The role of leaders and managers in developing talent is more critical than ever, as they are responsible for creating environments where employees feel valued and motivated to grow. Effective leadership ensures that development strategies align with the organization's goals and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Providing regular and constructive feedback, enhancing leadership effectiveness, and closing skills gaps are essential to successful talent development. Leaders and managers must advocate for talent development and actively participate in creating and sustaining these initiatives.

Developing talent requires strategic planning, clear communication, and understanding individual and organizational needs. Leaders must also adapt to rapid changes in the business environment to understand the new skills required and effectively guide talent development. Additionally, by supporting employees' mental health and well-being, they create an environment where productivity and engagement can thrive, further enhancing the overall development of their teams.

Perspectives from Thought Leaders on How to Develop Talent

To provide actionable insights on this crucial topic, we have gathered perspectives from thought leaders who have successfully led their organizations through developing talent. Their advice highlights the essential strategies and approaches leaders and managers can employ to ensure their teams are equipped to grow and succeed.

Ramona Shaw
Founder at Archova

Engaging leaders and managers in creating effective learning and development programs is essential for their growth and the organization's success. To do this effectively:

• Tailor programs to their specific stages in their leadership journey. For instance, new managers benefit the most from comprehensive, structured training that covers all the foundational skills they need without just piecing together random parts of learning. As they advance, leaders must focus on skills like managing other managers, stepping back from day-to-day tasks, and building stronger cross-organizational relationships.
  
  
• Ensure the format of these programs is appropriate since this plays a crucial role in their effectiveness. Large groups can be intimidating, particularly for those who are introverted or less confident, leading to missed opportunities for engagement. In contrast, small groups of about 4-8 people offer a more intimate and supportive environment. Here, leaders can safely share and discuss challenges and benefit from peer support, enhancing the social learning experience. This approach makes the learning more relevant and engaging and helps ensure that the development is meaningful and impactful for each leader's unique growth journey.
  
  

To ensure that leaders and managers personalize development plans to individual needs and preferences, it's important to develop strong self-awareness about their natural strengths, the tendencies they might overdo in their leadership roles, and the areas where they need further growth. Often, I notice that new managers are either overly doubtful or overly confident—neither of which is conducive to becoming an effective leader. 

Leaders who are overly doubtful need to recognize and fully leverage their existing skills without hesitation, understanding that they have valuable contributions to make. On the other hand, overly confident leaders should strive for more humility and self-reflection to understand better how others perceive them and how their actions might unintentionally have a negative impact on their team. For instance, a decisive leader with strong opinions might inadvertently stifle a collaborative environment, discouraging team members from sharing their ideas or challenging the leader’s views. This can prevent the team from making important decisions that could lead to better outcomes. By balancing confidence with humility, leaders can create a more inclusive and dynamic environment where all voices are heard and valued.

Encouraging continuous learning and career growth among employees is critical for long-term success. Leaders and managers can do this by:

• Providing meaningful feedback, including recognition. It's crucial for leaders to develop the skill of giving constructive feedback and regularly acknowledging employees' efforts and achievements in a specific manner.
  
  
• Investing time in genuinely understanding and listening to each employee's career aspirations, what they hope to gain from their current role, and their envisioned next steps. With this insight, managers can tailor their feedback to help employees understand how acting on the feedback will contribute to reaching their goals.
  
  
• Fostering a work environment where mistakes and failures are viewed as opportunities for growth and learning. While it's necessary to address and resolve issues, placing blame and passing judgment will only discourage employees from taking initiative and exploring new ideas that would help them learn and grow.
  
  
• Setting a strong example is key; when leaders actively engage in their own professional development and share their lessons learned openly, it inspires their team to do the same.

Kristi Learn, SHRM-SCP
Founder at ACTIVE HR HUB

Attracting, engaging, and retaining top talent is fundamental to creating an influential HR department while fostering a dedicated employee base and successful business. Employees become more committed and engaged when managers empower their team members to take ownership of their professional development. A personalized Professional Development Plan (PDP) provides the structure, accountability, and supportive conversations needed for this process. While a PDP can significantly advance the organization’s goals, it should be inspired and created by the employee, with the manager's role being to guide and support. A straightforward PDP, spanning 12-24 months, offers ample opportunity for substantial personal growth alongside meaningful business impact.

The PDP process includes five essential steps: 

1. Assessing current knowledge, skills, and job competencies.
2. Evaluating employee interests and company needs to identify areas of focus.
3. Developing an action plan based on the skills gap.
4. Identifying resources needed to achieve milestones.
5. Providing continuous coaching and support to overcome obstacles.

Regularly reviewing and updating the PDP is crucial to ensure it remains aligned with the employee’s evolving goals and the organization's changing priorities. These steps provide a consistent approach for managers to balance individual and business objectives. Well-structured PDPs support personal growth and drive organizational success, unlocking employees' full potential and leading to a more committed and high-performing workforce.

Other Articles in the Series on How to Develop Talent

Gaining impactful advice from leaders and managers is crucial, but it is also essential to consider other aspects of development. This includes understanding the lessons learned in developing talent and recognizing the critical cultural elements needed to support this process. Together, these perspectives offer a comprehensive framework for organizations aiming to develop talent successfully.

Enabling Practices and Resources

Emerging Learning and Development Practices to Provide Tailored Learning Solutions and Drive Business Results.

The Learning and Development function is a highly sophisticated and direct contributor to business success. It can become a trusted and proactive performance improvement partner, with solutions created and adapted to the specific needs of targeted audiences at the individual, team, and organization levels.

Conducting Performance Consulting-based Learning Needs Assessments for Specialized Solutions.

“Performance Consulting” is the act of resolving workplace performance shortcomings by using a disciplined approach to learning needs assessments.

Leveraging Design Thinking and Rapid Prototyping for Fast, More Employee-centered, and Responsive Learning and Development.

Design Thinking is defined as “an iterative process in which we seek to understand the user, challenge assumptions, and redefine problems in an attempt to identify alternative strategies and solutions that might not be instantly apparent with our initial level of understanding.”