Identify development opportunities that could be part of a development plan for your direct report.
Training
An obvious opportunity is to suggest some form of training for your report. By this point in the process, you and your report should have an idea what gaps or weaknesses the report has that can be improved through training.
Peer Coaching
Have your report shadow another employee to learn what they do and how they do it. This has an added benefit beyond teaching your report a new job or skill set. The act of teaching also helps the employee being shadowed, as the teacher often becomes more proficient by explaining her job to someone else.
Representing the team
Placing your report in a situation where she represents your team or department at an important meeting or event can give the report a different perspective on the team and its place in the organization.
Changing job description
Assign your report the task of defining his job, and then to identify ways of modifying the job description that might improve efficiency. The goal of this exercise is to get the report to think differently about his job – to take ownership of it.
Creating special projects
Creating or delegating special projects can help motivate reports who appear to be bored or feeling under-appreciated. The key is to make the project challenging and meaningful. It should be viewed as a reward for competence, not a punishment.
Assisting the boss
Have your report assist your boss or another executive on a special assignment. As with representing the team, this can introduce the report to new business perspectives of the organization's business.