Professional Development & Emotional Wellness

Did you know that having "opportunities to develop professionally" is the reason 94% of employees stay with companies? How are you investing in your own professional development and the professional development of each of your team members?

If you're a team leader, one of your greatest responsibilities is to prioritize the professional development of your team.

Why is prioritizing the development of your team important?

When you invest in professional development opportunities for your people, you're not just building greater leadership capacity and individual-level skills. You're fostering a culture of continuous growth which results in higher levels of employee engagement, team performance and business innovation.

Professional development:

• increases job satisfaction and retention.

• sparks new ideas and perspectives.

• leads to improved performance and productivity.

And, supporting your team's growth doesn't have to be complicated.

Consider both formal and informal kinds of professional development opportunities.

Formal opportunities to support your team’s growth can include:

• attending / presenting at a conference

• participating in a management / leadership training program

• professional skills certificates

• technical skills training

• essential skills training, like communication and emotional intelligence

• attending workshops offered by your HR department or other groups

Informal opportunities can include internal efforts such as:

• assigning a team member to be an "on-boarding buddy" to a new employee

• encouraging informal mentoring

• leveraging internal learning platforms (like LinkedIN Learning)

• having team debriefs and feedback session (using a coaching approach)

• maximizing 1:1 meetings with direct reports by focusing on getting to know them and their short-term and long-term professional goals

Intention leads to creation - every step you take adds value to their careers and to your organization.

So, how are you investing in your team's professional development? 

October is Emotional Wellness Month

Also, please join me in raising awareness that October is Emotional Wellness Month - a reminder to help yourself and others be mindful about emotional wellness.

Emotional wellness refers to "understanding and acceptance of your emotions and your ability to manage effectively through challenges and change," according to the National Center for Emotional Wellness.

Emotional wellness also includes handling stress in a healthy way and building positive relationships. It means regularly taking a moment to check in with ourselves and those around us.

What does that look like in practice?

• Practicing gratitude daily (resets your mindset and perspective)

• Reaching out to a loved one (connection is your fuel!)

• Spending time in nature (don't underestimate its healing power)

• Paying attention to how you're using your time (does it align with what's most important to you?)

• Taking three deep breaths and pausing to do relaxation exercises

• Opting-in to meaningful conversation instead of surface level exchanges

If you're a team leader, be intentional about leaning into prioritizing your team's emotional wellness by first modeling it for them through your own words and actions. Log-off on time, don't respond outside of work hours unless completely necessary, schedule your doctor appointments, take your sick days and encourage others to do the same.

Cheers to you and prioritizing your wellness this month (and every month)!