It’s late on a Sunday afternoon, down to the last few minutes on the clock, a tied score with a win on the line and millions of fans watching; this is the moment when a head coach is looking to the bench for a player who will run the ball to win the game, not a player who is going to fumble.

The corporate world is no different. Every business wants team members on the bench and on the field that possess the ability, courage, and willingness to take on greater challenges. But how to accomplish this? It takes hard work to build a successful team. As Camden’s Head Coach I realize we need to build our bench just like the Pros by recruiting new talent and retaining current team members while developing individuals and equipping them with tools to be the next generation of leaders. This led to the company-wide initiative: Build the Bench.

My  goal is for our employees to be happy and successful. Build the Bench is the plan to provide that with a concentrated focus on finding and developing Camden’s next generations of leaders. That doesn’t happen overnight. You have to create a gameplan for employee development and happiness, so I have formed a Task Force of Camden Senior Executives and challenged them with vetting our gameplan:

• The Draft: building the team by retaining current team members and bringing in new talent through an onboarding process that cultivates them for growth and development.

• The Pre-Season: creating training and career development opportunities to prepare the team for success.

• The Season: recognizing and celebrating the wins along the way through actionable analysis.

• The Franchise: keeping up the momentum for continued wins season after season.

Camden’s Build the Bench initiative is still in its conceptual phase. As we get it off the ground I am dedicated to sharing our measurable goals and feedback. Look for stats updates as we Build the Bench at Camden.

(Malcolm Stewart is Chief Operating Officer of Camden Property Trust and Chairman of Camden’s Investment Committee. Mr. Stewart is responsible for all property operations across the United States. He is actively engaged in community services and an active supporter of the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets.