June 8, 2025

Read Time - 4 minutes

I’ve been thinking a lot about staff growth—especially in flat organizations like many of us lead in. This story always reminds me why it matters so much: Several years ago, I stepped into a new leadership role—and inherited an administrative assistant.

Let’s call her Sarah (name changed for privacy).

From day one, we worked well together. She was reliable, a great communicator, and took pride in her work. One afternoon, as we were mapping out projects and committee work for the semester, Sarah mentioned she was interested in project management.

The problem? It didn’t really fit into her current role. And we didn’t have a clear promotion path to offer. But we didn’t let that stop us—so we started small.

We aligned the work we needed with opportunities that would help her build skills and strengthen her resume. Over the next year, Sarah coordinated several cross-campus initiatives and expanded her network. And here’s the thing: the work she took on made a real difference. She brought fresh ideas, built relationships, and improved several workflows.

Not long after, she came into my office—nervous but excited.

She’d been offered a great role at another institution, closer to her family, that leaned on her project management experience.

Of course, I hated to lose her. But that quickly gave way to a better feeling—pride. It felt good to play a small part in helping her take that next step. And it reminded me why many of us got into higher education in the first place:

To help people grow. To open doors. To see them take the next step—even when that step takes them somewhere new.

Why Staff Growth Should be a Priority (But is Often Overlooked)

Here’s the challenge we don’t talk about enough in higher ed:

👉 Many staff roles don’t have a clear path forward.

👉 Many units have small teams and flat org charts.

👉 Many positions experience limited turnover—so opportunities for advancement are rare.

At the same time, staff are the heart of our institutions:

• They manage workflows that keep things moving.

• They interact with students, families, and partners.

• They enable students and faculty to do their best work.

When staff are engaged and growing, your program is more agile, responsive, and student-centered.

When they’re stuck or burned out, quality suffers across the board.

So why does staff growth often get overlooked?

As many of us have probably experienced, professional development in higher ed has historically focused on faculty, with fewer resources devoted to staff. And in some units, staff still aren’t seen as equal contributors to a program's success.

Both are short-sighted.

And here’s a counterintuitive truth: According to Gallup, opportunities to learn and grow are one of the top predictors of staff engagement and retention—often more so than compensation or title. (Source: ​Gallup State of the American Workplace​)

If we want strong, student-centered programs, we need staff who are supported, empowered, and growing.

And growth doesn’t always mean a new title. It can mean:

• New skills

• New relationships

• New experiences

• New leadership opportunities

• New institutional awareness

When leaders adopt this view, engagement deepens and loyalty grows.

4 Ways to Help Staff Grow—Without a Promotion Path

You can’t help staff grow if you don’t know what matters to them.

Start with simple, ongoing conversations:

• What are their career goals?

• What kind of work energizes them?

• What skills do they want to build?

Once you understand their goals, here are four ways you can help:

1. Get to Know the Person Behind the Role Take time—beyond job descriptions—to learn their interests, strengths, and goals.

These insights rarely come up in performance reviews. They happen when you show curiosity in everyday conversations.

Case in point: I once learned a staff member moonlighted as an MC for trivia nights—great with crowds and organizing events. He later helped us design a more engaging recruitment event—bringing energy and creativity we wouldn’t have had otherwise.

2. Make Career Conversations Routine In one-on-ones, ask: 👉 “Is there anything you’d like to get more experience with this year?”

👉 “Are there interests or skills we haven’t tapped into yet?”

Don’t frame it as “what job do you want next?” Frame it as: “what do you want to learn or contribute next?”It’s less pressure—and leads to richer conversations.

3. Offer Stretch Opportunities (They Don’t Have to Be Big) Stretch assignments build skills and confidence:

• Leading part of a retreat

• Representing your unit on a committee

• Managing a new initiative

• Participating in hiring

The goal isn’t to overload your best people—it’s to offer targeted opportunities that align with what they want to build. Don’t wait for a “perfect” stretch assignment. Small projects often lead to the biggest growth.

4. Invest in Their Professional Growth Advocate for:

• Conferences

• Leadership workshops

• Certifications (project management, communications)

• Campus leadership programs

And don’t forget: nearly every administrative area in higher ed has a professional organization—from executive assistants to academic advisors to business officers and beyond. I like to encourage staff to explore networks outside higher ed too. Some of the best leadership and operational ideas come from other sectors—and a fresh perspective can spark new thinking on your team.

The Bottom Line

You won’t always have a new title or position to offer.

But you can offer growth. You can offer opportunity. You can create a culture where staff know their development matters.

When you lead this way, good things follow: ✅ Stronger engagement ✅ New energy and ideas ✅ Deeper trust in your leadership ✅ A healthier, more dynamic team

Sometimes, that growth prepares someone—like Sarah—for an opportunity beyond your walls.

Other times, it strengthens your program from the inside out.

Both outcomes are worth celebrating.

When staff see that your team is a place where they can learn, contribute, and keep growing—everyone benefits.

That’s leadership that lasts.

Action Steps For This Week

In your next one-on-one, ask a staff member:

“What’s one skill or experience you’d like to build this year?”

Then look for one way to help them move toward it.

🚨Next-Level Question🚨

What would change if you treated staff growth as a core leadership responsibility—not a bonus?

Ready to Help Others?

We get better when we share what works. If this sparked a new idea for you, pass it along to a colleague you respect—it might help them too.

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