June 5, 2019
One of the biggest contributions to the success of your new business is staff growth and professional development.
As an entrepreneur, one of the most challenging tasks is finding the right staff for your needs. Once the new staff is hired, most business owners simply move down their to-do list and check off that task as complete. This default move does not mean your role as an owner/manager is now a static title. Employees have ideas and personal needs, including one of the most universal: recognition at their job. One of the greatest gifts that you can give to your business is to train your employees to aspire to the next level.
Guiding a Program Assistant who helps with school pick-up and homework into leading a science experiment or class is a prime example of this technique. Your Program Assistant will feel empowered, trusted, and ultimately stimulate their interest in professional growth.
If you choose to hire your own Program Director to run your franchise instead of assuming that role, the benefits of succession planning are even more apparent. They are the eyes and ears of your community so treat them as such. Introduce them to your school contacts, PTA member contacts, that you have already carefully cultivated. Clearly state your expectations to your PD and give them a small task, broken into manageable chunks. You could ask them to draft an email introduction about your Positive Ally. Ask your PD for their ideas to partner with the area schools. Be sure to give positive feedback first. Then ask them to reword a sentence or two to make it sound more professional, grammatically correct, etc. The idea is to give them an achievable challenge, positive feedback with suggestions for changes and, ultimately, the pride of a job well done.
The key to succession planning is delegation. After all, you hired and trust this person, so give them a little push to grow. Like every human on the planet, your employees want to be seen and heard. Let go of the reins a little and let them surprise you with what they bring to the table with their fresh approach and enthusiasm.