How to Develop Your Employees
Developing people is one of the strongest retention tools a leader has, and one of the most neglected. It does not require a big budget. It requires attention.
To develop your employees, talk with each person about their goals, build a simple development plan together, give stretch assignments with support, provide regular feedback and coaching, create chances to learn from others, recognize growth and give people visibility. Development is one of the most effective ways to keep good people, and most of it happens in ordinary conversations rather than formal programs.
Development is one of the biggest gaps in most workplaces. LinkedIn Learning found that only 15% of employees say their manager helped them build a career plan in the past six months, and Gallup found that only 32% of U.S. employees say they had opportunities to learn and grow at work in the past year.
At the same time, LinkedIn Learning found that providing learning opportunities is organizations’ top retention strategy. People stay where they are growing. Here is how to make development part of how you lead.
Seven ways to develop your people
- Ask about their goals. Where do they want to go?
- Build a simple plan. Two or three skills, a few actions.
- Assign stretch work. With support and check-ins.
- Coach regularly. Feedback in the flow of work.
- Connect them with others. Mentors, peers, shadowing.
- Recognize growth. Not just results.
- Give visibility. Let them present their work.
Start with their goals
Development works best when it is tied to what the person wants. Ask where they want to be in a year or three, what they enjoy most and what they want to get better at. Some want leadership. Others want mastery in their current role. Both deserve development.
Build a simple plan together
A development plan does not need to be a formal document. Pick two or three skills to build, a few specific actions for each and a date to check in. Keep it visible and revisit it in one-on-ones. See How to Run a One-on-One Meeting.
Use stretch assignments
Most growth happens on the job. Give people projects slightly beyond their current skills, with clear support. Leading a meeting, owning a client relationship or training a new hire are all development opportunities that cost nothing.
Coach in the flow of work
Gallup found that 48% of employees who get manager feedback weekly or more are engaged, versus 5% of those who get it annually or less. Short, regular coaching conversations do more than annual reviews ever will. See Coaching Questions for Managers.
Develop leaders before they have the title
For people who want to lead, I build development plans centered on developing the people around them, because that requires no title. When the team already sees someone as a leader, the promotion becomes an easy decision. See Potential vs. Performance.
Developing people is part of You Are Capable of More: Leadership and You Are Capable of a Better Culture. For the bigger picture, read Human Potential: A Complete Guide.
People stay where they grow. Ask about their goals, build a simple plan together, use stretch assignments, coach regularly, connect them with others, recognize growth and give visibility. Most development happens in ordinary conversations, not formal programs.
Frequently asked questions
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What should be in an employee development plan?
Does employee development require a training budget?
You Are Capable of More
A No-Excuses Guide to Becoming Your Best Self. The bestselling book behind Chris’s keynotes and the 2026 Paris Book Festival winner in the How-To category. Many teams hand a copy to every seller at their kickoff.
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Chris Sund speaks on this in You Are Capable of More: Leadership and You Are Capable of a Better Culture, for conferences, leadership teams and company meetings.
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