Managers are often encouraged to listen and collaborate during decision-making, but sometimes, this democratic leadership style isn’t the most effective approach. While inclusivity and participation can empower employees, certain decisions require managers to be more direct. Understanding the balance between executive authority and team involvement can transform a slow, confused organization into an efficient and motivated one. 

A company’s vision is the purpose and direction of a company, which should largely be shaped by executive leadership. Long-term goals set the path for the organization and require a high-level understanding of the environment in which the organization operates, including markets, competitors, and brand identity. While gathering input from various department heads may provide valuable insights, the ultimate decision should fall within the scope of executives. 

Vision setting and other large-scale corporate decisions are not situations well suited for a democratic process. Working to incorporate too many opinions can dilute focus and prevent decisive action. It is the responsibility of leadership to guide the organization toward a strong, cohesive future, even if decisions aren’t popular in the short term. 

With all this being said, managers should still gather feedback. Successful leaders consistently gather data from employees, not to vote on strategies, but to inform them. Surveys, one-on-one conversations, and management insight tools can support leaders in gathering information from their workforce. 

While strategic decisions may require top-down leadership, day-to-day decisions often benefit from a democratic approach. Processes that affect how employees do their work, such as communication channels or workflow tools, are great opportunities for collaborative decision-making. 

When employees are involved in decisions that directly impact them, they are more likely to feel empowered and valued within the organization. Consequently, this can improve retention, morale, and overall productivity. Conversely, top-down decisions about operations can lead to frustration and inefficiency if they don’t reflect the needs of the workers these decisions are impacting. 

Consider a team that is told to adopt a new communication software. An executive decision might prioritize cost without considering the ways in which workers actually utilize their communication channels. However, if the team is involved in a trial period or able to provide their input to select a communication software, there will be better adoption and reinforcement of a culture of trust. 

To decide if a decision should involve democratic input, weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks of involving employees in each scenario. Here are some things for managers to consider when weighing the pros and cons: 

Using some of these points of consideration, managers can weigh the stakes and evaluate the context to better inform their decision-making approach. When making decisions, managers may struggle to communicate with their employees about how and why a decision was made. These are some tips that managers can use when implementing a decision-making process. 

Utilizing democratic decision-making styles is not suitable for every situation. Managers should consider the context of a decision and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of leveraging a more collaborative approach. The key for managers is to find a balance that allows for efficient and aligned with the company’s larger mission. 

A well-functioning organization uses more directive leadership when supporting the company’s vision, but gives a voice to employees when decisions relate to day-to-day operations. Managers who understand the difference between leadership and collaboration create more effective organizations. 

The most successful leaders aren’t the ones who stay within their comfort zone but are those who embrace calculated career risks. One of the most impactful career decisions a leader can make is transitioning from one leadership position to another, even though this can be intimidating. Whether it's changing from Vice President of Marketing to Vice President of Sales or shifting to a completely different role, taking these calculated risks can allow for immense personal and professional growth, supporting career development. 

Taking a career risk shouldn’t feel like rolling the dice and hoping for the best. Embracing career risks should involve logical decision-making and strategic planning to evaluate the opportunities and setbacks of the decision. Here are some things to consider when calculating the risk of making a large-scale career decision: 

First and foremost, reflect on whether the potential career change aligns with overall career goals. Even if a great and exciting opportunity presents itself for a role change, it may not be the right fit if this shift doesn’t align with personal career aspirations. Simply seeking a new role to experience change without considering the broader implications for career trajectory can lead to setbacks rather than progress. Calculated risks are those driven by purpose rather than just curiosity. 

2. How transferable are your current skills to the new role? 

Another important consideration is the ability to transfer current knowledge and skills to the new role. While leadership experience and strong problem-solving skills apply to various management roles, a lack of foundational technical skills may be a challenge for certain positions. Reflect on what skills may need to be acquired and the time required to develop such skills for the new role. 

3. Identify potential consequences

If a new career opportunity aligns with career goals and has a feasible required skillset, the next criterion to consider is the consequences of the career shift. Some consequences may be a steep learning curve, decreased confidence, or even needing to dedicate time to acquire new skills. Considering all the potential consequences will allow for a more informed decision and prevent being blindsided in the future by issues that arise. 

4. Develop strategies to overcome these consequences 

Once potential risks have been identified, plan strategies to proactively manage them. Taking a proactive rather than a reactive approach to addressing potential consequences is crucial in creating a smooth transition from one role to the next. Some potential strategies could include joining an executive mastermind group for a stronger support system or self-studying to improve upon necessary skills. Preparing for challenges not only makes the transition to a new role smoother but also demonstrates strong leadership qualities that will be recognized by others in the organization. 

One of the greatest obstacles leaders face when considering a career risk is the fear of failure. It’s entirely natural to prefer to exist within the comfort zone and avoid change. Many people tend to experience loss aversion, which is the tendency to avoid the potential feeling of failure despite the ability to experience great successes. Even though leaders may experience a sense of loss aversion, the ability to break down the risk and consider all possible outcomes can work to overcome this cognitive bias. Fear of failure and loss aversion are often rooted in uncertainty. By utilizing the previously mentioned strategies to create a well-thought-out plan, leaders can regain a sense of control. 

A powerful tool that can be leveraged to overcome a fear of failure is developing a growth mindset. Transitioning to a growth mindset means embracing each new challenge as an opportunity for improvement rather than an obstacle. Strategies to develop a growth mindset over time can be to start with reframing views on small obstacles and progressing to larger-scale obstacles. 

Being stagnant in a role and not pursuing calculated career risks may seem safer, but this can backfire. Hesitating to embrace calculated career risks can cause leaders to miss out of faster career growth opportunities, restrict them to narrowly defined roles, and even create the perception that they lack ambition. Strong risk aversion can also limit the perspective that leaders have within the organization. Leaders who have experience across departments and within different roles can contribute more to strategic conversations that span multiple departments. While avoiding risk can seem inconsequential, this may cause more harm than good. 

In the long term, remaining comfortable in one position can decrease momentum and reduce a leader’s competitive edge. Organizations are constantly evolving, so leaders who don’t seek opportunities to grow may find themselves falling behind peers who take advantage of calculated opportunities. Recognizing when opportunities can support leadership evolution can be transformative for one's career.

Strong leaders are created by the ability to seek change and embrace challenges. Embracing calculated career risks can be a pivotal moment within a leader's career to elevate their leadership skills. Beyond personal growth, taking calculated risks can position leaders to become more adaptable and prepared for larger organizational responsibilities. Demonstrating the ability to accept risks signals that a leader is not only capable of navigating uncertainty but also able to lead strongly through it. 

Louis is a French manager working at an international clothing company. While working in the French branch of the firm, Louis has been recognized numerous times for his strong leadership and effective communication. Due to his successes, Louis got relocated to the American branch of the firm to assist with the implementation of a new clothing line. After 2 months of managing in the United States, Louis is astounded to hear from a colleague that Louis’s team members have complaints about his leadership style. While Louis was an effective leader for his French team members, his incredibly direct leadership style comes across as cold and abrasive to his American team members. To effectively manage his new team, Louis must adjust his leadership style to accommodate the new cultures represented in his team. 

Louis, like many managers of multicultural teams, relied on his home country’s culture and management styles when working with individuals from different cultures. While this management style may be effective in one's home country, it's crucial that managers adapt to the cultures within their teams. Whether relocating to another country or managing a cross-cultural team in one's home country, these are some strategies to leverage to effectively lead a multi-cultural team. 

When leading a cross-cultural team or managing in a foreign country, it’s important to conduct research about the other culture(s) to develop a deeper understanding. Cultures may vary drastically in their communication styles, views on hierarchy, methods of handling conflict, and other critical interpersonal aspects. Learning about these variances will allow managers to better understand how their team members think about and perceive the world. 

There are various cultural frameworks that provide detailed breakdowns of differences between cultures that can enhance management effectiveness. Trumpenaars, Hofstede, and GlobeSmart are a few of the many existing frameworks that outline key cultural differences. Each framework has different dimensions that are used to evaluate cultures. Breaking down the different dimensions to understand them and thinking holistically about the differences in cultures will build a strong foundation for managing a cross-cultural team. 

2. Acknowledge Cultural Differences 

After researching different cultures to learn more about them, collaborate with the team to further understand critical cultural differences. While it may seem uncomfortable, encouraging open communication about cultural differences will take away some of the guesswork of trying to navigate a multicultural setting. Asking questions and learning about other cultures outside of the work environment will create an open space that embraces the variety of cultures. 

While conducting research on other cultures creates a solid background of different cultures, recognize that learning from the team members is the best way to truly understand a culture. Furthermore, each person is different and may not entirely fit into the norms of their culture. Being curious and creating time to discuss these differences will demonstrate a desire to learn and grow together. 

 
3. Establish Team Norms 

Once cultural differences have been identified and discussed, establishing team norms will allow for improved workplace performance. Collaborate with the entire team when building these norms. Forming these norms as a group increases group buy-in and ensures all team members feel committed to the team norms. 

Consider the variances in cultures and how they may shape the team norms. Some cultures tend to be extremely rigid with deadlines, while others have more flexible timing. Cultural differences in hierarchy may mean that some team members will seek more frequent approval from management while others may operate more autonomously. Make sure to establish clear norm expectations that take into consideration these different ways of working. 

4. Overcommunicate 

Within a cross-cultural team, overcommunicating can be a key to success. While it may seem redundant to constantly check in with team members, ensuring frequent communication will make sure everyone is on the same page. Especially at the beginning of team formation, prioritizing communication will prevent team members from making their own assumptions. 

Cross-cultural teams may be comprised of individuals who have different first languages. It can be difficult to communicate when there is a language barrier within a team, so simplifying communication can prevent interpretation issues. While using less complex words and slowing down communication can make sure everyone understands what is being said, actively make sure to avoid foreigner talk. Foreigner talk is characterized by using slower and louder speech, which can be offensive to non-native speakers. 

5. Avoid Assumptions

While it’s natural to have a perception of different cultures, actively make sure it avoid assumptions about individuals based on their cultural identity. Furthermore, avoid assuming that everyone on the team is in agreement or has a shared understanding. Cultures vary on how people indicate they agree with something, so assuming that everyone is on the same page simply because there is no vocal disagreement is not a reliable strategy. Leveraging strong communication and feedback mechanisms will help to avoid making incorrect assumptions. 

Another assumption that is often made in cross-cultural settings is based on language ability. When someone is more fluent in a language, they are often perceived as more capable than individuals who are less fluent. Make sure to avoid making assumptions of cognitive ability solely based on language skill as the team may over or underestimate team member abilities. 

Incorporating these strategies can be challenging, as there are many dynamics involved in culture. Recognize that it takes time to adjust management styles and its a constantly evolving process. To gain insights on effective strategies for managing a cross-cultural team, leverage performance management software. Managers may also find it helpful to discuss challenges with peer mentors to learn about the strategies they found most effective when dealing with similar challenges. 

Through the use of these 5 strategies, Louis was able to adjust his management style to fit the needs of his new team. Recognizing that Americans have a strong preference for less direct criticism and a stronger sense of team camaraderie, Louis implemented more team bonding activities and conversational feedback mechanisms. After shifting his management style, Louis saw a positive change in his team's productivity and was able to better support his team. 

Janet is a COO who oversees four VPs, who collectively manage 16 directors and a total of 100 employees who report to them. While each of the teams consistently meets their deadlines, Janet wants to ensure that all employees have a consistent positive experience across the organization. Janet recognizes that some managers are incredibly strong leaders who motivate and embrace the strengths of their direct reports. Janet also knows that some of her managers are more task-oriented, focusing solely on completing the tasks at hand without supporting their team members. 

Even with positive results, Janet recognizes that consistent management is critical for a unified environment and a cohesive experience for all employees. Empowering all levels of leadership to incorporate communicative and supportive leadership styles can develop this organizational consistency. 

When employees have a strong task-based manager that doesn’t emphasize the individual values each team member contributes, employees will have a perception that this is the organization’s standard practice. If employees don’t have meaningful personal and professional interactions with their managers, there will be lower employee morale and retention rates. Employees who don’t receive strong leadership from their managers may develop a negative view of the company, which may discourage them from accepting other roles within the organization. 

While Janet and her 4 VP’s may practice people-focused leadership, one of her directors may have a rigid management style that doesn’t involve building relationships with their team members. Now, all the directors' direct reports have a perception that Janet’s organization doesn’t care about their employees. Just because one manager doesn't prioritize their employees, the entire organization suffers from this perception of poor leadership. Without strong, people-focused leadership, employees might feel undervalued, decreasing their motivation to provide meaningful contributions. Furthermore, a lack of consistent support from their manager can slow career development, encouraging employees to seek opportunities with better growth prospects. 

To prevent this, organizations must promote leadership development so managers understand the importance of meaningfully engaging employees and supporting them through their tasks. Providing leadership training, encouraging their participation in executive mastermind groups, developing open communication, and setting clear managerial expectations can create a more consistent leadership approach that values and recognizes all employees. 

It can be challenging to encourage managers to change their leadership styles because they are comfortable with their current approach. Here are strategies for developing and maintaining cohesive leadership across the organization: 

How managers lead their teams should directly reflect the goals and values of the organization. A company's values are what guides employees and unifies them around a common goal. Leveraging these established values allows leaders to resonate to create a culture that accurately reflects these values. 

Encourage all managers to demonstrate the company values in their daily interactions. Using these values, a more people-focused leadership style should also be reinforced consistently through leadership meetings and company-wide messaging. 

2. Incorporate Leadership Development Training 

Especially for managers who aren’t used to a more people-centered leadership style, incorporating effective leadership development training can provide clarity on how managers should implement changes. Offer structured training programs to inform managers of effective leadership techniques. 

Adopting mentorship amongst leaders is another powerful way to implement changes. Allowing more senior leaders who excel in people-centered leadership to guide managers who struggle in this area can encourage productive change. Collaboration on developing a more people-centered leadership style will enhance the consistency of these efforts. 

3. Set Expectations and Tools to Evaluate Them 

Ensure all managers are aware of the expectations and have ways to help them gauge their effectiveness. Develop a framework that outlines expectations for managers regarding employee feedback, conflict resolution, and motivating team members. 

Utilize performance management tools such as AIM Insights to help managers evaluate and track their team's performance. This allows managers to see the effectiveness of the changes in their leadership styles.

4. Promote Leadership Accountability 

With expectations clearly outlined, ensure that all managers are adhering to the new standards. Addressing inconsistencies as they arise and helping managers navigate these difficulties are important components of improving leadership styles. 

Provide support for managers who are struggling to make changes to be more people-focused. Supporting managers through individual coaching, feedback, and performance improvement plans can uplift managers who need more guidance. 

AIM Insights is an analytics tool designed for managers to gather feedback and gauge the productivity of their teams. Utilizing key metrics, AIM Insights provides specific feedback for leaders and allows them to benchmark their performance alongside leaders of similar teams. Upon team members' completion of AIM Insights surveys, leaders receive feedback and strategies on ways to improve their performance. For a company striving to ensure a standard of excellence in management, AIM Insights is a powerful tool to transform management styles and promote continuity. 

Initially, managers may struggle to implement a more people-focused management style, not knowing how to have conversations that focus on professionally developing their direct reports. Utilizing performance management software such as AIM Insights provides managers guidance about what to discuss during one-on-ones with each employee based on feedback that is received. Implementing this software across an organization is a key step in transforming management styles and developing stronger cohesion.

Creating a consistent management approach across the organization strengthens management at every level. When leadership styles consistently reflect the company values, employees feel more valued and engaged in their work. Cohesive leadership fosters a positive workplace culture, allowing the organization to have sustained growth and excellence. 

Within a team, employees tend to possess varying levels of intention and capabilities. Managers can use frameworks to help categorize employees based on two factors, the skills they can contribute to the team and the motivations behind each employee. Within this matrix, an important yet frequently overlooked group is employees who are highly motivated but lack the capabilities needed to effectively support the team. While these individuals are highly ambitious, they require additional training, support, and mentorship from their managers in order to truly recognize their capabilities. 

A common situation managers encounter team members with high intention and low capabilities is seen with employees who just started their first career post-graduation or international team members who may have received different training. Take for example Joe who is an American working with an Italian team. Joe is excited to join a new team and is motivated to demonstrate his skills to his new manager. Despite his solid career background and success in his previous team, Joe is unfamiliar with Italian regulations and has a slight language barrier. Since Joe has high motivation to succeed and contribute to his team, his manager should implement strategies to support Joe and guide his growth within the team. 

Many employees join a company or transition into new roles with high intentions to be successful. Although they are highly motivated, these employees may lack the necessary skills or experience that will help them become successful in this new opportunity. Recognizing these individuals is important for managers who want to increase their contributions to the team and promote a culture of growth. 

Individuals who have high intentions within their team often exhibit the following behaviors: 

Given their strong intentions to help the team achieve their goals, it’s crucial that managers retain these team members and support them. Retaining team members who are incredibly driven will empower other team members to buy into the team's goals. 

Low capability may be exhibited in different ways; managers should be aware of the following signs: 

Rather than perceiving these employees as underperformers, managers should view them as underdeveloped potential that can thrive with the proper guidance. 

Effective managers conduct self-reflection when they realize that a team member is struggling under their guidance. If a team member is not achieving their full potential despite their high motivation, a manager should consider what steps they can take to align their employee’s abilities with their strong efforts.

Something important to consider is the expectations that are set for this employee. An employee who recently joined the organization or this team may need some time to properly adjust to the new environment. Sometimes, employees simply need more time to work out some of the initial issues when joining a new team. 

Another consideration is what resources and training opportunities are available for team members. If someone is continuously struggling with the same tasks, it may not be a lack of capability but a lack of guidance. Ensuring ample opportunities for team members to develop their skills can drastically improve their capabilities. 

Since managers set the tone for their team, reflect on whether there is a culture of learning or if there is a culture solely focused on performance. Team members who are focused on achieving success without learning the proper skills to get there may struggle to expand their skillset, thus limiting their capabilities. 

Managers who take ownership of their team's development can transform high-intention employees with low capabilities into high-performing team members. 

A manager's responsibility is to support their employees through proper training, sufficient resources, and mentorship opportunities. If an employee is struggling due to a lack of capabilities is often a reflection of an ineffective management style and not the effort exerted by the employee. It’s imperative that their manager takes accountability for this disconnect and implements changes to properly support their employee. Here are some strategies for how managers can bridge the gap between intention and capabilities: 

Incorporate structured training programs that all employees to learn tangible skills needed to complete their assigned tasks. Hands-on training and continuous learning opportunities can drastically improve the technical and soft skills of team members. 

2. Foster a Growth Mindset 

Although high-intention employees are highly motivated, continuing to fail at a task may discourage their efforts. Managers should encourage the notion that skills can continue to be developed over time through practice and consistent effort. Helping employees to frame their setbacks as a growth opportunity can help them persevere through their challenges. 

3. Provide Feedback and Coaching 

Conducting regular meetings, structured coaching sessions, and constructive feedback gives valuable direction an employee may need to expand their capabilities. Rather than waiting for periodic performance reviews, managers should actively implement mechanisms to constantly provide feedback and actionable advice. 

4. Create a Mentorship Connection

Connecting high-intention and low-capability employees with highly experienced employees may allow for more accelerated advancement. Mentorship or peer coaching from a peer is a more natural way for employees to develop their skills. A mentorship connection may also have reciprocal benefits for the highly experienced employees because they may have less motivation resulting from them being on the team for a while. 

With the proper training and guidance from his manager, Joe was able to take his strong intentions for success and develop skills that help him be successful within his new team. Like Joe, underperforming employees sometimes just need a bit of guidance from their managers to unlock their full potential. 

High-intention, low-capability team members represent a growth opportunity. By recognizing their enthusiasm for team success, assuming ownership of their development, and implementing support systems, managers can strengthen their abilities and enhance the team. A manager who nurtures their employees ultimately builds a team that is both high in intention and highly capable.