Team Dynamics and Career Advancement

Career growth isn’t one-size-fits-all. -Some professionals feel stuck waiting for the next challenge that never comes. -Others feel overwhelmed, pushed faster than they can absorb or align. -And a few are right where they need to be, stretched, supported, and thriving. The difference rarely lies in talent or ambition. It’s often in management. Good management isn’t about keeping everyone on the same pace. It’s about knowing your people well enough to adjust the tempo. Some need space to consolidate skills before taking on more; others crave stretch goals to stay engaged. The art lies in reading that readiness and responding with intention. But, managing for growth takes effort, not efficiency. It’s easier to standardize development plans, apply generic frameworks, and hold identical “career conversations.” It feels fair, measurable, and organized but it often produces mediocrity. Great managers take a different route. They create differentiated growth experiences. They match challenge with capacity, autonomy with accountability, and support with stretch. They recognize that timing, not just opportunity, defines sustainable progress. If your team feels stuck or overstretched, it’s not a sign of their limitations, it’s a signal to recalibrate your management. Because the best leaders don’t just manage performance; they orchestrate growth. How are you pacing your team’s journey for uniformity or for momentum?

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? . . . 🔆As a manager, you can't always promote someone just because they ask—even if they're a top performer.   🔆When talented team members feel demoralized by slow upward advancement, managers need to develop interim strategies to help these team members get their underlying needs met.   ❓So, how can you engage and retain talent when you cannot offer them immediate career advancement?   👇Below are some interim strategies to help meet these team member's underlying needs:   ✅First, let them know there's nothing wrong with requesting a promotion. Then provide some honest insights on the following questions: ❓What skills or experience must they acquire to be qualified for a promotion? ❓How can they address and remedy these gaps?   💫Share your thoughts candidly on these and other relevant developmental questions and make some suggestions.   ✅Next, ask them what's behind their desire for advancement. ❓Are they hungry for more status and responsibility, an opportunity to manage people, or just a bigger paycheck?   💫By better understanding what's driving their ambition, you can develop a tailored solution that can help relieve some of their anxieties in the short term (for example, new stretch assignments, the chance to manage an intern, or a raise).   🔷Throughout my career, I have found conducting frequent one-on-ones and comprehensive mid-term performance reviews with my team members incredibly helpful. These reviews allow me to better understand their expectations and perspectives at that point in their career and what they hope to achieve by the time year-end performance reviews roll around. Additionally, these reviews provide an opportunity to set expectations for the remainder of the performance period, especially in the case of unexpected circumstances such as promotions of senior or peer team members. By doing so, we can avoid any surprises when such events occur.   🌟Establishing this trust and transparency with various realistic scenarios gives team members a grander and more confident sense of what the professional landscape entails as opposed to being left in the dark and completely shocked when someone else receives a promotion or is ranked higher.   💡 It's worth noting that while it's essential to collaborate with your team to create work experiences that align with their motivations, it's not fair to expect them to wait indefinitely for a promotion. 🌟To truly help your team members design a career that works for them, it's crucial to have open and honest conversations about what drives them. This approach helps high performers feel heard and positions managers as active partners in supporting career success. 🌟By focusing on underlying motivations, managers can take a more nuanced approach to career development and avoid being seen as gatekeepers.

Find your sweet spot and help your team find theirs. Each person on your team is on their own career journey. As a leader of the team, it’s your responsibility to nurture and support career development AND to keep a pulse of the overall health of the team. Here’s an approach I’ve used in the past that I hope you'll find helpful. The key to high performance is to find the sweet spot where each person on the team is really motivated by their work and also has a high degree of skill to actually do the work well. A great starting point is to have a conversation with each person on your team to get a sense of where they are in their journey. Using this framework can give you a sense of where they are in these four quadrants, and help you prioritize how you spend your time supporting the team. It can also be a useful tool for you to think about where you are personally on this arc. 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐀 (𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠) People usually start here. Eager to learn and seek out opportunities to stretch, but haven’t yet developed a high degree of competence in the work. * Action: connect them to experts to learn from and shadow. Expose them to stretch assignments to learn by doing. 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐁 (𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭) This is someone that’s really motivated by the work and is recognized as an expert. * Action: find out where they want to continue to grow to build upon their expertise. This could be expanding the scope of their role to anchor on areas of strength while exposing them to new opportunities. Find opportunities for them to mentor and coach others. 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐂 (𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞) Someone that’s been doing the same thing for too long may become less interested in the work over time. It’s a natural progression. This is when people may be at risk of leaving or under performing. If they stay in this headspace for too long, they may become less effective in their role because they’re not motivated to learn new skills as the role evolves.  * Action: these are often people on the team that have been around longer or have more experience in a certain area. Look for opportunities to reboot and spark interest. These are great opportunities to leverage their expertise to apply to other types of adjacent work. For example, an experienced sourcer may be getting burned out from high volume engineering and could be energized by getting exposure to executive or leadership level searches. 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐃 (𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭) When someone is here they’re not engaged with the work and don’t have a high degree of competence in the work either. This is a place that isn’t healthy for the team or the individual. * Action: find a role that plays to their strengths either on your team or elsewhere in the company. If there isn’t an opportunity internally, it may be time to help support them in finding something externally so that you can bring on someone that’s more motivated and qualified to do the work.

You're losing talent despite offering competitive salaries. Meet a client who transformed their employee retention strategy. → Tech company → 150 employees → 35% turnover rate Despite market-competitive compensation, they were hemorrhaging valuable team members. They had three critical issues: 1. Limited career development opportunities 2. Lack of meaningful recognition 3. Poor work-life balance Here's what we discovered: Their top performers weren't leaving for more money—they were leaving for better cultural fit and growth potential. When we began working together, they had: → Basic training program → Annual review process → Standard benefits package The situation demanded immediate attention. Here's what we implemented: → Created personalized development paths for each employee, with clear milestones and advancement opportunities. → Introduced flexible working arrangements and comprehensive wellness programs. → Established a peer recognition system and quarterly achievement awards. → Developed mentorship programs pairing senior leaders with emerging talent. The results? → Turnover rate dropped to 12% within 18 months → Employee satisfaction scores increased by 45% → Internal promotions rose by 60% The most significant change? Their culture transformed from "work to earn" to "grow to succeed." Employees now feel valued, supported, and excited about their future with the company. The leadership team reports higher productivity and improved team dynamics. If you're struggling with employee retention and want to create a workplace where talent thrives, message me "RETAIN" and let's discuss your company's specific needs.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲—it could be office politics. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 • 70% of promotions are influenced by managing relationships and office politics, not just your job performance. (Source: HBR)    • 58% of employees say that office politics impacts their career growth. (Source: Forbes) 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆: 𝗝𝗶𝗹𝗹'𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 • Jill was a top performer, consistently in the top 10% at her company.    • She was well-liked, worked long hours, and had impressive skills.    • Yet, Jill missed out on a big promotion. 𝗪𝗵𝘆? She didn’t engage in office politics. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴: 𝗡𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Jill spent all her time at her desk, ignoring key decision-makers. 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀: She believed hard work was enough and avoided the political side of work. 𝗡𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Jill assumed others would notice her achievements, so she didn’t discuss them. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲: She didn’t actively position herself as a leader in the company. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗝𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 Through leadership coaching, Jill identified 5 areas she needed to work on: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀: Jill started attending company events and connecting with influential people. 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: At a luncheon, Jill intentionally sat next to a senior executive and discussed how her team could support his projects, securing a future collaboration. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆: Jill started preparing to share her achievements in meetings. 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: In a meeting, Jill proudly shared how her team saved $200,000, crediting her leadership for the success. 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: 𝗝ill learned to respond calmly to others' emotions instead of reacting defensively. 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: When a colleague disagreed with her, she suggested a collaboration, which earned her respect. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Jill aligned her work with the company’s long-term goals. 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: She volunteered to lead an AI project, positioning her as a forward-thinking leader. 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 & 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Jill started understanding who influenced the company and aligned herself with key players. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁? Jill started getting noticed. She was assigned high-visibility projects and secured her promotion in the next appraisal cycle. 🎉 𝗣.𝗦. Want to unlock your full potential and master office politics? Let me help you navigate the unwritten rules of the workplace. 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲, and let's create a strategy that works for you! #peakimpactmentorship #leadership #success #interviewtips #communication

I recently spoke with a rising star executive who said, “I am not interested in running a bigger business.” His sentiment - a clear departure from the traditional path of “moving on to the next big thing” - surprised me. The executive then explained that his desire was not to follow a typical career path; he craved something more meaningful and impactful. He was even willing to make a financial sacrifice to do something that energized him. This interaction sparked a realization for me: Top talent is no longer exclusively motivated by the next step in a linear progression. Many candidates seek non-traditional paths that align with their broader personal and professional goals. As leaders, we need to ask the right questions and take a more holistic approach to effectively manage our top team. Understanding what our people are truly solving for will allow us to unlock their best performance while maintaining their long-term commitment. Here are a few ways to think about managing talent: 1️⃣ Have broader conversations with your top team. Learn about their professional goals, such as: -testing a new function -mentorship from a more senior leader -professional development -coaching opportunities This approach will help you align their career goals with your organization’s vision in a more meaningful way. 2️⃣ Focus on multi-dimensional rewards. Beyond financial outcomes and status, other dimensions of benefits are increasingly important to your employees: -time -mental health -physical health -personal development -recognition -pride Take real steps to incorporate these goals while maintaining their professional growth. As we work through an evolving landscape of career progression, I encourage you to think about how your own leadership can evolve - and recognize that a linear trajectory is not the only way to advance. More importantly, if you are a leader, don’t make assumptions about what someone wants; ask them. Take the time to understand what your top talent truly values, both professionally and personally, and how you can help them reach their fullest potential, even if their path is not what you would expect.

The #1 Reason Your Top Talent is Leaving (And It's Not What You Think) Conventional wisdom says a great manager is key to career success, but what if I told you that's not the whole story? Research shows that for ambitious employees, a viable career path is even more important than a great manager! According to a study by Lynda Gratton of London Business School, there is a perceptible change in what’s driving employees’ intentions to stay. Yes, the empathy and comfort of a good manager remain a reason why people stay at companies. But it is not the most important reason. In 2021, “career opportunities” were the seventh-strongest driver of an employee’s commitment to stay; by 2023, they were the second strongest. And it is what kinds of opportunities a company has for career progression that’s top of mind. 🤔 Reflect on this: 1️⃣ Are you prioritizing your team members' career growth and development, or just focusing on immediate tasks and goals? 2️⃣ Are you providing opportunities for your team members to learn and develop new skills, or are you hoarding knowledge and expertise? 3️⃣ Are you empowering your team members to take ownership of their career paths, or are you micromanaging and controlling their every move? 💡 Tips for Managers: 1️⃣ Encourage and support your team members' career aspirations, even if they don't align with your own goals or expectations. 2️⃣ Provide regular feedback, coaching, and mentoring to help your team members grow and develop in their roles. 3️⃣ Create a culture of empowerment and trust, where team members feel comfortable taking risks and pursuing new opportunities. 4️⃣ Foster a growth mindset within your team, where learning and development are valued and rewarded. 5️⃣ Be aware of your own biases and assumptions, and work to create a inclusive and equitable work environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Remember, the most effective managers are those who empower their team members to take ownership of their careers and provide the support and resources they need to succeed. By doing so, you'll not only see your team members thrive, but also watch your organization grow and flourish as a result. #leadershipdevelopment #teammanagement #coachingtips

𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Many employees assume (wrongly) that their hard work and results will be enough when managers make decisions about their future growth and promotion opportunities. Make no mistake, performance is critical for advancing your career, but it is far from the only reason employees get promoted. Leaders are human. They’re influenced by limited visibility, cognitive bias, and the challenge of measuring individual contributions in team-based environments—leaving employees feeling frustrated when leaders make decisions about advancement and promotions. Here are three key practices to help ensure your performance gets the recognition it deserves: 𝟭. 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 - When opportunities arise, share your accomplishments with your manager—especially how your work contributed to team or organizational goals. • Do this with humility and balance by also highlighting your teammates’ contributions. 𝟮. 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 - If your manager isn’t initiating career discussions, you must. • Propose quarterly meetings focused on performance, development, and aspirations. Come prepared with draft goals and a clear agenda. Show your commitment to growing within the organization. 𝟯. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 - When a colleague or client praises your work, ask if they’d be willing to share that feedback with your manager—or CC them in an email. • Don’t assume your impact is obvious. Help your manager see the full picture of your value. Performance matters, but perception, visibility, and communication matter just as much. • - - - How have you seen this play out in your own career or with your team? Share your COMMENTS below. ⤵️ Repost if you know others could benefit from this. ♻️ #CareerDevelopment #SelfLeadership #ProfessionalGrowth

🚀 The Hidden Barrier to Promotions: It's Not Just About Skills Ever wondered why high performers get stuck at the same level? My Harvard Business Review article reveals three critical dimensions that determine who gets promoted—and most people only focus on one. 📊 The Reality Check: • WHAT they do (technical skills) - the traditional focus area • WHO they know (relationships & networks) - often overlooked • HOW they get work done (executive presence, strategic thinking, influence) - the secret differentiator The most common feedback? "You're just not ready." But what does that really mean? 🎯 For CHROs & L&D Leaders: Your high-potential employees might excel at delivery but struggle with the strategic thinking and cross-functional influence that define senior roles. Are they having "the meeting before the meeting"? Do they understand organizational dynamics beyond their silo? 💡 The Framework: Through my Promotability Index®, I've identified 5 key elements organizations assess: self-awareness, external awareness, strategic thinking, executive presence, and thought leadership. Your next leaders need all three dimensions, not just technical excellence. 🔑 Key Insight: "Skills get you noticed, relationships get you considered, but HOW you operate gets you promoted." This comprehensive approach applies whether you're developing emerging leaders or preparing for C-suite transitions. Ready to unlock your organization's leadership potential? I offer both individual executive coaching, team, and organizational workshops (customizable from 1-8 hours) on the Promotability Index® framework. 💬 DM me to discuss how we can elevate your talent development strategy 📖 See the full HBR article in the comments below 🤔 What's your experience? Have you seen talented people get stuck despite strong performance? #Leadership #TalentDevelopment #Coaching #CareerAdvancement #CHRO #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutivePresence #OrganizationalDevelopment #TalentStrategy #OrganizationalCulture