Developing Others Comments
Definition: Developing Others is the ability to intentionally grow employee capability by providing stretch assignments that push people beyond their comfort zones while ensuring they have the training, tools, and coaching needed to succeed. It involves collaborating with employees to clarify career goals, map out 6 to 12‑month development plans, and create opportunities such as cross‑training, job shadowing, and mentoring to broaden skills and perspectives. Developing Others also requires offering constructive, skill‑building feedback, supporting participation in learning programs and professional networks, and creating a psychologically safe environment where employees can experiment, reflect, and learn from successes and setbacks. Finally, it includes removing barriers to growth, recognizing developmental progress, and modeling continual learning so employees see development as a shared expectation.
Questionnaires Measuring Developing Others:
Survey 1 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 2 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 3 (5-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 4 (5-point scale; radio buttons)
Survey 5 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 6 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 7 (5-point scale; competency comments; N/A)
Survey 8 (3-point scale; Agree/Disagree words; N/A)
Survey 9 (3-point scale; Strength/Development; N/A)
Survey 10 (Comment boxes only)
Survey 11 (Single rating per competency)
Survey 12 (Slide-bar scale)
Survey 13 (4-point scale; numbers; floating anchors)
Survey 14 (4-point scale; N/A)

The statements below can be used in your self-assessment (self-feedback) or performance appraisal as examples to demonstrate your abilities to develop others. Understanding training, coaching, networking, and cross-training are all important for Developing Others.
Stretch AssignmentsStretch Assignments focus on learning through challenging work. This dimension is about giving employees high-impact, skill-building tasks that push them beyond their comfort zones and expose them to new responsibilities. The emphasis is on experience-based development: assigning complex projects, providing structured support (coaching, tools, mentoring, milestone reviews), and staying actively engaged to ensure employees can navigate the challenge successfully. Stretch Assignments develop people by immersing them in demanding, real-world situations that accelerate capability growth.
- I provided stretch assignments with structured support -- pairing challenging work with guidance, check-ins, and resources.
- I assigned stretch projects that pushed employees beyond their comfort zones and paired those assignments with regular check-ins to ensure they had the support needed to succeed.
- I gave employees challenging tasks that built new skills and provided the necessary coaching, tools, and feedback throughout the process.
- I developed employees by offering and encouraging them to take on new or additional responsibilities.
- Assigned tasks and responsibilities to develop skills of others.
- I gave challenging tasks to the employees.
- I assigned high-impact tasks that required new learning and ensured employees had access to the training, tools, and coached needed to perform successfully.
- I provided challenging tasks to subordinates.
- I encouraged others to accept projects or tasks that extend their abilities and present opportunities for development.
- I matched employees with development-focused assignments and stayed actively engaged by offering guidance, answering questions, and removed obstacles as they progress.
- I encouraged employees to take on complex responsibilities and provided structured support (such as mentoring, resource recommendations, and milestone reviews) to help them navigate the challenge.
- I helped employees grow by giving them ambitious assignments and created a supportive framework of guidance, progress check-ins, and developmental feedback.
- I designed stretch opportunities that expanded an employee's capabilities and supplemented them with targeted feedback and practical advice at key points in the project.
Career GoalsCareer Goals center on intentional, forward-looking development planning. This dimension is about collaborating with employees to clarify their long-term aspirations and translating those aspirations into structured 6- to 12-month development plans with defined skills, experiences, milestones, and learning activities. The emphasis is on strategic alignment: mapping out competencies to build, identifying relevant opportunities, and creating personalized development roadmaps that guide growth over time. Career Goals develop people by helping them chart a clear path toward future roles and ensuring their learning activities support that trajectory.
- I worked with employees to design development plans that aligned their career aspirations with the skills and experiences needed for future roles.
- I partnered with employees to map out targeted development plans that included new responsibilities, training opportunities, and measurable progress checkpoints.
- I assisted employees in mapping out skills to build, experiences to gain, and milestones to reach over the next 6 to 12 months.
- I helped employees identify long-term career goals and translated them into a structured 6 to 12-month development roadmap with clear milestones and learning activities.
- I helped employees create career goals.
- I helped employees build structured development plans that prioritize key skills, outline growth opportunities, and establish timelines for achieving each goal.
- I created individualized learning plans that specified which competencies to strengthen, which projects to pursue, and what success looked like at each milestone.
- I worked with employees to create individualized development plans.
- I worked with each employee to create a personalized development plan that outlined the specific skills they needed to build and the experiences that will help them grow over the next year.
- I collaborated with employees to set personalized development objectives and created a clear plan that guided their learning and skill-building over the next 6 to 12 months.
- I am aware of the career development goals of subordinates.
Cross-TrainingCross-Training focuses on broadening employees' organizational awareness and operational versatility by exposing them to different roles, departments, and workflows. It is experience-based learning that expands perspective: job shadowing, short rotations, observing specialized roles, and learning key tasks from other functions. The goal is to help employees understand how the business operates as a whole, strengthen collaboration across teams, and build adaptable skill sets that extend beyond their primary job. In essence, Cross-Training develops employees by widening their lens and giving them hands-on exposure to diverse parts of the organization.
- I offered job shadowing and cross-training opportunities.
- I arranged job-shadowing opportunities that allowed employees to observe colleagues in other roles and gain insight into different functions of the organization.
- I exposed employees to other roles, departments, or processes to broaden their understanding of the organization.
- I supported employee development by giving them opportunities to observe how other teams work, helping them understand how their role connected to broader organizational goals.
- I encouraged employees to spend time shadowing team members in specialized roles to broaden their perspectives and build new skills.
- I provided cross-training experiences so employees could learn key tasks from other departments and strengthen their overall understanding of how the business operates.
- I strengthened team capability by creating structured job-shadowing experiences that allowed employees to learn from experts in other functions and applied those insights to their own work.
- I helped employees expand their knowledge by coordinating short rotations in other areas of the organization where they could learn new processes and workflows.
- I exposed employees to different parts of the business by offering cross-training assignments that deepened their operational awareness and versatility.
CoachingCoaching centers on deepening expertise through targeted guidance from mentors, subject-matter experts, and experienced colleagues. It is relationship-based learning that accelerates skill growth: connecting employees with experts, facilitating mentoring relationships, coordinating learning sessions, and providing advice that helps them navigate complex responsibilities. The goal is to build specialized capability, strengthen decision-making, and offer personalized insight that supports mastery of advanced skills. In essence, Coaching develops employees by giving them access to people who can elevate their thinking, refine their abilities, and support their long-term growth.
- I connected employees with mentors and subject-matter experts who could provide guidance, share insights, and help them build deeper expertise.
- I facilitated access to mentors and subject-matter experts.
- I helped employees expand their knowledge by arranging mentoring relationships with experts who could accelerate their learning.
- I help to coach other employees.
- I strengthened employee development by linking them with mentors who offered real-world experience, strategic insight, and ongoing support.
- I connected employees with people who could accelerate their learning and offer their perspective.
- I introduced employees to internal and external specialists who could coach them on advanced skills and industry best practices.
- I encouraged employees to seek guidance from subject-matter experts and made those connections easier by coordinating introductions and learning sessions.
- I provided advice and suggestions to others.
- I facilitated access to knowledgeable mentors who provide targeted advice and were able to help employees navigate complex responsibilities.
- I paired employees with experienced colleagues who could offer new perspectives, answer questions, and support their development in specialized areas.
Development Goals and PlansDevelopment Goals and Plans focuses on the ongoing conversations and structured planning that guide an employee's growth. This dimension is about regularly discussing strengths, obstacles, evolving interests, and long-term aspirations, then translating those insights into individualized development plans. It emphasizes reflection, dialogue, and alignment--holding consistent check-ins, refining goals as circumstances change, and ensuring employees have clarity about what they are working toward. In essence, Development Goals and Plans is the strategic, conversational side of development: helping employees define where they want to go and shaping a roadmap to get there.
- I held ongoing development discussions that helped employees reflect on their progress, adjust their goals, and explore emerging career aspirations.
- I frequently discussed career goals with employees.
- I engaged employees in thoughtful conversations about their strengths, areas for improvement, and the experiences that would help them advance.
- I scheduled regular development conversations with employees to review their progress, discuss challenges, and identify new opportunities for growth.
- I created space for employees to share what they've learned, what they wanted to pursue next, and what support they needed to continue growing.
- I held regular development conversations with employees.
- I regularly checked in with employees about their development plans, offering guidance and helping them refine their goals as their interests evolved.
- I regularly discussed progress, obstacles, new interests, and evolving career aspirations.
- I help subordinates in building Individual Development Plans.
- I maintained consistent development dialogues that focused on progress, barriers, new skill interests, and long-term career direction.
- I met with employees consistently to talk through their learning goals, career interests, and any obstacles that may be slowing their development.
Knowledge and SkillsKnowledge and Skills centers on identifying and recommending the specific learning experiences that build the competencies outlined in those plans. This dimension is about guiding employees toward courses, certifications, workshops, training programs, and other learning opportunities that deepen expertise and strengthen performance. It emphasizes action and skill acquisition--staying informed about relevant training options, recommending high-value programs, and helping employees choose learning paths that align with both their goals and organizational needs. In essence, Knowledge and Skills is the practical, resource-focused side of development: helping employees build the capabilities required to advance along their chosen path.
- I guided employees toward learning opportunities such as workshops, online courses, or certifications.
- I recommended courses and certifications that matched each employee's development goals and supported the skills our organization needed for future growth.
- I helped employees choose learning programs that offered the greatest impact by aligning course content with performance expectations and organizational needs.
- I recommended relevant courses, certifications, and learning programs.
- I suggested targeted development programs that built critical competencies and prepared employees for upcoming responsibilities and advancement opportunities.
- I created opportunities for professional development.
- I stayed informed about relevant training options and proactively shared recommendations that supported employees' long-term skill development.
- I helped employees identify high-value training aligned with their goals and the organization's needs.
- I facilitated employee training when implementing new programs or systems.
- I helped employees identify high-value training programs that strengthened their capabilities and aligned with both their career aspirations and departmental priorities.
- I enhanced the knowledge and skills of others.
- I encouraged employees to pursue certifications and structured learning paths that deepened expertise and contributed to stronger team and business outcomes.
Providing FeedbackProviding Feedback focuses on direct, skill-building guidance that helps employees understand what they are doing well, where they need to improve, and exactly how to strengthen their performance. This dimension is about giving timely, constructive, behavior-specific input that breaks down complex tasks, identifies growth opportunities, and outlines actionable steps employees can take to build targeted competencies. It emphasizes clarity, coaching, and continuous improvement--helping employees translate feedback into meaningful changes in their work habits, confidence, and capabilities. In essence, Providing Feedback develops employees by offering precise direction that accelerates skill growth.
- I provided actionable guidance that helped employees understand exactly what to improve and how to apply new techniques on the job.
- I delivered developmental feedback focused on building targeted competencies, explaining what worked well and what needed refinement.
- I provided constructive feedback to others.
- I gave employees constructive feedback that highlighted specific behaviors and offered clear steps they could take to strengthen their skills.
- I made sure that employees are aware of how they perform in their job.
- I provided clear, constructive input that helped employees translate feedback into meaningful changes in employee work habits and capabilities.
- I provided developmental feedback that helped employees grow specific skills.
- I gave timely, skill-focused feedback that helped employees correct issues, build confidence, and make measurable progress.
- I provided constructive, actionable feedback.
- I am open to receiving feedback.
- I offered feedback that broke down complex tasks into practical suggestions employees could use to improve their performance.
- I gave feedback that identified growth opportunities and outlined specific actions employees could take to develop those skills.
NetworkingNetworking centers on expanding employees' exposure to external ideas, experts, and professional communities that enrich their development. This dimension is about encouraging participation in conferences, workshops, associations, and industry events that broaden perspectives, deepen expertise, and connect employees with peers and thought leaders. It emphasizes external learning, professional visibility, and staying current with trends--helping employees gain insights they cannot access solely within their immediate team or organization. In essence, Networking develops employees by opening doors to new knowledge sources, diverse viewpoints, and relationships that support long-term career growth.
- I encouraged employees to attend external networks, conferences, or workshops.
- I recommended industry events that aligned with employees' development goals and helped them to stay current with changes in the field.
- I provided opportunities for employees to engage with external experts and professional communities that enhance learning and career growth.
- I helped employees identify high-value conferences and association activities that deepened their understanding of industry challenges and innovations.
- I supported employee participation in external workshops, networking events, and association programs that build relevant skills and insights.
- I encouraged employees to participate in professional associations and industry events that expanded their knowledge and strengthened their professional networks.
- I encouraged employees to join professional groups and attend events that broadened their perspectives and connected them with peers across the industry.
- I supported employee participation in professional associations and industry events.
- I supported employees in attending conferences, workshops, and seminars that exposed them to new ideas, best practices, and emerging trends.
Developing LeadersDeveloping Leaders focuses on preparing employees to take on greater responsibility and leadership roles by giving them opportunities to practice leading, influencing, and guiding others. This dimension is about assigning leadership-oriented tasks--such as leading projects, facilitating meetings, mentoring junior colleagues, coordinating team efforts, or representing the team in cross-department initiatives. It emphasizes capability building through real leadership experiences, helping employees strengthen decision-making, communication, ownership, and readiness for the next level. In essence, Developing Leaders grows people by placing them in situations where they must act as leaders and learn through doing.
- I gave employees leadership opportunities by assigning them small projects where they could take ownership, make decisions, and guide the work to completion.
- I built leadership capability by assigning employees to roles where they must influence others, manage timelines, and communicate progress effectively.
- I helped employees grow by asking them to mentor junior colleagues, providing guidance while allowing them to practice coaching and support skills.
- I allowed employees to represent the team in cross-department meetings or collaborative initiatives.
- I created leadership opportunities for employees.
- I promoted employees to higher positions.
- I encouraged employees to develop leadership skills by having them facilitate team meetings and lead discussions on key topics.
- I tried to ensure employees were ready to move to the next level.
- I gave employees leadership opportunities.
- I assigned leadership roles such as leading a small project, facilitating a meeting, or mentoring a junior colleague.
- I strengthened employee development by giving them the responsibility for coordinated project tasks and for guiding their teammates toward shared goals.
Learning ClimateLearning Climate focuses on creating the emotional and interpersonal conditions that make learning feel safe, supported, and encouraged. This dimension is about psychological safety--ensuring employees feel comfortable asking questions, experimenting, admitting mistakes, expressing uncertainty, and trying unfamiliar tasks without fear of embarrassment or judgment. It emphasizes encouragement, openness, and supportive reactions to errors, reinforcing that learning is valued more than perfection. In essence, Learning Climate develops employees by shaping a team environment where curiosity, risk-taking, and honest reflection are welcomed and protected.
- I created an environment where employees felt comfortable asking questions and exploring new ideas without worrying about being judged.
- I encouraged employees to ask questions, experiment, and learn from mistakes without fear of embarrassment.
- I created a psychologically safe environment for learning.
- I created a supportive atmosphere where employees could test new methods, reflect on outcomes, and adjust their approach without fear of embarrassment.
- I responded to errors with support and guidance rather than criticism, helping employees to feel safe taking risks and trying new approaches.
- I reinforced that learning is valued more than perfection.
- I ensured employees felt respected and encouraged when they took on unfamiliar tasks.
- I encouraged experimentation by reassuring employees that mistakes are part of learning and will be treated as opportunities for growth.
- I fostered open dialogue where employees could express uncertainty, seek clarification, and share learning needs without hesitation.
- I modeled psychological safety by admitting my own mistakes and showed how I learned from them, reinforcing that growth comes from trying and improving.
Developmental ProgressDevelopmental Progress centers on recognizing and reinforcing the growth employees demonstrate as they build new skills and capabilities. This dimension is about acknowledging learning milestones, celebrating improvements, highlighting skill gains, and reinforcing that effort and progress matter--not just final results. It emphasizes motivation, confidence, and a growth mindset by calling attention to meaningful strides in problem-solving, collaboration, confidence, or other competencies. In essence, Developmental Progress develops people by making their growth visible, valued, and encouraged, helping them stay engaged and committed to continuous improvement.
- I reinforced a growth mindset by acknowledging learning milestones and developmental achievements, not just finished work.
- I made a point to recognize incremental improvements, helping employees stay motivated as they continued building their capabilities.
- I set performance objectives for subordinates that encourages development opportunities.
- I recognized employees for the effort and learning they demonstrated.
- I recognized when developmental progress was being met.
- I reminded employees that improvement was just as important as results.
- I called attention to skill gains and learning breakthroughs so employees understood that their progress was seen and appreciated.
- I provided positive reinforcement when employees made noticeable strides in their abilities, regardless of whether the task was fully completed.
- I reinforced that learning, effort, and improvements mattered.
- I celebrated meaningful growth (such as increased confidence, stronger problem-solving, or improved collaboration) to show that development was valued at the company.
- I acknowledged employees' developmental progress by highlighting the new skills they've built.
Removing BarriersRemoving Barriers focuses on eliminating the practical, structural, and resource-related obstacles that prevent employees from developing. This dimension is about clearing the path for growth--adjusting workloads, securing tools and training materials, advocating for budget or resources, redistributing tasks, and streamlining processes that hinder learning. It emphasizes access, capacity, and enablement, ensuring employees have the time, support, and resources required to pursue development opportunities. In essence, Removing Barriers develops employees by addressing the logistical and organizational constraints that limit their ability to learn and grow.
- I adjusted workloads so employees had the time and capacity to focus on building new skills.
- I removed barriers to development.
- I eliminated obstacles to learning by securing access to training materials, software, or equipment that supported employees' development goals.
- I actively removed constraints (such as conflicting priorities or excessive workloads) that prevented employees from participating in training and skill-building activities.
- I advocated for employees' development needs by requesting budget, resources, or organizational support that enabled them to pursue meaningful learning opportunities.
- I helped employees overcome development challenges by providing additional support, clarifying expectations, or streamlining processes that hindered progress.
- I enabled employees to pursue growth by adjusting workloads, providing tools, or advocating for resources.
- I ensured employees could pursue growth opportunities by reallocating tasks or redistributing work when their development plans required dedicated time.
- I advocated for the tools, technology, and resources employees needed to fully engage in their learning and development activities.
Recognition and PraiseRecognition and Praise focuses on reinforcing positive performance and motivating employees by acknowledging their accomplishments, effort, and meaningful contributions. This dimension is about celebrating achievements--big or small--through timely, specific praise that highlights what employees did well and why it mattered. It emphasizes confidence-building, motivation, and creating a positive environment where employees feel valued for their successes and progress. In essence, Recognition and Praise develops employees by making their achievements visible and appreciated, strengthening engagement and reinforcing effective behaviors.
- I made a point to acknowledge employees when they accomplished important tasks or delivered strong results.
- I created a work environment that fosters positive feedback to employees.
- I recognized and celebrates accomplishments of others.
- I encouraged both team members and associates through recognition of positive changes in behavior.
- I offered timely recognition when employees achieved goals, ensuring they felt appreciated for their efforts and success.
- I rewarded and recognize employees for engaging in professional development activities.
- I recognized employees for completing challenging assignments and highlighted the impact of their work on the team or organization.
- I supported the successes of other employees.
- I recognized employees when they accomplished things.
- I publicly acknowledged employees who reached milestones or completed significant projects to reinforce positive performance.
- I consistently recognized employees for their achievements to help build confidence, motivation, and a sense of value within the team.
- I celebrated employee accomplishments (big or small) to reinforce the idea that their contributions mattered.
- I gave specific praise when employees accomplished something noteworthy, emphasizing what they did well and why it mattered.
- I encouraged employees through recognition of positive changes in behavior.
Encouraging IntrospectionEncouraging Introspection centers on helping employees learn from their experiences by prompting thoughtful reflection on successes, failures, and new challenges. This dimension is about guiding employees to analyze what worked, what didn't, what they learned, and how they can apply those insights going forward. It emphasizes self-awareness, critical thinking, and continuous improvement--supporting employees in building reflective habits that deepen their understanding of their own growth. In essence, Encouraging Introspection develops employees by turning experiences into learning, helping them extract insights that shape stronger future performance.
- I helped employees build reflective habits by discussing what went well, what didn't, and what they would do differently next time.
- I prompted employees to think about the skills they strengthened during new experiences and how those skills could be applied going forward.
- I encouraged employees to pause after completing major tasks and considered the insights gained from both the challenges and the achievements.
- I encouraged reflective practices.
- I asked employees to analyze what they learned from successes, failures, and new experiences.
- I guided employees through reflective conversations that helped them connect their experiences to broader development goals.
- I encouraged employees to reflect on recent successes and identify the specific actions or decisions that contributed to those positive outcomes.
- I supported reflective practices by asking employees to articulate key lessons learned and how those lessons would shape their future approach.
- I asked employees to analyze what they learned from mistakes or setbacks so they could turn those experiences into meaningful growth.
Promoting LearningPromoting Learning focuses on creating structures, routines, and opportunities that help employees learn from one another and build collective capability. This dimension is about facilitating knowledge exchange--organizing learning huddles, encouraging employees to share insights from projects or training, pairing team members to teach specialized skills, and establishing regular forums where people can pass along tips, best practices, and new techniques. It emphasizes team-based learning, collaboration, and building a culture where employees actively contribute to each other's growth. In essence, Promoting Learning develops employees by enabling continuous knowledge flow across the team.
- I promoted knowledge sharing by creating regular opportunities for employees to teach each other new skills, tools, and techniques.
- I encourage employees to participate in development programs.
- I promoted knowledge sharing within the team.
- I encouraged team members to share insights from their projects so others could learn from their experiences and apply those lessons to their own work.
- I created routines where employees were able to teach each other new skills or insights.
- I strengthened team capability by having employees present what they've learned from training, conferences, or major assignments.
- I supported knowledge sharing by pairing employees so they could teach each other specialized skills and broaden their understanding of team processes.
- I encouraged employees to document and share useful insights, making it easier for the entire team to benefit from individual learning.
- I recognized that each employee needs training and development based on their individual learning style.
- I established routines (such as learning huddles or skill-sharing sessions) where employees exchanged practical tips and best practices.
- I created an environment where employees felt comfortable sharing expertise, helping the team build collective knowledge and improved performance.
Role ModelRole Model centers on demonstrating personal commitment to learning so employees see development as a shared expectation, not just a directive. This dimension is about leading by example--participating in training, staying current with industry trends, seeking feedback, embracing new challenges, and openly discussing personal learning goals and progress. It emphasizes visibility, authenticity, and modeling a growth mindset that signals learning is valued at every level. In essence, Role Model develops employees by showing them what continual learning looks like in practice and inspiring them to adopt the same mindset.
- I modeled a growth mindset by embracing new challenges, experimenting with new approaches, and reflecting on what was learned along the way.
- I openly discussed my learning goals and progress so employees could see that continual improvement was expected at every level.
- I demonstrated continual learning by regularly updating knowledge, tools, and methods, signaling that development was a shared responsibility across the team.
- I demonstrated commitment to development by participating in training, workshops, and courses -- encouraging employees to do the same.
- I stayed current with industry trends and shared relevant insights with the team to reinforce the importance of ongoing professional growth.
- I showed employees that learning is valued by seeking feedback on work and using it to strengthen my skills and leadership.
- I demonstrated a commitment to development so employees could see learning as a shared expectation.
Conducts Assessments
- Assessed employees' developmental needs.
- I conducted regular reviews to explore development opportunities.
- I used planned and unplanned visits as opportunities to train.