A sure sign of a good supervisor is the professional growth of their staff.
A few weeks ago, we learned about CDCR’s Upward Mobility Program (UMP). As part of its commitment to providing growth opportunity for employees, UMP has also provided resources for supervisors to guide their staff toward success.
Learn more about UMP in this video, by checking out the UMP page on the CDCR Intranet, or at https://www.calhr.ca.gov/state-hr-professionals/Pages/Upward-Mobility.aspx.
Watch the YouTube video (may not play on a CDCR computer).
TRANSCRIPT
Tony Subia
In the words of Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin group, and recognized as a top leader, “Train people well enough so that they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
What does he mean by this?
Hi, I’m Tony Subia and I’m the Staff Services Manager II in the Advanced Learning Institute and Employee Development Programs Unit.
The Employee Development Programs Unit includes Upward Mobility, Workforce Planning, and Succession Management.
Direct supervisors play an integral part in the development of their employees, including those employees that may be participating in one of our programs.
The following message will provide information on how you can be supportive to your staff in ways that will engage them and encourage them to continue working in CDCR.
Martie Goodson
Hi, I am Martie Goodson and I manage the Employee Development Programs in CDCR.
I will introduce you to the concept of career development and the importance of your role as a supervisor to assist your staff in this area.
The National Career Development Association defines career development as the total constellation of factors that combine to influence the nature and significance of work of any given individual.
This may sound daunting, because it is.
The Employee Development Programs Unit is here to assist staff at various levels of their career to achieve their own personal career goals.
The unit is also here to provide guidance to supervisors with their endeavor to develop and provide a supportive foundation for their staff.
Today we will address four tools to assist supervisors with fostering a learning and growing environment: on-the-job instruction or training, one-on-one meetings, individual development plans, and career development plans.
Tony will provide further details for the four tools and I will be back to provide suggestions for action.
Subia
Now let’s explore the four tools available to you as a supervisor in the area of your responsibility to develop your staff.
One: on-the-job instruction, also known as OJT.
OJT can be conducted by a peer and facilitated by the supervisor; this provides growth opportunities for both peers and contributes to a better understanding of the work performed.
This method not only benefits the peers, but the entire team.
OJT can also be provided by the supervisor directly, an example might involve a supervisor conducting training regarding an area which they’re a subject matter expert.
Two: one-on-one meetings.
If you’re not already utilizing this tool, you should seriously consider starting.
Experts tell us that nothing beats a face-to-face meeting.
This act will show the employee you value them and demonstrate a commitment to helping staff develop and grow.
Principles of effective one-on-one meetings include: beginning each meeting with a win to create positive energy; be curious; listen to concerns and provide feedback to solve problems; if you plan on touching on professional development, make sure to provide a heads up to allow the employee time for reflection and thought.
Do your best not to cancel the meeting, show your employee that they are important and take priority.
Do not be rigid – an agenda is good, but be flexible and do not forget to say thank you for their time and contributions.
Three: individual development plans.
We often refer to individual development plans as IDPs.
It’s not mandatory to create an IDP annually; however, it can be considered a best practice and provide guidance to professional development.
The IDP has a focus to developing skills to stay current in a particular job.
The employee can draft their own IDP to include elements of their own performance objectives, their goals for the next year, and their plans for achieving those goals.
The supervisor can assist the employee with fine-tuning the IDP and ensuring that the plans are reasonable.
Four: career development plans.
As mentioned, the IDP can help one develop in their current field, a career development plan can lay out a strategy for job movement, either to a different type of work or to one with more responsibility.
There are many career development plan templates available on the Internet.
In general, the following steps will lead to a plan with a course of action: A, explore career options; B, establish goals; C, create an action plan that is realistic; and D, discuss the plan regularly; this can be done during a one-on-one to address progress and obstacles.
Martie will now let you know about the many resources available to assist you as you are supporting your staff in the area of professional development.
Goodson
The theme of this message is to encourage supervisors to provide professional and career development opportunities to their staff.
Not all of us are excellent career development counselors, so the Employee Development Programs Unit is here to assist and provide resources.
As with any topic, a lot of information can be found by searching the Internet. We have also posted information and resources on the CDCRnet.
Starting with the webpage for the Office of Training and Professional Development, you will find links to internal training calendars, free online training resources, and links to external training opportunities.
The Succession Management Program webpage has additional resources, including a helpful guide and knowledge transfer strategies.
The Upward Mobility Program webpage provides links to career self-assessments, tips for job seekers, and a career development plan template.
Thank you for your interest and seeking out information regarding one of the important roles you have as a supervisor.