By Christine Pienaar We know you didn’t choose this value, but we thought we would add it into your report anyway. Consider it a little nugget of insider-knowledge, a tip-off about the current and future world of work.
Development and growth are becoming more and more important as an employee value proposition in the shifting business landscape. You may be familiar with the phenomenon many are calling the ‘Great Resignation’, or ‘Great Reshuffle’, in which employees are leaving organisations and settling in companies that value what they value, and treat them well. The best talent is landing in organisations that promise to improve them. So the value of development has become a key strategic advantage for companies who want to attract and retain top talent, and boost employee engagement (Gallup, n.d).
The bottom line is that if you want to attract and retain the kinds of team members that will help you grow (the product, the service offering and ultimately the bottom line) you need to be a company that will grow them as well, in all areas of life and work – technically and emotionally.
Self-Actualisation
Is the “willingness to persistently try to improve oneself and engage in the pursuit of personally relevant and meaningful objectives that lead to a rich and enjoyable life” (MHS, 2011). Essentially this is all about enabling your team to reach their full potential, as individuals and as a collective. As a leader, this might look like investing time in the individuals in your team – asking them what their goals are and where they are going. Or it could mean coming alongside them, cheering them on and at times equipping them with what they need to level-up.
Independence
Is “the ability to be self directed and free from emotional dependency on others” (MHS, 2011). This is a crucial element of development in that it promotes taking initiative and not waiting for others to develop you. The way we perceive ourselves and our power to act can have a significant impact on whether or not we reach our full potential. Some of your team members may be caught up in a cycle of Learned Helplessness, where they believe they are helpless in being able to make a significant impact in the situations they face at work (Seligman & Maier, 1967). Part of developing independence is unlearning this way of viewing yourself in relation to the world.
