What does it take to build a team development-focused culture?
In my role at Shore Capital, I get to work with leaders from a variety of industries who are all trying to do one thing: grow.
Whether it’s launching a new product, improving a process, integrating an acquisition, or hiring new talent, they are all ingredients in the same dish. And with a narrow investment period (five to six years), it’s crucial to find ways to support that growth so nothing breaks as momentum builds.
I was working with a leader from one of our healthcare companies who had just completed a six-month professional development program and wanted to explore what else our team could offer new team members during the post-onboarding phase. I told her about some of the self-driven courses in our Learning Management System (LMS) that could easily be rolled out to her teams and cover topics such as leading change, managing difficult conversations, and leading teams. I was surprised (and impressed) to hear that not only was she familiar with these courses, but that she had taken many of them herself.
Her curiosity stood out. In most of these meetings, the leaders I talk to might hear about these courses, review the outline of lessons, and then immediately enroll their teams. She wasn’t just looking for the next resource to assign, but instead was modeling what a growth mindset looks like. As I reflected on our conversation, a few key lessons about team development stood out.
Lessons in Team Development
- Know what you need to grow.
Be intentional about what you want to learn by identifying your gaps, whether they are skills, mindsets, or tools. Growth requires focus, and clarity about where you want to improve allows you to invest your time and energy where it matters most.
- Model what you want to see.
If you want people to invest in themselves, model what a growth mindset looks like by learning on your own. When leaders show curiosity, seek feedback, and make learning visible, they normalize growth and create permission for others to follow.
- Make learning a habit.
Development is not a one-time event. Encourage your team to reflect, apply what they learn, and revisit key ideas regularly. The repetition and consistency of learning help translate knowledge into behavior.
- Remember that growth starts with you.
Development must be personal before it becomes organizational. Actions speak louder than words, and when leaders consistently invest in their own learning, they set the tone for what a team development culture should be.
Building a development-focused culture doesn’t happen through programs alone. It starts with leaders who are curious, self-aware, and intentional about their own growth. When learning becomes a visible and consistent habit, teams begin to see development as part of how they work, not something added to it.