If someone vents to you, try to put yourself in their shoes to better understand their perspective. Agree that their situation sounds rough or frustrating.

If a group of people is interviewing a candidate, allow for 1-1 interviews instead of with the entire group.

Identify two people to shadow one another for half of a day and then trade tasks and assignments for a specific amount of time. Communicate openly with both participants about your intentions to use this opportunity to leverage their talents and foster their growth within the organization.

Identify those who are successful at developing their direct reports. Learn what they do. Reflect how those methods could be carried across the unit(s).

Identify skills that you seek to develop outside of your job (e.g., Tai Chi, creating podcasts, woodworking).

Identify and take several professional development classes (see the Education section of the Development Journey for resources).

Identify and meet with a direct report who is struggling. Where possible, offer positive, constructive feedback while also noting their accountability to the workflow and goals of the unit.

Identify and join a professional organization.

Identify and delegate a stretch assignment to a direct report that will help them to aspire to their goals.

Identify an individual to mentor. Clearly communicate the future needs of the organization and create a mentoring plan with them.