Lessons I Learnt from Three Bosses
5th May 2022
Like many I have had several bosses in my career that stood out for all of the right reasons. While they were all different ‘leaders’, they shared one key quality – the ability to develop people.
With Blair, Ron and Mark, they recognised that growth was both a motivating factor and essential if the organisation was to thrive in the future. They never left feedback and performance planning to the annual performance review. In fact, an annual review had little emphasis placed on it. Instead, feedback and development conversations were part of the everyday working life.
Blair, Ron and Mark were adept at spotting the teachable moment and using it as a catalyst for a timely conversation. The conversation was based on a series of questions rather than a sermon. It was no surprise to me that these conversations would happen. Why? Firstly, they were explicit in their desire to develop me and that they saw this as a key part of their role. Secondly, they walked the talk. These conversations happened regularly, and I became conditioned to expect them and to know the kind of events that would trigger them, i.e. after a sales call, a presentation, or anytime I walked into Ron’s office with a problem. Thirdly, they focused on my development in a completely altruistic way, with their best intentions to help me achieve more than they had.
To sum it up, the feedback I received from Blair, Ron and Mark throughout my career was direct, specific, and delivered with compassion. They:
- Communicated to their team that they intended to develop them.
- Walked the talk. Having indicated their intent to develop us, they followed through and proactively engaged with us in development conversations and activities.
- Were selfless in how they developed people. They were happy to help you grow beyond their own capability.
Now, consider your own leadership practice. What percentage of your time do you dedicate to proactively developing your people? Do conversations about development happen just at the annual performance review? How important do you think it is to the people in your team that they are developed?
