Encourage Continued Learning
The more we learn the more we are driven to learn more. Pair employees up on projects matching them with someone they can learn from and share their own expertise with. Allow your employees the time to work on side projects. While exploring and creating they will gain valuable skills and knowledge, and chances are their workplace curiosity will be contagious.
Your Virtual Assistant can keep a log of the status of all side projects, and serve as a resource for individual projects. Your VA can also support learning by keeping employees up to date on relevant classes, seminars, and conferences.
Build Asking into the Culture
Questions help us engage more fully. They heighten our listening skills. Questions help us better understand the people around us and help us anticipate challenges. When the act of asking questions is understood as a vital tool for growth, people are less inhibited to ask. Make sure there are a few minutes during every meeting dedicated to asking questions. You can even go further and create meetings JUST for asking questions. Have employees submit questions where one is chosen as the question of the week.
Your Virtual Assistant can create a searchable database for weekly questions and answers. This can be a great company resource.
Build Stronger Relationships
We value workplace curiosity in others. It makes us feel listened to and understood. Curiosity also helps deepen our connections with people. Encourage new relationships in your workplace by scheduling activities where employees have the opportunity to interact. These can be regularly scheduled employee lunches, team building events, or holiday celebrations. Additionally, consider setting up a mentorship program so that new staff have the opportunity to learn from veterans.
Your Virtual Assistant can research activities that would best suit your team. Your VA can also make sure your team is making relationship building a priority by helping to organize these gatherings and getting them on the calendar.
Create a Knowledge Database
Create a company wide database or knowledge base where employees can share articles relevant to your industry, other industries, employee interests, etc. This can also be a place where employees share tips and tricks that have helped them be successful in their job. This database can be browsed by employees in downtime and is certain to spark ideas and encourage growth.
Your VA can set up the database for you and make sure it is well maintained and organized.
Get Outside Your Comfort Zone
Pushing yourself in an unfamiliar direction often leads to learning something new and leading you down a path of wanting to learn more. Help your employees tap into areas they have never explored. Provide your employees with the opportunity to work in a different department for the day, invite people to work on a project that offers an unusual challenge for them, or encourage them to read about subjects they don’t normally read. Designate times for them to get away from their computer and explore. Send them on an outing to a bookstore, library, museum or event where they may encounter something new.
Your VA can help organize a program for your employees to work in a different department for the day. Your VA can also research articles, publications, and books you can suggest to your staff. They can also keep an updated list of local outings and events for your employees to experience.
Set an Example
Leaders are in a position to inspire a culture of curiosity. Be curious about your team members. Ask them about their ideas, their challenges, how they thought through the process on their latest project, how they think the company can improve in a certain area, are there any resources you could provide that would be helpful for them. Engaging your employees will strengthen your connection with them, while instilling in them the invaluable power of curiosity.
Your Virtual Assistant can keep track of notes from employee meetings so that you always have a clear understanding of your team members and the guidance and support they need. Your VA can also research resources that would suit their particular needs.
Curiosity is the engine that moves our businesses forward! As an executive, founder or entrepreneur start putting some of these ideas into action. Contact 100Ninjas today to chat about how a Virtual Assistant can help you implement these plans.
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Founder at 100Ninjas.
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