Back when I was still in corporate, I gave some serious thought to potentially going the Human Resource route. Besides loving fixing systemic inefficiencies, one of my other favorite to-dos on the job was the training component. Still to this day, I’m mind boggled at why companies don’t have more robust training and professional development budgets for their people. The places that invested in me as a professional quite honestly, got more of my loyalty and time.
It seems like common sense to me, but I guess I could also understand the line of thinking that has people thinking that increased support for professional development leads to higher turnover rates, but honestly I just haven’t seen that that study actually exists anywhere. In fact, you’re more likely to find the opposite to be true – people stay where they’re happiest.
Back in 2016, I had the honor of being selected to present/speak at IDEATE as part of the NCSHRM State Council conference in Asheville, NC. The theme was “Lead Differently” and we challenged human resource professionals and other business leaders to rethink how they engage and motivate staff and colleagues. Here’s my talk in full from the way-back time machine:
https://youtu.be/z5-5JbWvh9Y
Takeaways?
– Authenticity matters. Principle-led leaders want to be in principle-led spaces.
– Invest in your people. It’s a REALLY smart way to make sure you see a longer sustaining ROI in the long-term and it ripples out into their families, neighborhoods, communities, schools and the whole ecosystem is better for it.
– Consider beefing up your professional development budget, or hey! Make one.
Lead, Differently.
