Leveling Up: Why Growth Matters to EX
- Mary Beth Crawford
- Oct 7, 2024
- 2 min read
tEEmatters, LLC Tip #5 on Improving EX
We spend our days chasing targets, striving to hit the numbers, and checking boxes to get our yearly review. And then, one day, we get that promotion only to realize it’s the wrong type of growth. In fact, we’ve been climbing the wrong ladder.
This is the fifth post in my series on how leaders can impact employee experience. Last time, we talked about recognition; today, it’s all about growth.
How does it feel when we’re encouraged to keep developing and expanding our skills? How does it feel when opportunities to learn are stifled? Growth opportunities have an outsized impact on engagement and retention. Employees want to know their full potential can be realized.
I once had a leader who gave me a piece of advice that has served me well: always look for - and seize! - opportunities to learn and grow. It was permission to take risks, make mistakes, look across (and not just up), and become more than I was the day before. That simple advice unlocked new possibilities and set the foundation for my future success. Great leaders support their teams in this way—they push their people to grow, fail forward, continuously seek new challenges, and help them find new opportunities. I’ve been blessed to have had a few such leaders, and my engagement skyrocketed as a result.
One of my team members once gave me a framed quote by John Quincy Adams that still hangs in my office:
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams
This quote perfectly captures the essence of what leadership is all about.
As leaders, we should all strive to create an environment where people are empowered to take on new challenges. Where fresh perspectives are valued. Where people are rewarded for initiative, not just results.
Imagine if everyone on your team woke up excited to push themselves. That’s the type of culture that breeds innovation.
So ask yourself: What can I do to encourage growth? How can I help my team level up? The answers will lead to better business outcomes and human outcomes.
Ready to help your team level up? Contact me today to learn how tEEmatters can help you foster a culture of growth and development.
410-963-3971
