D is for Develop

There is both an art and a science to leadership—but the true magic happens when you connect with and ignite the potential within every member of your team. The art lies in fostering genuine connections, while the science is in building systems that empower those connections to flourish. Imagine the LEAD Framework as your guide to transformational leadership. Just as an eye doctor customizes lenses for each patient, great leaders tailor their approach to each individual—never guessing, never assuming. Instead, they learn, explore, and then align with precision and care.

Early in my career, I was afforded the opportunity to temporarily fill a role that required specialized skills and training. Due to the urgency of filling the role, there was not time to send me for that training. As a result, two of the more senior officers on board helped to develop and prepare me for the role.  They devised a plan that would get me from where I was to where the team needed me to be to be successful. They considered my current skills, the skills needed for the role and the timeline required. We would meet regularly to discuss how things were going. Based on those conversations and the insights gained, we would adapt their tailored plan to develop the needed skills and insights as a result, I had the benefit of his wisdom, experience, and support all while having experiential learning that made the lessons tangible and relevant to my goals.

The final stage in the LEAD Framework, the Develop Stage, is like being fitted for your glasses. It is in the Develop stage where we bring the insights uncovered during the Lead, Explore, and Align stages together to form an action plan that brings our previous discoveries into focus. Using what we learned in the previous stages, we intentionally commit time and attention to teach, coach, and mentor.  

Once you align to your employee’s perspective, you can unlock depth, clarity, and context to guide them toward success by creating a deep understanding of how to approach and solve a problem as opposed to blindly executing tasks. Actions taken during the Development Stage signal to a team member that you value them and are committed to investing in their success.

Resource allocation in the Develop Stage can take many different forms, but regardless of the form, Development should be intentional and deliberate. Building on a shared problem set with an aligned set of outcomes, development can either begin with 1:1 mentoring or specific training, come in the form of coaching, or a make a blend of all three. It’s critical that the development actions address specific items uncovered in the previous stages in a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) manner. Using SMART outcomes promotes tangible opportunities for engagement, encouragement, course correction, and support. The Develop stage is not just for correcting deficiencies or advancing outcomes, it is a purposeful process that enhances engagement and builds organizational culture through communication, action, support, and follow through.

Too often, we as leaders think we can help employees grow and succeed without taking time to develop a comprehensive understanding of our employees. This happens because leaders are taught to give direction rather than seeking understanding. We can overcome the errors of our previous experiences by supporting development through tailored plans that provide relevant, meaningful development, rather than offering generic solutions. In doing so, this high-impact approach fosters ownership and empowerment in employees, as they feel supported and valued in their efforts to grow and succeed. In taking an empathetic and tailored approach, you’ll ensure your guidance is relevant with high impact, ultimately helping employees overcome obstacles and achieve their best. And, that’s what we’re all going for in the first place---learning to LEAD so we can unlock the greatness in our team members.

Want to learn more?

Visit this article to learn more about Jeff Servello’s LEAD Framework. Or, feel free to connect with Jeff directly.

Jeff Servello is an Executive Leadership Coach who specializes in partnering with executives to develop their personal leadership skills and strategy. A 20+ year Navy Veteran, he blends his coaching and leadership skills to help each client excel in their own arena. His LEAD Framework was born out a desire to help clients find a practical framework that they could apply to more effectively engage with their teams and improve outcomes through curiosity, communication, and support.