Supporting Growth Opportunities
NALS is committed to providing meaningful opportunities for candidates to enhance their skills. Growth opportunities aren’t just about moving up a ladder; they are about expanding the “surface area” of what a person can contribute and achieve.
Framework for Individual Growth
To support someone’s development, we need to understand where they are and where they want to go. A common mistake is assuming everyone wants the same type of “growth.”
- Vertical Growth; traditional promotions and increased authority
- Lateral Growth; expanding a skill set in a different department or role
- Enrichment; deepening expertise in a current role to become a “Subject Matter Expert” (SME)
Practical Support Strategies
- Stretching Assignments; assign a project that is 10-20% above a current skill level
- Exposure; observe higher level meetings and see decision making processes
- Feedback Loops; move from annual reviews to “micro-feedback” allowing for real-time coaching
- Skill Support; offering access to expanding skills
Creating the Right Environment
Growth is stunted in environments where failure is continual punished. To support true expansion, the culture and environment must include:
- Psychological Safety; allowing people to feel safe to ask “stupid” questions or try a new method that may fail
- The 70-20-10 Model; recognizing that 70% of growth happens through on-the-job experience, 20% through social learning (mentors), and only 10% through formal training.
- Autonomy; giving people the “what” (the goal) but allowing people to figure out the “how” (the process).
Supporting growth is less about “teaching” and more about “clearing the path.” Our job at NALS is to remove the bottlenecks that prevent people from reaching their potential.