Supporting Staff

As managers, one of our most important responsibilities is to bring out the best in individuals, thus contributing to the achievement of organizational goals. The challenge for us is that different people need different kinds of support.

• New staff members obviously need support to learn new roles and new job skills. Although a few people thrive in a "sink or swim" environment, most people come up to speed much more quickly with good training. Asking a more experienced member of staff to be a "buddy" can work if both people are outgoing and willing to share. In all circumstances, we need to frequently check with the new staff member to ensure that knowledge is being acquired and put into practice.
• Staff with a good base of experience need opportunities to achieve more complex goals and learn more sophisticated skills. They will want upgraded training and feedback. Anyone who is content to just rely on their existing skills will eventually be out-of-date and possibly without a job. Encouragement should be given to these staff, but notice should be taken of unwillingness to grow and change.
• Even the most expert staff members need support. We rely on these staff to work on their own, advance organizational interests, make good decisions, and seek opinions or advice when required. This welcome independence can lead us to forget that they need acknowledgement of their accomplishments. The best approach is to voice our genuine respect for their work and to involve them in special tasks requiring creative analysis and problem solving.

To everyone, support is personal and individual. As managers, the more comfortable we are with assessing needs and providing appropriate support, the more likely it is that staff will produce results that make us shine in our own profession.