Any good manager will work to support their reports to grow in their careers — it’s simply part of doing the job right. But so much of growth is focused on the management track, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of equating growth with a promotion into a managerial role.
Remember that independent contributors are the backbone of the workforce, and not everyone is equipped — or even wants — to move into a managerial role. But they still want to move up, grow their influence, and broaden their portfolio of responsibilities. And those independent contributors still need support to develop and grow in their careers.
Here are 22 ways you can support independent contributors in their unique, non-managerial roles.
Help people in IC roles upskill — and then compensate for those new abilities.
Upskilling is a fantastic way to support growth: With new tools in their kit, employees can move into roles with broader scopes. Consider offering financial resources — and, critically, allot time — for your reports to learn any of the following skills, depending on their role and goals. (Bonus points: Get your reports certified in their new skills.) When it comes time for performance reviews, advocate for your reports to receive extra compensation for what they now bring to the table.
- A new language, especially languages critical in global business, like Spanish, French, or Mandarin
- Coding, especially SQL
- Public speaking
- Digital marketing
- Graphic design
- Copywriting
- Data visualization
- Search engine marketing
- Front-end web development
- Social media management
- Project management
Practice excellent communication.
Independent contributors aren’t any less a member of the team just because they don’t manage. It can be easy to write off their communication needs, especially if they have a high level of autonomy. But to support their growth, make sure you:
- Encourage their sense of agency and autonomy.
- Make a point of asking what kind of support they need — they don’t have a report to share the workload.
- Ensure that the metrics of success are clear, especially when taking on a report isn’t an option as a measure of goals met.
- Set up a regular check-in cadence. Independent contributors can sometimes get tunnel vision, and it’s important to remind them that they’re not alone.
- Validate progress and effort and sing their praises in the organization. This is much more important than making them feel good: It’s about giving them broader visibility.
Be intentional with your feedback.
Remember that ICs aren’t getting feedback from their reports, and they may have less contact with the team than people on the management track. You’ll want to compensate for that with intentional, directed feedback — feedback that’s tailored to an IC.
- When employees are on the management track, we usually have a decent sense of what they want: They want to step into a leadership role. But independent contributors have a different set of needs, like influence. As their manager, you’ll need to ask them what they want — and then set a course to make it happen.
- Ask your IC reports for feedback on you. They’ll have an entirely different way of looking at your management style than your reports who have their own reports, and it’s more than worthwhile to hear a range of viewpoints.
Set them on a leadership — not management — path.
You don’t have to be a manager to be a leader. A leader inspires their team, boosts morale, sets examples, and solves problems — all of which can be done from an IC role on a team.
- Clearly define roles and a path toward higher salaries and more responsibility. You’ll need IC roles with different levels of seniority, like group, staff, senior, etc.
- Give your ICs visibility into decision-making. As they grow in their roles, they should have more access to the goings-on of the organization.
- Set clear short-term and long-term goals for your ICs so that they know exactly what they have to do to move up.
- Work to grow your IC’s influence. You can give them more decision-making power, oversight over a bigger project, or access to an important client.
