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As always, I remind you to GO BEYOND THE GRIND & GO BEYOND THE HUSTLE BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE THE WALKING LEADER AND A LEADER THAT IS GREAT TO FOLLOW.

That’s right, it’s that time of year again: Back To School time and with that, the back to school season brings along its own set of unique changes and situations and well; it’s just different.

However, as a leader you have to step up your game. Well, you should always be stepping up your game as a leader. That’s your job! You are always on top of things. How do you step up your game during the back to school season? Well, one of the things is you should encourage all members of your team, always, it does not have to be back to school time, but at any time of the year, always encourage your members, your team members and let them know. Ensure that they know you have their back in encouraging them to go back to school.

It makes them better people, it makes them better employees and when they know they have a leader that backs them up, awesome! Also support those team members that are already in school. Most of all, support those team members that have children in school

Encouraging Your Team Members To Go Back To School

Encourage them to have, to take, to enroll in formal college classes to get their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. If they just need a couple of hours to complete a degree then by all means encourage them to do it. It’s within their reach and that sense of accomplishment. It means a lot. It changes people. It definitely does change people. And if you are encouraging them, and you are telling them, and you are pushing them, and you are wanting them to go ahead and finish that degree, then that goes a long way too. Because you then become that inspiration, you become that motivation, you become an even better stronger leader because you went out there and you pushed them, gave them that little nudge to get back to school to get that degree.

Continuing Education

Now, what if they are done with their degree? What if they are done with their Bachelor’s and they do not want a Master’s or they are done with their Master’s and they don’t want anything further? They don’t want a Ph.D. That’s OK. Encourage them to continue their education. Encourage them to continue seeking out, to stay ahead and stay on top of what’s changing, what’s new, what’s relevant in their field, especially in their field of their degree. So encourage that. Encourage them to continue with their education, continuing education. Those RNs, CPAs, and those that require Continuing Education Credits, Units or Hours every year to maintain their status or certifications then by all means they have got to keep going and you have to to work with them.

Seminars

Encourage them to attend seminars, face-to-face seminars. Attend Networking events, conventions, conferences, whatever works but get them out there. Work with them, work with their time, their work schedule, the resources and anything else they may need to help get them started or continue. Yes, that is your job as a leader.

For those leaders that have individuals and team members that are already attending school. Whatever they are enrolled in, ensure that they have the time. Their work schedules are flexible and obviously if you are paying them for forty hours worth of work, they need to deliver the forty hours; that’s non-negotiable. But do work around their class schedule. How they deliver the forty hours that’s negotiable. So again, work with them. Of course, I know there are some situations where nothing can be done and they have to be there from 8 to 5, Monday through Friday but let them know that the moment 5 o’clock hits they are out the door and that’s non-negotiable.

Work with them, encourage them and see what you can do to get those resources and anything else they may need to continue until they get to the end.

Leaders (this is for your), do NOT take it personally, again do NOT take it personally, if your employees, your team members are studying to complete a degree that is NOT in the industry or the job they are currently doing. Seriously, you cannot take it personally or as an attack on your leadership abilities if they want to do something else. If they want to go into a different field that’s complete 180 degrees from what you are doing. Remember, people will take they path they deem fit to get them to where they want to be. It’s just that simple. So remember that! Remember that people are going to do, they have an end game in mind. Somebody wants to be a doctor, well let them be a doctor. So what if they are working in the warehouse. As long as they have the grades, they can go. It is your job, it is your responsibility because, he who knows? One day you are going to need a doctor and that employee may just end up being your doctor.

School Age Children
On the other side of that coin, you are going to have Team Members with children still in school; elementary, middle school, junior high, high school & college. Work with them. Work with their time. Work with their schedule. Know that usually at the beginning of the school year and close to the holidays they are going to need some time off. Time off to attend those functions at the school. Maybe they can leave a little bit early but work work with their time, work with their schedule. Most of all, don’t be a grouch. Don’t be mean. Don’t hold it over their head and especially, do not retaliate if they want to take off early just because they want to go see their kids at school (don’t do that).

Remember, we were all at school once and it was really cool when our parents would go see us at our school plays, school choir concerts, at our Christmas events, what ever the event, it was really cool to have them there. Continue making it cool and be that COOL Leader. Just allow those parents to take a little time off to go see their kids at school. It means a lot to the kids, it means a lot to the parents, it means a lot to your employees, and most of all it will mean a lot to you because they see you as working with them and guess what? They are going to work with you. It is that simple. You do something they will back you up.

I can hear it now, “it should not be that way, yadda, yadda.” I get that but those are managers with the mentality of “they are here to work. they are not here to go goofing off and going to school” I get that and there are going to be people like that. There are still people like that. It is September 2018, we are well into the 21st Century and there are still individuals with that mentality. Folks, no one is out to hurt you. No one is out to get you and for those of you with that mentality, that mindset. As I said before and plenty of others have said it before and will continue to say it after me, “You can more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” Something to think about.

What do you think about what I just talked about in this episode 121 of The Walking Leader Podcast?

That’s right, taking and encouraging  your staff to go out there and go back to school, getting those individuals to finish that degree, work with them, give them time, work out their schedule, provide resources if you can or at least point them in the right direction. But work with them!

And those that are in school, continue to support them as it takes a lot to work full time and go to school full time. It takes a special kind of person, so ensure they all have a special kind of leader in a special kind of workplace. That is your responsibility.

Folks, this has been episode 121 of the Walking Leader podcast. I am David Guerra the author of the books THE WALKING LEADER and GREAT TO FOLLOW.