Blog, culture and engagement | Ambition In Motion

by Kendall Barndollar

Fri 18 October 2024

In the continuously evolving workplace, generations have begun to prioritize emotional intelligence and interpersonal factors. A 2023 Forbes article entitled “Why Emotional Intelligence Is Crucial For Effective Leadership” explains that today's leaders differ from those of traditional, stereotypical leaders. Rather than solely focusing on specific data, sales targets, or goals, managers are now expected to achieve these goals while also promoting psychological safety. Forbes author, Sanjay Sehgal highlights the difference in today's leaders, boasting self-awareness and care for fostering relationships over giving directions creating a new kind of workplace.

In this new and evolving role that managers have an expectation to undertake, many struggle to support direct reports going through personal struggles or challenges. Managers' ability to navigate these situations requires empathy, emotional intelligence, and the focus to balance professional and personal needs. Sometimes managers struggle in switching from a task-oriented to a relationship-oriented workplace, however, prioritizing relationships in the workplace is paramount to the success of modern leaders. Leaders commonly lack the training or experience relevant to handling sensitive, emotionally impactful conversations, which can make it difficult to provide genuine support. As organizations increasingly prioritize balance, managers must develop the awareness needed to effectively support their teams during challenging times. Here are 6 ways managers can provide emotional support and build psychological safety for their team members:

Encourage Open Communication

Oftentimes, communication barriers hinder managers' ability to emotionally support their direct reports. Without a clear understanding of the extent or challenge someone is facing, leaders have no way of knowing what will best support their teams. Miscommunication or lack of trust can lead to misunderstandings, leaving employees feeling unsupported or unvalued by the team. On the other hand, open communication strengthens relationships, fosters a sense of psychological safety, and ensures employees understand the personal and professional support available.

2. Offer Flexibility

To emotionally support direct reports by demonstrating empathy and understanding of personal challenges, managers can offer flexibility in teams, where available. Finding productive methods to manage contributions and find a compromise to support individuals is challenging. Altering schedules, adding a cushion to deadlines, or allowing remote work can aid employees in managing their struggles. Flexibility and understanding when possible can foster stress and aid in reducing stress for employees facing a variety of challenges. Creating an environment where direct reports are comfortable asking for help or support should be at the forefront of focus in creating psychological safety.

3. Build a Strong Team Culture

Creating a strong team culture positively boosts a manager's ability to emotionally support direct reports by fostering a sense of trust, camaraderie, and mutual respect among teams, and levels of an organization's hierarchy. Working in an inclusive culture, employees are much more likely to openly communicate personal and professional hurdles, enabling managers to provide timely and appropriate support. Building productive workplace cultures has another benefit for providing support to team members. A strong culture encourages peer support and empathy, building a culture where team members care for each other, reduce stress, and provide a comforting work environment.

4. Set Clear Expectations

Employees' fundamental understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and goals works to mitigate stress and promote efficacy in the workplace. Clear expectations offer a foundation for trust and open communication which encourages employees to ask for help, and clarification and express concerns as they arise. Building a structure to foster a supportive environment will promote employees' feelings of security, and better enable managers to provide meaningful emotional support when needed.

5. Promote Balance

Enhancing workplace balance is a strong tool for managers hoping to provide emotional support to their direct reports. When managers encourage work-life balance, employees are more in control of their personal and professional lives which, can be supportive in facing hurdles in either sphere. Ongoing support reduces burnout and anxiety, which makes employees more apt to approach managers or leaders to discuss their challenges. A balanced workplace creates an environment where every employee can feel supported in work and personal needs. By prioritizing balance, managers demonstrate care for their team's well-being, strengthening trust and improving their ability to offer emotional support when needed.

6. Offer Continuous Feedback

Providing opportunities to receive continuous feedback can aid in supporting direct reports through personal challenges. In creating trust and promoting transparency, providing continuous feedback is crucial for continuous growth. Regular feedback not only provides employees with a clear sense of their performance but helps to alleviate confusion and, provides opportunities for discussion about responsibilities and workloads. Feedback circles enable a conversation between direct reports and their employees, allowing managers to better address challenges and comprehend major factors affecting their direct reports. Having a proactive approach to discussing performance with employees demonstrates a focus on overall development and well-being, promoting comfort and support.

In today’s workplace, emotionally supporting team members is crucial for managers to foster a positive and productive environment. Encouraging open communication ensures that employees feel heard, valued, and safe to express their challenges. Offering flexibility, where possible, helps managers accommodate personal struggles, reducing stress and building trust. A strong team culture and clear expectations further reinforce psychological safety and mutual respect, making it easier for employees to seek support. Promoting work-life balance enhances employees' well-being, helping them manage both personal and professional demands. Finally, continuous feedback creates a foundation for growth and clarity, allowing managers to offer timely emotional support. Altogether, these strategies build a resilient, connected team, benefiting both individual employees and the organization as a whole.

by Kayla Ambrose

Fri 18 October 2024

While dependents are great when filing taxes, they are way less beneficial to have as team members. Instead of providing a nice tax break, overly dependent team members seek constant approval, require guidance for simple tasks, and avoid making decisions they are qualified to do. This constant need for external support results in ordinary tasks taking copious amounts of time, ultimately decreasing team productivity. While it’s natural for employees to seek guidance, too much reliance on direction from managers can affect individual and team performance. The challenge for managers is how to transform these dependents into self-sufficient team members who are confident in their abilities.

What Causes Manager Dependency?

When managing an overly dependent team member it’s crucial to consider the root cause of their over-reliance. The main causes of manager dependency include micromanagement, lack of confidence, inexperience, and fear of consequences.

Micromanagement

Employees who have experienced a micromanager on their previous team may lack exposure to functioning autonomously. While their frequent seeking of approval is exhausting on this team, it was the norm on their previous team. Similarly, it’s important to reflect on personal management styles to ensure micromanagement isn’t occurring. Managers often struggle to delegate tasks and allow team members to take ownership of their work. Reflect to ensure delegation strategies are implemented throughout the team.

If a team member joined the team with little to no prior experience, they may still receive treatment like the ‘newbie’ despite working on the team for a considerable time. Reflect on management styles with this employee to ensure they are treated appropriately.

Lack of Confidence

Team members also may be dependent due to a lack of confidence. Doubting their abilities leads employees to seek additional reassurance when completing tasks or making decisions because they believe this will prevent errors or failure. While they have good intentions of avoiding mistakes, this can create a cycle of continued dependency ultimately decreasing productivity.

Lacking confidence can manifest as a result of poor psychological safety. Creating a safe space for employees to make mistakes and receive constructive feedback works to build confidence and allow team members to feel comfortable taking educated risks.

Inexperience

In certain situations, new or inexperienced team members might lack exposure to specific tasks they are responsible for completing. This lack of prior knowledge can lead them to seek additional guidance when carrying out the tasks. To promote more autonomy for team members with limited experience, provide clear directions and expectations for their assigned tasks. Additionally, provide resources they can refer to throughout the task and develop mechanisms for them to get more structured feedback while progressing through the assignment.

Fear of Consequences

A workplace culture that heavily scrutinizes and penalizes mistakes can develop dependent tendencies within teams. This overemphasis on failure avoidance and perfection may prevent team members from taking risks or frequently seeking approval. When employees feel a mistake could lead to repercussions such as disciplinary action or criticism, they become more risk-averse. Furthermore, this fear of consequences can stifle innovation due avoidance of innovative yet, risky solutions.

General Strategies to Limit Dependency

After considering what is contributing to team members dependency, managers must develop strategies to progressively decrease dependent behaviors.

1. Slowly Increase Responsibility– progressively allowing team members to gain responsibility will signal trust in their capabilities. Slowly increase their responsibility through delegating more significant tasks overtime to build confidence and competence. Tasking them with more responsibility will allow them to feel more capable and have an increase since of ownership over their work. Break down milestones and deadlines into smaller, more achievable goals. When each goal is achieved, make sure to celebrate their successes to continue to develop self-assurance.

2. Provide Clear Directions– when communicating tasks or how to get feedback, make sure to provide specific instructions. Reliance on management can arise when team members are unsure of the directions they are given and consequently ask a lot of questions. To prevent this constant bombardment of inquiries and reassurance, articulate tasks thoroughly. This can be achieved through demonstrating examples, asking if they have initial questions, and providing resources they can utilize when they encounter difficulties. The goal is to provide sufficient information, so they don’t need further guidance.

3. Establish Boundaries– team member should know when they are empowered to make their own decisions. Discuss clear boundaries so employees know when to seek approval from management and when they are encouraged to be independent. To better establish when team members can seek support, set up regular meetings to discuss concerns and relevant questions. Creating a set time to provide assistance will prevent them from seeking out guidance throughout the day. Over time, these meetings can decrease in frequency as the employee becomes more confident and autonomous.

4. Accept Mistakes– throughout this process of developing independence it is crucial for managers to accept mistakes. Although mistakes may occur more often due to the less frequent clarifications, the dependent employee will become better at working independently over time. Being hypercritical of mistakes when trying to boost confidence is counterproductive. Provide constructive feedback and make sure to celebrate successes. Not only should managers being accepting of mistakes, but it is important to foster this acceptance of mistakes in the dependent employee as well. Work to help them develop a growth mindset, so they start seeing setbacks as opportunities.

Working to reduce dependency can be a challenging initiative. Even with increasing responsibilities, communicating clear directions, establishing boundaries, and developing a safe place to make mistakes, team members may still struggle to become more independent. Recognize that each employee is different so different strategies may need to be utilized to coach them towards independence. If consistent issues arise, seek advice from mentors who have experienced similar challenges to learn about successful strategies they have utilized.

Throughout this process of increasing independence, remember that team members won’t become autonomous overnight. Working to change their natural habits will require patience and guidance. Help theme to take small steps each day to become more confident completing tasks on their own.

by Garrett Mintz

Fri 11 October 2024

As the economy reverts back from the 2021 hiring boom, companies are increasingly removing middle managers in favor of one leader for very large teams. For example, as opposed to marketing being led by one middle manager, outside sales by another manager, customer support by another manager, and customer success by another manager, many companies are opting to remove the layer of middle management and have one leader in charge of all of those functions without any leaders in between.

This has led to a major need for companies to increase their focus on helping their employees effectively communicate and collaborate across functions to achieve desired business outcomes. While somewhat redundant, there was still a lot of information handled by those middle managers that is now the responsibility of the employee.

Why have companies opted to remove middle managers in the first place?

The simple answer is lack of perceived value.

The logic behind creating a layer of middle management is that the guidance of a manager of a smaller team that owns and is fully accountable for their outcomes will be greater than if there was one manager for multiple functions within the organization.

This logic is sound if:

Those middle managers know how to manage and lead people (e.g. know how to have effective 1:1’s, know how to give feedback, and know how to achieve results as a team).
They have incentives that compliment other functions of the business and are directly correlated with achieving overarching business goals.
All the middle managers are effective in their roles (e.g. they communicate well across functions, are willing to sacrifice individual metrics for overall business success, and they hold their team accountable).

This logic doesn’t make sense when:

The middle managers fail to effectively manage and lead people.
The middle managers have unintentionally competing incentives.
The middle managers choose to achieve individual team goals over business goals and/or they have to pick up the slack for another poor-performing team.

For example, let’s say we are a recruiting company in 2021 and the market is hot. All the outside sales team needs is a pulse to close deals. There was a process that the middle manager leading outside sales followed to maintain a base level of competence but because sales are coming in from everywhere, bad habits are overlooked.

Fast forward to 2023. The market has completely dried up, and the outside sales team is really struggling to meet their goals. The CEO is begging and pleading for his team to close more deals. The outside sales team blames the economy and all these other factors for why their numbers are down. But in reality, the middle manager in charge of the outside sales team hasn’t been holding her team accountable to the standard business development process they have found to be tried and true. And now she’s out of practice at holding her team accountable, and the team is out of practice taking hard advice from their manager. This is a recipe for failure.

The CEO then asks the middle managers in other departments to help pickup the slack in sales. He implores his customer success team to focus on upselling current customers. The customer success middle manager says that she is up for the task. She and her team have devised a plan for trying to turn open support tickets and queries into opportunities for upselling.

The plan looks great, but they run into a brick wall with customer support. The customer support middle manager is incentivized to close support tickets as quickly as possible, and this clashes with the overarching business goals of upselling to current clients. To resolve this, the customer success manager has a 1:1 with the customer support manager. The customer support manager knows that him closing support tickets hurts the customer success managers goal of upselling the existing customers and closing more deals, but mentions that “his hands are tied” because in order for him to achieve his end of year bonus, he needs his time to closed ticket ratio to be under a certain level. They are at an impasse.

The outside sales manager isn’t effectively holding her team accountable, the customer support manager is only focused on his end of year bonus for the metrics he is accountable for, and the customer success manager is stressed out because her team is putting in overtime to try to pick up the slack for the outside sales team but keeps running into hurdles from the support team.

Executive teams look at this situation and have determined…screw it! Let’s remove middle managers and have one overarching manager over a wide group of people so they can adjust incentives effectively and ensure everyone is rowing in the same direction. The executive team can’t guarantee that this new model will be any more effective, but they can guarantee that it will cost a whole lot less to not have all of these middle managers than to have them.

Their logic is that if it isn’t working with middle managers right now, why keep paying for them?

In order to achieve effective cross-functional communication and collaboration, there needs to be:

Clear accountability as to who owns what functional unit
Training to the leaders of those functional units on how to effectively delegate, how to have effective 1:1’s, how to give feedback, and how to develop skills and competencies
Incentives that focus on the business outcomes above everything else and a clear process for challenging and adjusting individual team incentives if unintended consequences develop from the those incentives
Regular (minimum monthly) opportunities for middle managers/functional leaders to meet, share challenges, and collaborate (and the executive team needs to give them the grace on their individual expectations to have the time to do this).

If companies cannot effectively achieve all four of these points, they will continue to struggle to achieve effective cross-functional communication and collaboration.

by Grace Tripathy

Fri 4 October 2024

Emma, a seasoned manager at a mid-sized technology company, had always believed in the power of innovation. Her company was known for its cutting-edge solutions, and leadership consistently emphasized the importance of staying ahead of the curve. However, as the company grew, Emma noticed a disconnect between the innovative goals the company was setting and the day-to-day efforts of her team. Despite their technical skill and dedication, her team seemed to be losing focus on the big picture—where the company was heading and how they fit into that vision.

As the company rolled out a new initiative to demonstrate innovation to clients, Emma knew she needed to rethink how to align her team’s goals with the company's larger vision. It wasn’t just about setting targets or assigning tasks; it was about ensuring her team felt motivated and understood the value of their work in driving innovation forward. Emma began to consider how incentives could play a role in achieving this cohesion, but she knew it would require careful evaluation and constant tinkering.

Establishing Clear Job Goals

To begin, Emma revisited the job goals for each member of her team. While everyone had clear responsibilities, Emma realized that the team needed more than just a list of tasks—they needed a deeper understanding of how their roles contributed to the company’s goal of demonstrating continuous innovation to its clients. She gathered her team for a meeting, focusing on how their individual efforts fit into the bigger picture.

Key elements Emma focused on:

Ensuring each team member understood the specific outcomes their work was driving toward (e.g., new product development, process improvements).
Aligning short-term goals with long-term innovation targets set by leadership.
Regularly updating job goals to reflect shifts in the company’s priorities.

By breaking down broader company objectives into actionable, measurable steps, Emma’s team began to see how their contributions mattered. However, simply understanding the goals wasn’t enough; Emma also needed to create incentives that reflected these objectives.

Crafting Incentives That Align with Organizational Goals

Emma knew that financial incentives could motivate her team, but she also understood that innovation requires more than just monetary rewards. To keep her team inspired, Emma developed a balanced system of financial and non-financial incentives that aligned with the company’s vision.

She also considered how different members of her team were motivated by different types of rewards. Some employees thrived on the prospect of a bonus, while others valued recognition or the opportunity to grow professionally. To create an environment where innovation was constant, Emma decided that the incentives needed to reflect both individual motivators and the collective drive to push the company forward.

Financial incentives Emma implemented:

Innovation bonuses: Team members were rewarded for submitting and implementing new ideas that improved products or processes, with quarterly bonuses tied to the success of their innovations. This direct financial reward ensured that those who contributed to the company’s progress saw immediate benefits, encouraging a proactive approach to problem-solving.
Profit-sharing linked to innovation milestones: Instead of traditional profit-sharing based on general company performance, Emma adjusted the plan to reflect key innovation achievements, ensuring her team’s financial rewards were directly tied to the company’s larger goals. This not only incentivized innovation but also helped employees feel more connected to the company’s financial success.

Non-financial incentives Emma introduced:

Recognition programs: Emma launched a monthly “Innovator of the Month” award, spotlighting employees who contributed to the company’s innovation efforts. This not only boosted morale but also encouraged healthy competition. Public recognition in company-wide meetings gave employees a sense of pride and ownership over their contributions.
Opportunities for professional growth: Emma partnered with upper management to provide her team with opportunities to attend conferences, enroll in advanced courses, and participate in cross-departmental projects that aligned with the company’s innovative initiatives. Offering educational incentives reinforced the company's commitment to long-term development and creativity.
Time for creative exploration: In addition to formal rewards, Emma allowed her team to dedicate a certain percentage of their work hours to projects outside of their typical responsibilities. This freedom gave employees the space to experiment and explore new ideas without the pressure of immediate results, fostering a culture of curiosity and innovation.

Evaluating and Re-Evaluating Incentives

After a few months, Emma took a step back to evaluate how her incentive structure was working. She noticed that while financial rewards motivated some team members, others were more driven by recognition and professional development opportunities. Innovation had increased, but there were still areas where the team struggled to stay focused.

To address this, Emma made adjustments to the incentive plan. She introduced periodic check-ins to gather feedback from her team on what motivated them the most and what barriers they faced in achieving their innovation-related goals.

Emma discovered three key insights:

Flexibility was crucial. Some team members valued immediate recognition more than long-term rewards, so Emma implemented smaller, more frequent bonuses alongside the larger innovation-based profit-sharing program.
Transparency drove engagement. By sharing detailed updates on how their contributions directly impacted the company’s client relationships and overall growth, Emma’s team felt more connected to the larger vision.
Continuous feedback improved performance. Regular one-on-one meetings allowed Emma to tweak incentives based on individual preferences and changing market conditions, keeping her team motivated and aligned.

Emma’s journey taught her that the key to aligning team goals with organizational vision lay in balancing financial incentives with a broader sense of purpose. By crafting a dynamic incentive system, Emma helped her team see the value of their contributions not just in terms of personal gain but as part of the company’s mission to lead in innovation.

by Kayla Ambrose

Fri 4 October 2024

Managers appreciate having a “high-performing” star employee who consistently exceeds expectations and is highly motivated. An equally valuable, but often overlooked team member is the “silent star”. This individual is also a high performer consistently driving exceptional results, but they are more introverted and less visible in team interactions. While these silent stars may thrive individually, their introverted tendencies can pose challenges in team settings that rely heavily on collaboration. Given their heavy contributions to the team, it's crucial for managers to find a balance between supporting individual productivity and team cohesion

How to Identify Silent Stars?

With silent stars being less vocal about their contributions to the team, it can prove difficult for managers to identify which individuals are truly creating this positive impact. Identifying these employees takes a strong awareness of performance metrics and behavioral patterns. Managers should look beyond vocal participation and pay close attention to consistency, quality, and impact of individuals' work. A strategy to help determine the silent star is to utilize performance measurement software to gain insights into individual team members' contributions and progress toward goals. Additionally, regular performance reviews and observing how team members engage in smaller or more controlled environments may also lead to a greater understanding of which individuals are heavily contributing under the radar.

Managers may also find a crowdsourcing approach as a more involved approach to determining silent stars. Speaking with team members and others throughout the organization asking them to nominate peers who are strong contributors and don’t receive sufficient recognition from management. Once identified by peers, managers can speak one-on-one to the silent stars and learn about their contributions to the team.

Why is it important to recognize these silent stars?

These individuals are the top talent on the team, but if they feel unrecognized they may leave for an organization that will value them more. One of the main reasons employees quit their jobs is insufficient recognition and appreciation, so managers must actively ensure these silent stars feel valued within their team. Silent stars are often willing to take on thankless tasks within the team and won’t publicize their successes to the team. Despite these behind-the-scenes contributions, they aren’t content with anonymity and this lack of recognition can cause them to disengage from the team over time.

Here are Some Strategies to Recognize These Silent Stars and Support Them:

1. Active Praise

Managers should make a conscious effort to recognize these employees both in private and in public. Praising contributions privately through email or even a one-on-one conversation to thank them for their work can go a long way. Make sure to publicly recognize employees as well, specifically to other managers and executives so these silent stars know that their work isn’t going unnoticed. Recognizing these efforts not only signals that managers are noticing their contributions it can also boost confidence ultimately encouraging them to be more vocal within the team.

2. Increased Responsibility

Along with recognizing their talents, increasing their responsibilities within the team can demonstrate that their work is appreciated. Managers should assign the silent stars to high-impact projects that align with their skill set. This provides the silent stars opportunities to take ownership of their work and encourages them to take on leadership in areas which they feel more comfortable. Ensure that with this increased responsibility they are also given resources that they need to support them in this new role.

3. Training Opportunities

Offering specific training opportunities to support their professional development is another way to recognize and support silent stars. Silent stars may be less inclined to pursue professional development opportunities or situations outside of their comfort zone to grow their skill set. Providing online courses, one-on-one mentoring, or horizontal mentorship opportunities are all great ways to facilitate professional growth. Additionally, it may be beneficial to encourage them to pursue additional certifications to enhance their individual contributions. Providing these training opportunities can be a subtle yet effective way to support silent stars and appreciate the value they bring to the team.

4. Foster Psychological Safety

Silent stars may be quieter in team settings due to a lack of psychological safety. It is important to ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment at work. Managers should create a culture in which all team members feel they can share their ideas free from judgement. Silent stars may be more hesitant to contribute to group meetings, so providing them more time to prepare for meetings or placing them in smaller group settings can increase their psychological safety. Focusing on improving psychological safety may help these silent stars be less silent.

5. Build Rapport

Work to develop a relationship in one-on-one settings through monthly conversations. Establishing a relationship with silent stars takes a conscious effort and intentional actions. Since they may not engage in personal conversations as frequently as other team members, it is important to reach out to build this relationship. Regular check-ins to discuss their progress with their work and their life outside of work is a great way for managers to gain insights into the motivations of these silent stars.

Recognizing and supporting silent stars is crucial for creating a balanced and high-performing team. Although these introverted team members may not highlight their contributions, their consistently high performance has a significant impact on the team’s success. Managers must work to identify these under-recognized team members through careful observation and performance metrics. By praising silent stars, increasing their responsibilities, creating development opportunities, fostering psychological safety, and building relationships with silent stars, managers can ensure that they feel valued and appreciated. Acknowledging and supporting silent stars will not only boost their motivations but also retain these top performers who might otherwise go unnoticed.

by Kendall Barndollar

Sun 22 September 2024

Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow provides valuable insight into understanding how the human brain's analytical systems impact decision-making. The book provides a dual system thinking theory, explaining that when someone is faced with a decision, they will utilize one of two systems, called system 1 or 2 thinking.

Strong decision-making skills are crucial for managers' success. Leaders are constantly faced with decisions that heavily impact the lives of others. Managers' decisions affect team morale, culture, and efficiency so mindfulness in making these decisions is crucial to team success and longevity. Layoffs, raises, promotions, client placements, and strategies are all decisions that leaders face on behalf of their direct reports. To best keep serving teams and executives, it is paramount for leaders to be deliberate in their decision-making.

Managers may employ a variety of decision-making tactics so to mitigate bias in decision-making, every leader should be conscious of how they utilize system one or system two thinking.

System one thinking is immediate. This system is essentially automatic and is initiated by the surrounding environment and habits. System one thinking is dangerous because it is subconscious and can sincerely affect decision-making processes in all people. System one thinking enables unconscious bias to influence choices. These biases are problematic because the individual is unaware of the bias that impacts their decisions. Unconscious bias can appear in all individuals and is extremely hard to detect and reverse.

System two is critical thinking. System 2 thinking is intentional and engages the brain in analyzing every aspect and result of decisions. System 2 thinking is usually initiated by a fight or flight type response. When the brain is unfamiliar with the circumstance, system two thinking kicks in to analyze and understand aspects the brain doesn’t realize in system one thinking.

To minimize bias and prioritize system two thinking, managers can employ a variety of strategies to challenge their perspectives and beliefs. For managers to foster a positive team culture, they must encourage open dialogue, learning, and psychological safety. Being mindful of individuals' cognitive processes, biases and experiences will enhance decision-makers' tendencies away from system 1 thinking. To better utilize system two thinking, managers should consider finding new opportunities for mentorship or collaboration that will broaden their understanding and perspective.

A critical opportunity for leaders to learn from others' experiences is mentorship programs. Mentorship programs have benefits for individuals at all levels within an organizational hierarchy. Every member can benefit from mentorship but, finding mentors for executives can be challenging. Ambition in Motions Horizontal Mentorship Program is an opportunity for executives of different industries and experiences to collaborate and create a productive learning environment. Opening new opportunities to grow and learn in a dynamic environment catered to specific problems faced in the workplace makes horizontal mentorship a great tool to initiate system two thinking and encourage learning from others.

In the workplace, situations depending on system one or system two thinking heavily impact the outcome of decisions. For example, consider Sarah. Sarah is a manager at a small consulting firm and is responsible for 15 direct reports working underneath her. In a quarterly meeting with her boss, Sarah learned she has to lay off 20% of her staff, 3 members. Sarah is faced with a tough decision to make.

If Sarah depended on her system one thinking, she would not critically evaluate her employees' performance. System one thinking promotes irrational decision-making and emotionally driven reasoning. If Sarah utilized system one thinking, she would likely lay off employees with whom she had issues or problems within the last couple of weeks rather than evaluating long-term commitment and performance. Or, using system one thinking, Sarah may lay off an individual who she had an argument with or faced a conflict while working on a client project.

On the other hand, if Sarah critically evaluates options for this decision, she will be more apt to conduct the layoffs with consistent reasoning and explanation. System two thinking forces decision-makers brains to be engaged in the process of finding an evidence-based solution. If Sarah engages her system two thinking, she will be basing her decision on quantitative data or, factors such as efficiency or long-term performance, goal setting, and achievements.

To collect quantitative data useful in system two decision makers, leaders should consider utilizing AIM Insights. AIM Insights is a software that provides continuous goal and progress reports to both managers and their teams. Members can see personal and team goals, sincerely impacting performance and lifting expectations. Additionally, AIM Insights provides tools for attainable goal-setting that are accessible to both managers and direct reports, with benchmarking and gap analysis available, creating transparency in performance, expectation, and growth. Through the use of software such as AIM Insights, managers have readily available data to find evidence-based solutions to problems they face in their roles.

However, a pivotal benefit of AIM Insights is executive coaching. Executive coaching provides leaders with a personal connection to aid in goal setting and analyzing AIM Insight metrics. These experienced industry professionals provide guidance and consistently analyze results and metrics through a system-two lens. From the removal of personal connections with direct reports, executive coaches gain emotional distance and are able to objectively evaluate the performance of members, aiding in data-driven decision-making.

Overall, it is crucial for all individuals, and especially leaders to engage their system's two thinking processes. Understanding the differences in automatic and critical thinking provides valuable insights into decision-making habits and how information is processed. By recognizing the best settings for each of the thinking models, leaders are enabled to enhance decision-making skills and efficiency along with mitigating bias. Embracing the dual-system thinking model will unlock potential and encourage mindfulness in decision-making across roles.

by Grace Tripathy

Sun 22 September 2024

Election years often bring uncertainty to businesses. Todd, a middle manager at a Fortune 500 company, was skilled at managing typical team challenges. However, he was unprepared for the turmoil that an impending election would stir within his team.

As election season approached, the team's usual balance began to crumble, leading to intense disagreements. Decisions that once focused on company strategy became entangled with personal predictions about the election's economic impact. Some team members advocated for a cautious approach, pushing for budget cuts and delayed investments, while others saw the uncertainty as an opportunity for aggressive marketing initiatives.

Todd quickly realized that he needed to guide his team through this chaos without letting political views overshadow their mission. He emphasized the importance of data-driven decision-making, encouraging the team to focus on current performance metrics rather than speculation about the future.

Strategies for Effective Leadership During Election Seasons

To foster a balanced approach, Todd identified manageable risks that would allow for innovation without jeopardizing financial stability. He also cultivated a resilient team culture, reinforcing the idea that adaptability is crucial in business. Open communication was prioritized, with discussions kept respectful and centered on business goals, ensuring that diverse perspectives could contribute positively to the workplace. These are the strategies that Todd followed:

Focus on Facts, Not Speculation
- Prioritize Data-Driven Decisions: Encourage your team to base their strategies on concrete business data rather than political predictions. Historical performance metrics, market trends, and customer feedback provide a reliable foundation for decision-making.
- Regularly Review Key Metrics: Set up periodic reviews to discuss the performance of key markets and areas for growth. This practice not only keeps the team grounded in reality but also fosters a culture of accountability.
Balance Risk and Caution
- Assess Risk Tolerance: Engage your team in discussions about risk tolerance to understand different perspectives. Identify where the team can take calculated risks that align with business goals while ensuring financial stability.
- Explore Incremental Investments: Rather than committing to large-scale initiatives, consider smaller, strategic investments that allow for testing and learning. This approach can lead to valuable insights without jeopardizing the organization’s financial health.
Cultivate a Resilient Team Culture
- Encourage Adaptability: Create a culture where adaptability is valued. Emphasize that uncertainty is a constant in business, whether due to elections, economic shifts, or industry changes. Providing training on change management can enhance this adaptability.
- Promote Continuous Learning: Foster an environment that embraces mentorship and learning from both successes and failures. This mindset can empower team members to navigate challenges with confidence.
Encourage Open Communication and Mutual Respect
- Create Safe Spaces for Discussion: Establish forums or team-building activities where team members can express their views on political matters without fear of backlash. It’s essential to frame these discussions around respect and focus on common goals.
- Implement Ground Rules: Set clear guidelines for how to engage in discussions that may touch on personal political beliefs. Encourage a focus on business implications and maintain a professional atmosphere.
Reinforce the Company’s Mission
- Align Decisions with Core Values: Continuously emphasize the company's mission and values during meetings and decision-making processes. This alignment helps team members focus on what truly matters and prevents distractions from political debates.
- Highlight Collective Goals: Remind the team that their primary objective is to deliver value to clients and drive business growth. Reinforcing this shared mission can foster unity and purpose amid external uncertainties.

Additional Considerations for Leaders

Stay Informed: Keep abreast of political developments that may impact your industry. Understanding the landscape allows you to anticipate potential challenges and prepare your team accordingly.
Encourage Flexibility in Planning: Remind your team that strategic plans may need to be adjusted based on unfolding political events. Emphasizing the importance of flexibility can help the team remain agile.
Lead by Example: Demonstrate composure and a focus on business priorities, even amid political noise. Your behavior sets the tone for the team and reinforces the message that professionalism should prevail.

Navigating an election year presents unique challenges for leaders, but it also offers opportunities for growth and resilience. By emphasizing data-driven decision-making, balancing risk with caution, cultivating a resilient culture, encouraging open communication, and reinforcing the company mission, leaders can guide their teams effectively through tough times.

The overarching goal for managers and executives is to maintain a clear focus on controllable factors while preparing to adapt to the unpredictable. With the right strategies in place, leaders can steer their organizations through anything, political or otherwise, emerging stronger, more cohesive, and better equipped to meet future challenges.

In the end, Todd's leadership proved essential in navigating the election storm. By emphasizing data, balancing risk, fostering resilience, and reinforcing the company mission, he successfully guided his team through uncertainty, emerging stronger and more unified.

by Kayla Ambrose

Sun 22 September 2024

Having an extremely high-performing “rockstar” employee who consistently exceeds expectations is a key asset to a team's success. However, what happens when these top performers have bad attitudes? Regardless of their great contributions, their difficult behavior can be detrimental to the team’s morale and create friction. For managers, the challenge is balancing the value of these influential team members while also fostering a positive workplace culture.

While an employee may be a ‘high performer’, poor behavior constitutes underperformance in their role and can lead to more significant negative effects on the rest of the team. Over time, other team members may question why this poor behavior is tolerated and cause resentment towards management for failing to address such attitudes. Overall, the high performance of an individual can outweigh their positive contributions to the team, ultimately providing a net negative impact on the organization as a whole.

Problems that can arise from a negative team member include:

Other team members may not want to work closely with the negative team member.
Team members may not feel comfortable sharing their opinions and providing feedback during group discussions.
The firm may experience higher employee turnover, and other good employees may leave due to frustration.
Decreased team performance due to a negative environment and reduced collaboration.

Given the large implications a negative employee can have on a team, it’s important to navigate these challenges appropriately. Approaching the situation without a presumption of malintent is a critical component to ensuring the employee doesn’t develop a defensive attitude, ultimately hindering a productive conversation. The toxic team member may not be aware of their poor attitude and the implications of their actions on the team as a whole. Facilitating an open and honest discussion about their attitude and strategies to improve is crucial to productively addressing concerns.

Here are some strategies for navigating this conversation and devising an improvement plan:

1. Focus on Specifics & Identify Underlying Cause

When initiating a conversation about a poor attitude it is important to focus on the specific problem at hand. Similar to a performance review, identify specific instances in which they ‘underperformed’ and avoid generalizations. Not referencing specific examples may not properly communicate what needs to be adjusted.

If the poor behavior is a more recent development, see if there is an underlying source for this negative mindset. The team member might be experiencing challenges in their personal or professional life that are causing them to take out their frustrations on the team. Make sure to actively listen to the challenges they are facing and be prepared to help workshop solutions to any difficulties they have within the workplace. Team members are more likely to communicate concerns if they believe management will take their feedback into consideration and work towards solutions.

2. Set Clear Expectations for Improvement

After identifying the problem, setting clear expectations for further improvement and how adjustments to their attitude will have a positive impact on the team. Not only will a good attitude improve their performance, but will create a more positive workplace culture. Outline specific behavioral expectations including maintaining respect, collaborating with peers, and fostering a positive work environment.

When communicating expectations, emphasize they are non-negotiable aspects of their role and are imperative to future success within the firm. By establishing that performance isn’t solely measured based on contributions but also by their attitude and interactions, managers can effectively set the tone for acceptable behavior. Overall, setting clear expectations provides a structure of behavior accountability while also recognizing the employee’s contributions.

3. Create an Effective Action Plan

Collaborate on an action plan with specific steps they can take to improve their attitude. This communicates the importance of making changes and provides actionable implementation steps. Within this action plan, discuss strategies to shift their negative behavior to more positive alternatives such as productive outlets.

Negative behavior can often manifest due to frustrations that the toxic team member has with others on their team. Providing them with a productive outlet for negativity can work to redirect their emotions to positive solutions. An example of a productive outlet may be creating solutions for a team member who consistently voices frustrations to communicate their concerns directly with management.

Even with strategies in mind, it can be difficult to determine the best ways to handle a toxic team member. Discussing solutions with human resources can help gain an additional perspective on the situation and provide insights on alternative solutions with the firm. Other resources such as horizontal mentorship groups can give leaders a community to discuss these challenges and hear how other leaders handled similar situations.

In addition to reaching out for support, proactively addressing poor behavior is a key preventative measure to reduce negative behavior in the workplace. Address concerning behavior immediately when it occurs or soon after to prevent continued issues. Waiting for individuals to adjust their behavior on their own accord often doesn’t work and allows for the negativity to continue. Furthermore, proactively addressing problems communicates that this behavior isn’t tolerated on the team nor within the firm, regardless of an employee's output.

Proactively addressing poor behavior may also manifest through creating mechanisms for team members to share concerning experiences with other team members. Ensure all team members feel comfortable reporting behavioral issues and have the correct resources to communicate such concerns.

While high performers may create a lot of value on a team, if they create a toxic environment they may be doing more harm than good. Addressing the problem and providing opportunities for growth gives them a chance to reflect on their behavior and make changes. However, if a team member is unable to adjust their attitude, consider alternative solutions including removal from the team. Even if a team member is a ‘rockstar’, they aren’t worth compromising the team as a whole.

by Kayla Ambrose

Fri 6 September 2024

Luke is a dedicated team member, consistently performing well on his assigned tasks and developing strong working relationships with others on the team. Despite his exceptional performance, whenever his manager, Sarah, proposes opportunities for professional development he seems disinterested. Propositions for advancement through paid company programs for further education and conversations about future positions are frequently met with little enthusiasm.

Sarah has worked closely with Luke for a number of years and wants to elevate Luke to the next level. Although Luke is a high performer, he needs to complete specific trainings in order to be considered for higher positions. With an opening for a position Luke would be well suited for, Sarah wants to motivate Luke to pursue development opportunities that would equip him for the role.

While Luke is the ideal candidate and the company would prefer internal promotions, Sarah wonders if encouraging Luke to pursue a higher role is the best decision. Additionally, if Luke does transition to a new role, Sarah’s team would lose a valuable part of their team. As Luke has demonstrated disinterest in further advancement in the past, would he underperform if placed in this position?

As a manager with vested interests in the success of their team members, it can be challenging to navigate situations where team members are disinterested in further advancement. Encouraging them to reach their full potential and pursue higher positions may appear to be the best solution, but an external hire might be more enthusiastic and well suited for the role. With such a complex situation at hand, Sarah must devise an approach to support Luke while also determining how to best fill the open position. She recognizes that some people have different Work Orientations and while some people are career oriented, meaning they are motivated by professional growth and learning new skills, not everyone is.

Clarify Priorities

It’s essential to understand what motivates an employee and where they want their career to go. Some employees may have personal reasons for wanting to remain in their current position. Others might simply be comfortable with in their current role and have no desire for an increase in responsibility.

Employees may also seem disinterested in further advancement due to fear of failure. Fear of failure is often a huge deterrent for individuals within their professional career. Loss aversion is a cognitive bias that describes ones nature to be more inclined to avoid the pain of losing or failing thus deterring them from potential success or pleasure. Facilitating a conversation with the team member to identify why there is apparent disinterest in furthering their career can help identify these barriers and work to find solutions if desired.

Encourage Without Pressure

Everyones timeline for growth looks different. Balancing encouragement while not applying too much pressure to the situation can be a difficult feat. Offer opportunities for development, but don’t pressure employees into promotions if they aren’t ready.

Since the employee is already a valuable member of the team, it’s important that they feel comfortable within the team. Stress from their manager encouraging them to pursue a position that they aren’t interested in can make them more stressed out, resulting in less motivation in their current role. Regardless of whether they want to pursue further advancement, they are still a valuable asset to the team and should feel supported in their journey

Offer Gradual Growth

Rather than pushing an employee who isn’t ready into a full leadership role, offer smaller opportunities for increased responsibility. Opportunities such as leading small projects or mentoring new employees can allow them to take on leadership roles on a smaller scale.

Experience with additional leadership can given them the opportunity to reflect on these opportunities to determine if a leadership role is right for them. Some employees may flourish in these new experiences, further solidifying that they are a right fit for a higher role. Other employees might use this opportunity to recognize this isn’t something they are interested in pursuing. Helping employees to gain additional experience as a leader is a great way for them to reflect on their interest in a more serious leadership

Devise a Mentorship Program

Employees might need guidance to recognize their full potential. Gaining mentorship can build confidence and skills needed to assume leadership. Directly mentoring the employee or referring them to external mentorship programs are great ways to give them exposure to leaders who have been in their shoes.

Horizontal mentorship programs can also serve as a great resource. Through horizontal mentorship programs, the team member can chat about issues they encounter in the workplace and any concerns they have about pursuing a higher leadership role. Being able to discuss these hesitations with others going through similar situations and help provide reassurance of capabilities.

Sarah decided to set-up a one-on-one conversation with Luke for an in depth discussion of his professional goals. During this conversation Luke, shared that his lack of enthusiasm for further advancement stemmed from feeling unprepared for a leadership role. Together, Sarah and Luke devised a plan for Luke to slowly take on more responsibilities within the team to gradually prepare him for leadership roles. Along with this growth plan, they will meet monthly for mentorship chats and tackle any issues Luke encounters.

Luke might not be ready for a promotion today, but his potential and strong contributions to the team remain. With time, Luke will continue to develop his leadership skills and work with Sarah to achieve the success Sarah knew Luke had potential for.

Situations of that similar to Luke and Sarahs are a common issue leaders face and don’t have a one-size fits all solution. Some employees are like Luke and need mentorship and growth plans to feel more confident pursuing a leadership role. Other employees may just need time to become more comfortable with the idea of further advancement. While conversations and encouragement for advancement can lead to the pursuit of a leadership position, recognize that everyone’s journey is different and a managers role is to provide support along the way.

by Kendall Barndollar

Fri 6 September 2024

Continued professional education is not a new concept in the workplace. For years, teachers, accountants, lawyers, and many other professions have mandated the continuation of professional education for these individuals to be up to date on the new legislature and field changes. However, for unrequired industries, these educational opportunities are equally as important. Seeking developmental opportunities can be difficult, professionals are often worried that their employer may perceive their participation in these programs as dissatisfaction or intent to leave their current role.

Attending development and growth programs relevant to any industry is essential for personal growth, career advancement, and performance enhancement in nearly every role. Continued education programs encourage life-long learning, stress the importance of keeping up with industry trends and practices, and exhibit the value of new skills and perspectives within an individual's career.

Educational and professional development opportunities within the workplace have become scarce. It is a challenging task for managers to find developmental programs for a variety of roles and, focuses. Managers often feel lost with configuring resources to upskill their employees. Managers often struggle to encourage their direct reports to seek continual development because they want to maintain the employee's commitment and focus in their current role. Seeking professional development opportunities does not directly indicate that an individual is dissatisfied or unhappy in their role. Those motivated by learning and new environments may become more committed to their role with the opportunity for professional growth.

Nevertheless, each individual must take their advancements into their own hands. As creatures of habit, it is easy for humans to get stuck in a rut or become complacent in their jobs. Every individual must take charge and drive their career paths and advancements by proactively seeking opportunities to broaden their knowledge, perspectives, and experiences.

Professional development programs take on a variety of forms and focus. Based on interests, level of formality, and availability, individuals can find the perfect space to grow their capabilities. However, seeking these opportunities through employers may not yield adequate opportunities for development or learning. To find the best-fit opportunities, individuals should conduct their own research and determine what the best next step may be to broaden their knowledge, skills, and experiences.

Finding adequate options for development programs and determining the best route for career advancement is a challenging task for most. Depending on the formality, commitment and cost, there are different routes best for specific scenarios. Here is a deep dive into 3 Categories of learning opportunities for direct reports seeking professional development and advancement programs:

Workshops

Attending workshops or seminars relevant to any professional industry is a stepping-stone to advancement, growth, and performance improvement. Workshops and seminars may be presented in different ways on a variety of topics but can generally be broken into two overarching categories.

The first category is seminars or workshops focused on industry-specific topics, including niche topics or tools to help participants broaden or improve their skill set within a specific role, group, or industry. On the other hand, general skills workshops focus on over-arching topics relevant to advancement and growth in a variety of industries. General skills workshops commonly focus on topics related to leadership or soft skills such as management or organization. A general skills workshop may focus on leadership or communication and may be most impactful when entire teams participate or, in the use of preparation for leadership roles.

Interactive workshops, like executive mastermind groups, can be a great way to gain objectivity, learn from others, and improve one’s own skill set.

2. Certificates

The continuation of formal education can be a paramount tool for the development and possible advancement of professionals across industries and positions. Those seeking to continue their education in a formal setting outside of traditional secondary or post-graduate education should consider certificates and licensures. In obtaining these licensures or certificates, individuals are enabled to broaden their roles, responsibilities, and industry knowledge. For each industry or role, there are a variety of opportunities available for certifications. Compared to workshops, certificates tend to take a more formal setting. Content to obtain a certificate is commonly done through a course or a several-day seminar, usually capped with an exam. Certificates are a strong form of professional advancement because in the event that individuals seek new roles, certificates, and licensures are a concrete representation of knowledge, experience, and education in a specific field.

The AIM Insights People Leader Certification can be a great avenue for a leader to showcase their abilities and benchmark their performance compared to other leaders of similar teams.

3. Mentorship

Mentorship is a crucial tool for developing strong leaders and integrating team culture throughout different levels of the workplace. However, a seemingly informal form of professional development, establishing mentorship connections is highly impactful in an individual's ability to lead and advance in their fields.

Mentor and mentee connections are a key differentiator in individuals' capacity to learn from new perspectives and adapt in the workplace. Mentorship may be implemented in professional atmospheres through a variety of ways but essentially should aid in the personal and professional development of younger generations from those with more experience in the industry. However, not all firms or companies facilitate adequate mentorship connections. Individuals seeking mentorship may consider joining mentorship groups or joining professionally focused organizations. For example, certified public accountants (CPAs) may join the AICPA and establish mentoring relationships with other accountants who have more industry experience or, accounting experience in other focuses.

By exploring a diverse variety of options in professional advancement programs, individuals have the opportunity to improve their expertise, gain valuable skills, and expand their industry knowledge. Given the wide array of advancement opportunities, formality levels, and time commitments, every individual should actively seek opportunities to better themselves and their career path.

Professionals across all industries and roles can immensely benefit from continuous education in their fields. Regardless of position, every team may benefit from seminars on improving communication, leadership, or team culture. The most imperative key to success is drive. Those seeking promotion or advancement should take charge of their future career path, and participate in a variety of programs and activities that will enable them to succeed. No matter their success or experience, every professional has something to learn.

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