Lessons in IT Transformation: Technology Expert to Business Leader

Making Sure a Person Is Better Off for Having Had the Experience

As I previously stated, although some managers are fearful of losing good employees if they provide too much training or developmental opportunities, we owe the people on our teams the opportunity to grow and develop so that they are better off and more fully rounded as people and professionals for having been a part of our organization.

I feel very strongly about this. Most people who leave an organization don't leave because they have had too many opportunities to develop and grow. They leave because they have had too few! Not only is developing a person the responsibility of a leader, but when you help develop your people, you are also a beneficiary of their increased capacity to contribute. You can leverage their expanded skills for the benefit of the larger team. This is a win-win scenario.

The other flaw in this thinking is that the role of a leader is to keep the same people in the same positions for as long as it serves you. Not only is this selfish, but it is also flawed thinking. In every person's evolution, there comes a time when all parties concerned are better off if the person moves on. You should always provide people with expanded opportunities to contribute as they develop their skills. However, at a certain point, you may not be able to provide individuals with the next level of challenge that is appropriate for their professional development. At that point, the best thing is to wish them well as ...