I am a big believer in educated decisions. If I don’t take the time to educate an employee, they won’t be making an educated decision. It the manager’s job to teach, train, educate… the people that work for them. Anyone in a position of leadership cannot expect anyone they are leading to magically get anything that has not been thoroughly explained.
Too many leaders forget that their job is to actually lead. The daily minutia of a job can overburden leaders to the point they forget that solid training of the people around them can lessen the burden that comes along with leading. This is more the norm in business then the exception. The best in any industry get this, the rest keep struggling to get thru the day wondering why they don’t get where they want to go?
Training is a great tool that also keeps you on top of your game. You can’t teach what you don’t know. By elevating your workers, you are ensuring that you are current too.
You can’t freestyle training. Training needs to be a system. Everyone needs to get the same info to ensure quality control.
Training has to elevate, not make people feel stupid. No matter how easy or how complicated, be thorough, allow questions and communicate clearly to the audience at hand.
Appreciate the power in training. Recognize that the people you are training will be representing you, your brand, and ultimately be the one’s that ensure you still have a job at the end of the day.
The best leaders are the best communicators and delegators. Leaders lead from the front as necessary but realize delegating shows confidence and allows for employees to gain experience.
If you find yourself doing everything, re-evaluate how you are training your staff. You are most likely not training or training in a way that does not inspire the confidence needed to accomplish tasks.
“My own definition of leadership is this: The capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence.” —General Montgomery
Brian Wright