Like many parents, my Saturday mornings are devoted to kids’ activities.  This time of year, it’s basketball.  If you’ve ever seen 6 year olds playing basketball, you’d probably agree that it’s not quite like watching the pros.  No sophisticated plays.  Just a bunch of kids eager for their turn to dribble the ball and shoot a basket.  As they scramble for a turn, the young players often seem to be competing with their own teammates.  As the ball comes down the court, all the kids clamber for attention.  Arms up, the yelling begins.  “Throw it to me!”  “I’m open, I’m open.”  “Throw it to me!”  “Pass it!  Pass it!”  This past week I had to laugh as one teammate stood inches from the boy with the ball, waving his arms and yelling in his face “Ian!  Ian!  Ian!”

It may take a few years before these kids will learn to truly function as a team.  It’s not easy to pass the ball.

Your employees are probably a little more subtle.  But don’t they really want the same thing?  We all want a chance to contribute – our opportunity to shine.  Yet many managers struggle to fully leverage the skills on their team.  Caught up in the day to day, they may forget to take time to develop employees, provide challenging “stretch” assignments, or take a risk with an employee’s innovative idea.

• Fewer than half (44%) of all employees give their boss tops scores on “encouraging people to participate when they can make a contribution.”
• Even fewer (35%) say their boss excels at “taking appropriate risks in letting others make decisions.”
• Just over half (around 60%) say their job provides an opportunity to do what they do best (while only 21% strongly agree with this statement).
• 61% agree that they are recognized when they do good work.
• Fewer than half of all employees say they feel good about opportunities for career growth and development with their company.

I’ve heard managers complain that 80% of the work is done by 20% of their staff.  A few key team members do all the work.  And what do employees say?  Many report that the boss has favorites – a few select employees who get all the choice projects.  Those who don’t get selected, eventually give up.  And those selected for those “special projects” often feel their hard work is rewarded with more work.

Like a good coach, a good manager understands the strengths of each individual employee and uses those strengths to the benefit of the team.  Taking time to understand and develop those strengths does take time – but the payoff comes with a better performing team and a more committed workforce.  And who knows – you might even work up the nerve to pass the ball.

Anna Erickson Ph. D. | Director, Consulting Services