1. Celebrate goal achievement; reward and recognize success promptly. This doesn’t have to be elaborate – sometimes a simple thank you and acknowledgement in front of their peers will suffice. People understand that budgets are tight and so don’t expect a big fuss.
2. Help your employee set achievable goals – don’t set them up for failure by setting the goal too high. Crunch the goal down into manageable bites. Check in with them regularly to offer support or suggest a possible course correction.
3. Give employees room to grow, take risks and make mistakes. Provide additional learning opportunities and resources for development where possible. Don’t micro manage yet don’t let them make bad, career-shortening decisions.
4. Hold employees accountable for agreed-to goals and actions. They will respect you for it. Remind them that high personal accountability is one of the hallmark traits of top leaders throughout the business world.
5. Act as their internal advocate for their development and personal growth. Help them to navigate obstacles, advocate on their behalf and champion their ideas to higher-ups. And as the economy improves, implement their ideas and reward appropriately.

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Written by Rebecca D. Heaslip – President of Leadership Insight Inc.
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