Leadership development is an employee perk many don’t outright recognize, or greatly appreciate. We asked 10 entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) to explain how they provide their executive team with coaching to help them grow personally and professionally.
1. Split the Cost of a Business Coach 
The wonderful thing about coaching is that it improves the life of the employee, while also improving the quality of their work and in turn, their impact on the business. At RTC, we offer to split the cost of working with our company business coach. That way, both the individual and company have an investment in the outcome. We have seen tremendous results from this program.
– Corey Blake, Round Table Companies
2. Attend a Landmark Forum
For all of my managers, I make sure they go to a Landmark Forum. It helps anyone recognize what they aren’t aware of in regards to themselves and their decisions. Sending managers to the Landmark Forum also allows you to communicate as a team with a learned language that helps people stay accountable for their actions, and allows them to see potentials for growth.
3. Offer Mentor Coaching
We offer all of our employees the opportunity to go through mentor coaching. Those who’ve gone through it have begun to realize that they have a lot more control over their own destiny and over the destiny of the company than they originally thought. They’re holding themselves more accountable to the decisions they make that not only impact the company, but that impact their own lives.
4. Interact with Executive Groups
Mentorship shouldn’t come from within your organization alone. Dedicated executive groups are goldmines for diverse, ongoing, expert development.
– Sam Saxton, Salter Spiral Stair and Mylen Stairs
5. Hold Bi-Monthly One-on-One Meetings
We have a small staff and take professional development very seriously. We meet and discuss their career ambitions and offer meetings with executive coaches. Some also attend certification training or conferences. The most beneficial development opportunities vary for each individual based on where they are in their careers, their passions, and their needs.
– Chris Cancialosi, GothamCulture
6. Use TMYK Documents and Bring in Experts
Two of my favorite education things we do are “The More You Know” documents that myself and other execs write. We take a concept, term or industry trend and write a brief on it for the entire company. Writing this forces us to do more research and understand it enough to explain to the company. The other is to bring in experts who can teach our execs in areas where the co-founders do not have skill sets.
– Kelsey Meyer, Influence & Co.
7. Try Monday Sensei Meetings
Every Monday, employees take turns leading a professional or personal development session for an hour. During these sessions, employees discuss leadership strategies, TED talks, business literature and more. Because it’s not just leadership leading the senseis, but employees of varying roles and tenure, too, we find these sessions are more engaging and impactful than if only lead by executives.
– Sean Kelly, HUMAN Healthy Vending
8. Give Reading Recommendations
Hall-of-fame basketball coach Phil Jackson used to give his players books to read that were appropriate to them and their personality. He famously gave Kobe Bryant, “The Art of War.” You can do the same with your leaders. When you come across great content via book, blog, podcast, etc. relating to strategy and leadership, send it their way and have a discussion about it later.
9. Introduce Them to Peers
Your network is a powerful resource. Whenever you get a chance, connect team members with individuals operating the same sort of role at other companies. That way, you initiate a relationship that allows both parties to exchange information, advice, and experiences to ultimately help each other be better at their jobs.
10. Give a Daily Boost
Many of our advisors are executive coaches. Bryan Franklin, Jennifer Russell, and Cameron Herold have all spoken to the team on our morning video calls (our “Daily Boost”). Since I believe that leadership should be nurtured across the entire team, everyone benefits from these conversations and has the opportunity to ask questions of in-demand coaches who might otherwise be inaccessible.
What does your business do to promote leadership development for your team? Share your ideas with us in the comments!
Scott Gerber is the founder of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs.
