I am going to share the wholesome experience of my professional life. Back in the summer of 2018, when I was working as a Branch Manager in one of the finest Public Sector Bank in Central India, two boys joined under me as Probationary Officers. They were raw, straight out of the training college, joining my branch as their first job.

When I met them for the first, I was absolutely clueless as to how I was going to handle them without any prior experience. Yes, I was clueless, but I never complained. As a manager, I knew I could mould them into anything that I want, so I started to train them, guide them, direct them in the right direction and mentor them. I ensured every comfort to them as a manager. 

I encouraged them each day and finally a day came when we as a team became robust and reliable. Our performance started to reflect on our branch figures and each day was a learning experience. Days passed by; many months gone and finally after a tenure of 4 years we parted ways in three different directions for new assignments, individually.

So, what did I achieved in the process? I will answer that at the end of this article. 

1. More importantly I was the part of the team and as a team I fostered a positive work environment and contributed to our professional growths.
2. My effective support reciprocated in the form of their support towards me, throughout.
3. I fostered open communication by creating a supportive environment where they felt comfortable approaching me, encouraging them to ask questions, seek clarification, and to share their ideas or concerns.
4. I offered guidance and mentorship based on my experiences. I share insights, best practices, and lessons learned to help them navigate their roles and responsibilities more effectively.
5. I clearly communicate expectations regarding work quality, deadlines, and performance. This helped them understand what is expected of them and reduce any ambiguity.
6. I often provided them with regular constructive feedback on their work, highlighting both their strengths and areas for improvement and in doing so I was very specific about the objectives of feedback, and offer suggestions for improvement.
7. I shared my useful knowledge resources with them such as articles, books, or online courses, that without any doubt was instrumental in enhancing their knowledge and skills.
8. I have thoroughly entrusted them with greater responsibilities and encouraged autonomy while providing guidance and support to foster confidence and growth and make decisions independently.
9. As their boss, I have led by examples and demonstrated professionalism, integrity, and a strong work ethic.

Most of the things worked our way because we worked together for it. At the end of their tenure with me, I encouraged them for a promotion, ensured they appeared for the departmental exam, made sure they had the right content to study and appear prepared for the exam. 

I sent a strong recommendation for their promotion and they cracked the interview which I was quite sure of. They both got promoted as managers.

Nothing could beat the feeling of pushing your team so much through hard times and carrying them through not just personally but also professionally. 

That’s what an ideal team effort looks like. And what I achieved in this journey! Well! I got promoted as a Senior Manager.