Just One Thing

The “Just One Thing” series is predicated on the assumption that change takes place one step at a time. Like throwing a pebble into a pond, your one small action can have a far-reaching ripple effect at work for you, your firm and of course, in your personal life.   

The lowest cost, highest return investment in the workplace is to help someone move closer to realizing his/her professional dream. This is simple and powerful and with creativity, often within your control to pursue for someone on your team.

A manager who serves as the model for this idea understands the economics. “I invest my time in understanding what my team members aspire to become and I invest effort and political capital in creating opportunities that move the individual closer to his/her dream. If the effort requires outside training or exploration I fight like hell for the money. The returns from these efforts and their relatively small monetary investments pay massive dividends for us in our business and for all of us in our lives.”

  • Cost = Close to Nothing
  • Return(s) = The type of stuff you expect when you help people improve their lives. Loyalty, undying gratitude, and the ripple effect of positive goodwill for years to come about you and your firm. A stronger, more dedicated, more motivated employee and workforce. I could keep going here… .

There’s no HR program or developmental section on a review form that is equal to the creativity of one motivated manager who understand the power of helping people accelerate towards their professional or life goals.  It’s not that damned hard and too few managers are personally invested enough in their role and in their responsibility to put the effort forth to positively and profoundly impact the professionals on their teams. This should change with you.

If your resources are constrained or you are closer to the lower-end of the pyramid than the upper, be creative. Deliberate effort on behalf of or in support of another individual is powerful. Work hard to find a well-heeled senior sponsor to support your efforts. Connect people with mentors. Work with your peers to create job-sharing or job exchanges. Be creative with your team management…delegate and empower. Finagle development dollars or again, find the right sponsor to share those dollars. Be creative…but just do something.

It starts with one thing.

Your “Just One Thing” challenge: get to know your team members or an individual well enough to create an extraordinary opportunity for them to explore and move one step closer to their professional dream.

Apply once, watch and learn and repeat often with others!

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For more ideas on professional development-one sound bite at a time, check our Art’s latest collection: Leadership Caffeine-Ideas to Energize Your Professional Development. 

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An ideal book for anyone starting our in leadership: Practical Lessons in Leadership by Art Petty and Rich Petro.

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