If you want your people to develop, participate in trainings, attend events related to their field, network with peers and exchange ideas, just give them a clear budget (time and money) and some broad rules. Then let them choose how to go about it, approve by default and sponsor sessions to share their learnings with the rest of the team.

If you don’t want that instead, give them a process to follow, some paperwork to do and managerial discretion.

Or even better, tell them their development is not at the top of your agenda.