Learn how to foster a culture of learning and growth among your team members in higher education, and help them enhance their skills, confidence, and creativity.

As I meet with my team regularly, in a 1:1 capacity as well as collectively, I seek thematic considerations that suggest their professional desires and aspirations. I spend time building upon what I hear and offering suggestions for professional engagement, both on campus as well as externally. This may be in the form of creating a new workshop, or instructing a course, or being involved in a professional organization, writing a journal article, setting up coffee chats to learn more about a potential stretch assignment, etc. It begins with listening to what would be helpful for them, encouraging them to take risks and getting out of their way and not feeling threatened by the success trajectory they are pursuing.

How can you support your team's professional development?

Professional development is essential for any team in higher education, as it helps them stay updated, motivated, and effective in their roles. However, supporting your team's professional development can be challenging, especially in times of limited resources, changing demands, and diverse needs. How can you foster a culture of learning and growth among your team members, and help them achieve their goals and aspirations? Here are some tips to consider.

1 Assess their needs

The first step to supporting your team's professional development is to understand their current skills, interests, and gaps. You can do this by conducting regular performance reviews, surveys, or interviews, and asking them about their strengths, weaknesses, and ambitions. You can also use tools such as competency frameworks, skill matrices, or self-assessments to help them identify their areas of improvement and potential. By assessing their needs, you can tailor your support to suit their individual and collective needs, and align them with the organizational objectives and expectations.

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Dr. Stephanie Helms Pickett

Vice Chancellor, Equity, Belonging & Culture
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As I meet with my team regularly, in a 1:1 capacity as well as collectively, I seek thematic considerations that suggest their professional desires and aspirations. I spend time building upon what I hear and offering suggestions for professional engagement, both on campus as well as externally. This may be in the form of creating a new workshop, or instructing a course, or being involved in a professional organization, writing a journal article, setting up coffee chats to learn more about a potential stretch assignment, etc. It begins with listening to what would be helpful for them, encouraging them to take risks and getting out of their way and not feeling threatened by the success trajectory they are pursuing.

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2 Provide opportunities

The next step is to provide your team with various opportunities to learn, grow, and apply their skills. You can do this by offering them access to relevant courses, workshops, webinars, or mentoring programs, either internally or externally. You can also encourage them to participate in projects, committees, or networks that expose them to new challenges, perspectives, and collaborations. You can also support their informal learning by creating a space for knowledge sharing, feedback, and reflection among your team members. By providing opportunities, you can help your team enhance their competencies, confidence, and creativity.

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3 Recognize their achievements

The third step is to recognize your team's achievements and celebrate their progress. You can do this by giving them positive and constructive feedback, acknowledging their efforts and contributions, and rewarding their outcomes and impacts. You can also showcase their work and success stories to other teams, leaders, or stakeholders, and help them build their reputation and visibility. You can also support their career advancement by helping them set realistic and meaningful goals, and providing them with guidance and resources to achieve them. By recognizing their achievements, you can help your team feel valued, motivated, and inspired.

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4 Address their challenges

The fourth step is to address your team's challenges and support them through difficulties. You can do this by being aware of their struggles and frustrations, listening to their concerns and complaints, and offering them solutions and alternatives. You can also help them cope with stress, burnout, or conflict by providing them with emotional support, wellness resources, or mediation services. You can also foster a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration among your team members, and help them resolve any issues or misunderstandings. By addressing their challenges, you can help your team overcome obstacles, learn from mistakes, and grow from feedback.

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5 Involve them in decisions

The fifth step is to involve your team in decisions that affect their professional development. You can do this by seeking their input and feedback on the design, delivery, and evaluation of the learning opportunities and resources that you provide. You can also empower them to make choices and take ownership of their own learning paths and goals. You can also consult them on the changes, innovations, or improvements that you plan to implement in your team or organization, and help them adapt and contribute to them. By involving them in decisions, you can help your team feel engaged, respected, and responsible.

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Essuman Kelvin

Data Field Officer -IBES 🇬🇭// mathematics // Statistics// ALX fellow// Paralegal
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Democracy has gone a long way to prove its sustainable benefit in leadership.. In an organization where every member is considered a crucial in decision making is an organization that tends to make positive outputs. They simply gives each member that unique identity and provides room for members to showcase their leadership capabilities.. Despite some decision must be taken keenly without them.. it is equally important to integrate their decision with the companys'

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6 Model the behavior

The sixth and final step is to model the behavior that you want to see in your team. You can do this by demonstrating your own commitment to professional development, and sharing your own learning experiences, insights, and outcomes. You can also show your curiosity, openness, and enthusiasm for new ideas, perspectives, and opportunities, and encourage your team to do the same. You can also exemplify the values, standards, and expectations that you have for your team, and hold yourself accountable for them. By modeling the behavior, you can help your team emulate your example, and foster a culture of learning and growth.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Ghurmallah Alghamdi

Former president of the Arab Open University Kingdom of Bahrain ( August 2019 to June 2024 ).
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Employees in any organisation are divided into two types. Those who do the bare minimum ,who work for salary only & those who are loyal and have new initiatives for the institution . While its important to motivate those who do the minimum by encouraging them to do more it's more important to give those with initiatives the chance to develop in terms of skills as well as personal development in addition of course to grant them promotion and or financial rewards . Prior to that you need to identify what type of advanced training they would need based on the type & the nature of their work. This way you encourage those two types of employees to compete with one another.At the end this will pay off for the organisation.

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Ed Kim

I'm a Leadership Coach | Organizational & Talent Development | Adjunct Professor who works with individuals and teams that are motivated to have a better experience at work. #WorkBetterLiveBetter
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IMO the foundation is to be curious and interested in who they are and what they want. Development isn’t cookie cutter it needs to take into account the uniqueness of the person and the overall goals in career and life that they want.

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How can you support your team's professional development?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess their needs

2 Provide opportunities

3 Recognize their achievements

4 Address their challenges

5 Involve them in decisions

6 Model the behavior

7 Here’s what else to consider

Higher Education

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How can you support your team's professional development?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess their needs

2 Provide opportunities

3 Recognize their achievements

4 Address their challenges

5 Involve them in decisions

6 Model the behavior

7 Here’s what else to consider

Higher Education

Rate this article

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