My people were sick of training.  In every meeting, we did some sort of sales training.  The term “sharpening the saw” was being overused.

I agree a dull blade is ineffective.  But, poor sharpening will make the blade duller.  Plus, a blade can be ground down to nothing with too much sharpening.  We had reached the point of diminishing returns. 

Which Blade Needs Sharpened?

I had an experienced team that had been trained and retrained on selling.  Every few years the company contracted with a new consulting group.  As a result, we would try a new and improved sales approach.

Unfortunately training became an event that people saw as a necessary evil versus a vital part of their job.  I believe this attitude stemmed from the training focusing only on specific job skills.

Leadership:  Transcends Business

Too many companies train and retrain people on job capabilities.  This training is important, but it becomes demotivating over time.  The training can be interpreted as “just one more way the boss wants to get more out of me and improve his bottom line.”

I am no longer in the corporate world, because I wanted to help people become better leaders.  I love what I do because I know what I am speaking about and training people on transcends the work place.

If someone becomes a better leader at work because of the time I spend with them, they will be better leaders at home-better husbands, wives, mom’s and dads.  They will also be better leaders in their children’s schools, in their churches and in their communities.

Growth Is Key To Engagement

If I create a better salesperson, a better accountant or a better engineer, will other areas of their life be affected?  Probably not.

I found the best employees want to work for individuals and organizations that help them become a better version of who they are.  That’s why I consistently focused on leadership development for everyone on my team.

Looking back, the years I spent more time on leadership, my teams were more engaged and morale was higher.  When I got away from this type of transcendent growth, engagement suffered.

The Bottom Line:

No matter our role at work, we are all called to lead somewhere – at home, at church, in our communities.  Becoming a better leader at work helps me be better in these other more personal places as well.

Daniel Pink, in his book Drive, points out that people are motivated by the opportunity to grow.  I found that if that growth transcended the work place then motivation increased even more.

Leadership development transcends business.  It is not the only development area that does this.  Training in communication, personality styles, and Emotional Intelligence are all areas I’ve personally witnessed make a difference both inside and outside the workplace.

Whether you lead salespeople, accountants or engineers, leadership development is essential for your team.  It’s essential for your people to be successful and fulfilled at work and successful and fulfilled at home as well.

Question:

What leadership development have you engaged in or helped your people engage in in the last 6 months?