It’s been a few weeks since the major league baseball draft. It’s a time of excitement for those selected, the organizations, and the fan base.  A lot of work goes into the process, the celebration is justified.

I’m interested in what happens from draft day forward for both the organization and the athlete.  It’s been my experience that people believe an individual, or group of individuals, can change a culture.  Collegiate coaches stress about recruits, pro teams focus on the draft, businesses try to hire the best and brightest.

There’s strong research which states that up to 80% of behavior is dictated by the individual’s environment.  The organizational culture is much more likely to impact the individual, than the individual is to impact the organization, from both a positive and negative standpoint.

What’s needed is a wholistic approach to leadership development.  The goal should be to create the optimal environment to realize human potential while helping the organization achieve their shared mission. Hiring the right person into the wrong culture will not maximize that person’s abilities. Growth and development must be a part of the organization’s ethos- from the boardroom to the basement.

If environment is so critical, why aren’t we investing more time reflecting on this piece?  Today, I’ll share my thoughts on how we can be intentional about coaching for performance by creating a process of support and development.

Creating the Foundation: Purpose, Trust and Communication

Before we start developing the individual, it’s imperative the organization has the infrastructure to execute the mission.

Framework for Development

Before we begin the mechanics of coaching (we are all coaches), a few critical components need to be considered: relationships and wellness.

The Mechanics

While most organizations consider development to be an event, an organization committed to develop understands it must be focused on daily. The majority of development occurs on the job with leadership keeping their coaching hat on seeking out opportunities.  Development is for everyone; not just those who are struggling.  In fact, a great question to consider is: Are the top performers improving?

Conclusion:

I’m passionate about development.  To continue with the MLB analogy, all 30 teams are incredibly excited about their draft- it cannot be all about talent acquisition.

I believe the organizations who thrive in the future will be obsessed with developing their most precious resource, their people.  Letting their values guide the way, they will create environments where people flourish and shared visions are relentlessly pursued. At Denison, we don’t always have a recruiting advantage over our competition, so positive people development stemming from the creation of an optimal environment is a priority of mine and a topic I’m actively teaching.

Drafts and hires are cool, but they are just the beginning.  How we shape the environment and develop the people will determine the success and fulfillment of the organization.