromanaged.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if some of these four tips also helped to increase employee engagement, but for James, the secret to success is flexibility. What’s your take?
