⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

9 Critical Questions About Employee Development Every business leader can benefit from knowing the answers.

By Shawn Doyle

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Thomas Barwick | Getty Images

I often facilitate leadership-development programs across the country. One of the topics that always comes up, every time, is employee development. And no wonder. According to a study by Gallup, nine out of 10 millennials say that professional development or career-growth opportunities are very important to them.

The questions I hear most about employee development are:

  • As a leader, is that my job?
  • What is employee development?
  • Is employee development really that important?
  • How do I develop my employees?
  • What if an employee doesn't want development?
  • What if my company doesn't reward me for developing employees?
  • How do I find the time?
  • What if employees don't like me working to help them develop?
  • Isn't it the role of the company to provide training and development?

Let me answer them one at a time.

Related: 4 Ways to Successfully Develop Employees Year-Round

1. As a leader, is that my job?

Yes. It is absolutely positively your job as a leader to maximize the effectiveness of each person who reports to you, and that means committing to employee development. As John Quincy Adams once said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

2. What is employee development?

It's simply the process of working with and coaching each individual employee to help them develop the knowledge, skills and competencies they need to reach their professional goals. As Jim Rohn once said, "A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better."

3. Is employee development really that important?

It is critical, because you can't do it all yourself. You need to get results through others. Gallup reports that organizations that invest in employee development are 11 percent more profitable.

4. How do I develop my employees?

There are many ways to develop employees, but in my mind, the most essential one is to have in-depth discussions about where they are professionally, where they want to be and then what they need to work on to get there. Then develop an action plan toward those ends.

5. What if an employee doesn't want development?

Yes, it's true that some employees don't want -- or don't think that they need -- development, but even world-class athletes still have coaches. Your job is to sell them on why they need development and how it will benefit them.

6. What if my company doesn't reward me for developing employees?

Then do it anyway; be the rebel. You will get better results, have less turnover and a high level of morale. As Jack Welch once said, "Before you become a leader, success is all about growing yourself. After you become a leader, success is about growing others."

7. How do I find the time?

I know you are busy, but you have to make and invest the time in developing each employee. It pays off in the long term. In fact, you can tell employees that, yes, you are busy, but you are investing the time to help them grow.

8. What if employees don't like me working to help them develop?

Sometimes, employees view development as punitive, not developmental, often based on negative experiences with leadership. It is up to you to build their trust in the process.

Related: Why So Many Businesses Mess Up Employee Development

9. Isn't it the role of the company to provide training and development?

Yes, it the company's role to provide training, which can be a resource, but overall employee development is the leader's responsibility. As Dr. Steve Kerr once said, "If you want something to happen, you have to make people able, and you have to make them want to."

Shawn Doyle

President, New Light Learning and Development Inc.

Shawn Doyle is a professional speaker, author and executive coach. He is the president of New Light Learning & Development, a company that specializes in training and leadership-development programs.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.