Teaching with mind and heart

A friend of mine, a retired surgeon, recently told me that when he was a resident, a senior surgeon told the surgeons in training, “There is virtually nothing you can get into that I cannot get you out of.”

This advice was not a recipe for recklessness but rather an acknowledgment that the surgeons needed to make their own decisions, learning as they went. And if a mistake did occur, the senior surgeon could come to the rescue. Such an approach assured the younger surgeons that they needed to learn the practice of surgery with real-time lessons.

Merit support

Digging deeper into the statement of getting someone out of trouble, we see a statement of support. It means, “I have your back.” When a subordinate knows that his boss is supporting him, he can act with a sense of autonomy. This support is not a permission slip to act without responsibility. Instead, it says, “I know you can do the job.” 

Mistakes will be made. That is how we learn, and unless a manager gives an employee the space to learn — often by trial and error — little will be gained. The employees will fail to grow because they cannot make and execute decisions accordingly. 

Supportive learning

“Nine-tenths of education is encouragement,” wrote philosopher Anatole France. Melding the learning with support for the pupil requires experience and good practice. Here are some suggestions.

Ensure competence. Training provides the outline of a given task. It is up to the employee to demonstrate that they can put their lessons into practice. Shadowing — having a veteran supervise a task — can enable the employee to learn on the job.

Create boundaries. Limiting what can be done and how it is done is acceptable. Such boundaries ensure that the employees know what they should be doing, and performance standards ensure best practices.

Coach always. Beginners make mistakes. Turn those missteps into lessons. One way is to debrief the exercise, allowing the employee to explain their point of view first. The manager listens and comments by asking questions about what could have been done better. Finally, the manager must close with his question: “What will you do the next time?” The answer will deter a readiness to continue learning.

Be vigilant

Only some people merit such support. Managers must assess each employee’s capabilities and limitations. Some team members must be kept on a short leash, while leaders can give others more autonomy. 

The learning process helps the individual, the team and the organization grow. Newly trained employees bring their skills and perspectives to the job. This way, the organization grows holistically, harmonizing new learnings into a stronger, more adaptable culture.

Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.

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