Personal development and professional mastery, making someone feel as if they are making progress personally, building their skills and equipping them to handle new and challenging situations is a key component of building engagement.

Despite this ambitious and hungry people are seldom adequately prepared for their future role.  Understandably focus is placed on greater competence in the current role or increased volume of output sought.

However, too often a person has little or no experience of the next position until they are promoted into it.  Of course they may have observed the incumbent or possess knowledge of the requirements of the role. They will have ideas on how they intend to operate in the position but how much practical experience and practice have they had prior to day one in the role?

Too often we fail to set people up for success, why?  In the worst cases the manager is afraid their team member may outshine them.  Good meaning managers may feel like they are developing their team by allowing them to act in their role during time away – unfortunately this will not cut it.

Only the opportunity to act in the role itself will truly prepare a person for the day that role is theirs.

Often used as a humorous quip ‘train your relief’ is a constant within Navy culture.  The message is ‘if you want to get off the ship and pursue your next role or that sweet gig ashore you better train your relief’ ie until there is someone to replace you – your stuck here shipmate!

It becomes a key component for every qualified member of the Ship’s company and runs right to the Commanding Officer (CO).  Command State OSCAR is the condition set when the CO hands complete authority for their Ship to the Executive Officer (XO).  Sometimes this will be due to fatigue but often it is part of the professional development plan for the XO. During State OSCAR the CO will take no part in any duties onboard, all decisions will be made by the XO without interference.

Every junior leader on the Ship will be allowing their team members to step up to the next role to practice this position.  Support, coaching and oversight is constant but gradually loosened until the person is able to conduct the role competently.

Truly developing people by giving them opportunities to stretch themselves in aspects of the organisations work above the duties and authority for which they are responsible is the way of the Leader.

Overty and publicly celebrating your peoples successes and growth is the mark of a self-assured and confident Leader.  Providing the opportunities, safety net and encouraging them to have a go where they lack the confidence to step into the unknown is the role of a Leader operating in an organisation which champions Stewardship.

The Leader in an organisation thinking past the next quarter (see Simon Sinek’s excellent discussion on the ‘Infinite Mindset’) will understand the importance of acting as a Steward for the Organisation’s long term future.  Nurturing the future Leaders and setting them up for success must be a key measure of the performance of a Leader and is perhaps the most important aspect of good Stewardship.

Hiding their abilities, suppressing their ambition or at worst taking credit for their excellence are great ways to kill engagement and drive great people out.

It’s a big concept, one which can be scary as it speaks to our own mortality and what traces we will leave behind us when we are gone.  Your professional Legacy should, in a large part, be based on the positive impact you have had in those you have had the privilege to lead. 

Think of your favourite school teachers who had an almost immeasurable impact on your life. Seek to have that impact on the professional lives of those you work with and are responsible for Leading.  Their successes will become part of your Legacy so give them wings and celebrate their flights.

Dedicated to Mr’s Lodge, Cooke and Moore.

That is all

Dickie