One simple way to retain your best people.
It isn't nice to give a gift to someone only to take it away again. It's like breaking a promise. It feels like an insult or a rebuff.
The following story is about a person I met recently. He was seeking to do some professional development he had been encouraged to do by his manager.
The manager offered feedback in the annual performance review around a year ago and suggested he seek some paid support to help him grow his leadership skills.
He gathered quotes and collected the information he had been told was required. He took it to the organisation's leaders and patiently awaited approval.
What happened next?
Almost a year later, nearly time for his following review, he got an answer. He had the approval to proceed, but the budget wasn't high enough to meet the program cost he had sourced. And it was no longer on offer on the same basis.
Maybe this was a rookie error. Perhaps this person should have found out their budget scope and decision timeline from the outset.
However, you can imagine his disappointment and deflation (to say the least) on getting this response after such a long wait.
What transpired? He was asked to pay for some of the development himself. Ouch.
Don't get me wrong. I'm all for people investing in their development. I wrote a book about it.
But what struck me about this person was how shattered he was by this seemingly broken promise.
He felt let down by his direct manager and by the organisation's leaders. He had taken his request through three layers in the establishment. Almost a year had gone by before he got a decision.
A decision about something they had asked him to do – on an amount under $1500 – and well within most managers' delegations.
If you are a leader of other people, please don't set people up like this.
Please don't take them through their annual review, encourage them to undertake development, send them away to gather information, make them wait months for a decision, and give them fewer resources than required to cover the cost.
It's unfair and unreasonable. It's a broken promise and feels like you have taken away a gift.
Times have been tight in lots of companies. There's no question business has been hurting.
But there's no excuse for an example like this one. This is a surefire way to have your best people leave - as fast as they can find their next job.
Be encouraging. Be truthful about the budget scope and decision time frames. Be upfront if you think people may need to cover some of the costs of their development. It's a good thing for them to do.
Don't use performance appraisals to give people feedback yet deny them the very opportunity you've encouraged them to undertake.
It's the simplest things that help you retain your best staff - like honesty, clarity, timeliness and care.
Exactly the way you'd like to be treated by your boss. To feel valued.
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P.S. True leadership is about honesty, clarity, and supporting your team’s growth genuinely. If you're an executive interested in exploring how leadership coaching can transform your approach and ensure your team feels valued and supported, I invite you to book a 20 minute call with me here or reach out via email here. Let's unlock your full potential together.