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Forbes
7 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
5 Research-Based Ways That Leaders Can Inspire And Grow Their Team
Hannah Martinez is a strategic relations and operations advisor at Axon Global. Some of today's biggest workplace challenges revolve around team growth, cohesion and retention. Leaders are struggling to build dedicated, inspired teams that are dedicated to the company's mission. In fact, a 2024 Gallup study found that employee engagement has declined to 21% globally. As a strategic advisor, I've seen how a leader's belief in their team's potential is essential to performance and progress. When leaders see and nurture their people's unique contributions, teams and workplaces thrive. To grow the team of your dreams, here are five research-backed approaches to try. 1. Leverage Complementary Strengths For Balance It's natural to favor people who are like us—strategists admire strategists, commanders value commanders. But a strong team isn't full of clones. It's one where everyone's unique strengths complement each other. According to a 2022 study of research teams, those that comprise people with diverse areas of expertise produced more original ideas and had a greater long-term impact. I once advised a CEO who, despite driving fantastic innovation, was drowning in paperwork and missing deadlines. He struggled with day-to-day pragmatism, and I knew he needed a detail-oriented taskmaster to pick up the pieces he couldn't see. When it was time to pick a right-hand, my client insisted that he needed a partner who would also prioritize strategic vision. But after hiring someone who could scrutinize every detail and sort through the noise, he's far more effective in the workplace. As a leader, don't shy away from fresh perspectives. A balanced, cohesive team will take you and your organization so much further. Learn to identify each team member's skill set, then align their strengths to elevate performance. 2. Inspire Confidence By Believing In Potential Have you ever had a leader who saw your potential, even when you couldn't see it yourself? That kind of experience can be pure gold. A 2024 psychological study built around expectancy theory found that when leaders have high expectations, employees are significantly more motivated. I've had the pleasure of working under many inspirational leaders who encouraged me to soar when I wasn't quite sure how. One senior leader set ambitious goals for me and even handed me the reins for a complex issue. Though I was unsure of my capacity, his unwavering belief gave me the push to rise to the challenge and succeed. When you actively believe in your employees' abilities, they're often more motivated because they want to prove you right. Even your hesitant team members will step up when they feel trusted, often surpassing what they thought possible. Show belief through clear goals and steady encouragement. Celebrate small wins to build confidence, and watch your team stretch to meet your expectations. 3. Create Paths For Success And Learning Leadership isn't just about results. It's about guiding growth. A 2022 study on employee engagement and team effectiveness found that promoting resilience and developmental feedback were essential leadership behaviors. Instead of piling on work, identify team members' areas for development, then set them up with clear paths to success. Encourage your team to see losses as growth opportunities to build resilience. Focusing on mentorship or providing workshops—while cheering your team forward—will foster a culture where members learn and thrive. 4. Lead Alongside Your Team, Not From Above We've all met a disconnected boss who barks orders without making eye contact, leaving their team stressed and directionless. But a true leader walks in step with their people and engages with their goals. In fact, a 2024 behavioral science study determined that servant leadership significantly boosts employee engagement. I once helped a struggling team escape a high-turnover situation. The executive had a hands-off leadership style, so he didn't realize that sending task after task was exhausting his team's bandwidth. He called me, wondering why retention was low. After conducting an assessment, I discovered his team felt disconnected, overlooked and undervalued. Even though everyone shared a passion for the organization's mission and an eagerness to contribute, they were simply overworked and unhappy. So, I coached the executive on seeing his team as dedicated individuals who bring unique value, not as pawns in a chess game. Once he began listening to their stories and struggles, then actively guiding their careers, the dynamic shifted entirely. As a leader, you need to be a partner. Listen, share the load and show you're in it together. Your team will respond with loyalty and drive. 5. Entrust Them With Responsibility Once you've built a balanced team, inspired confidence and created growth paths, give your employees bigger responsibilities. A 2024 study of public-sector organizations found that interpersonal trust leads to greater employee autonomy, which significantly increases team task performance. When a leader delegates a high-priority project and gives their team room to shine, employees often exceed expectations. Letting go can feel daunting, but it's the first step toward a dynamic of mutual trust. Even if the outcome isn't perfect, the growth team members gain will drive them to push harder. Entrust your team, and watch them make you proud. The Effect Of Belief On A Growing Team My career of coaching leaders and shaping talent strategies has taught me that believing in people can change everything. When leaders trust their teams, they unlock purpose and resilience, paving the way for meaningful progress beyond mere potential. Every choice to see employees' strengths, walk alongside them and trust their potential builds a culture where people rise together. At a time when teams feel disconnected, your belief in your team creates a workplace with more hope, purpose and unstoppable drive. Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
Forbes
12-08-2025
- General
- Forbes
How To Handle Coworkers Who Give You Unwanted Advice
You probably know how intrusive and disheartening unsolicited advice can feel – even when it's coming from a well-meaning place. Maybe it's a colleague chiming in during a meeting to reinterpret the data you're presenting, leaving you flustered in front of senior leadership. Or perhaps it's during a one-on-one with your manager, where you're hoping for empathy, but instead, they turn your challenge into a brainstorming session of strategies they think you should try (based solely on their experience, of course). Whether it's someone pointing out flaws without fully understanding your plans, offering advice in areas where you're the expert, or responding to a simple update with suggestions you didn't ask for, these moments can feel like a subtle critique of your skills. But here's the reality: most of the time, these comments aren't meant to undermine you. More often, they're an attempt to offer a fresh perspective or be helpful. As with many workplace dynamics, balance is key. Staying open to feedback and new ideas is important, but so is trusting your own expertise and instincts. When unsolicited advice becomes overwhelming, misplaced, or chronic, it's okay to set boundaries in a way that's both firm and respectful. Here's how you can stay receptive without feeling overrun. Present your ideas as decisions, not discussions. Instead of saying, 'I'm thinking about trying X,' restate it as, 'I've decided to do X…' This subtle shift signals confidence and clarity, showing that you're sharing information, not seeking feedback or approval. Phrases like 'After careful consideration, I've committed to…' or 'We're moving forward with…' make it clear that your plan is already in motion. Take Maria's situation. Rather than saying, 'I'm exploring the best way to launch this new initiative,' she could say, 'To successfully launch this initiative, I'm prioritizing corporate sponsorships and advertising.' This flips the dynamic – instead of inviting unsolicited suggestions, it positions her as a leader with a plan. Now, a colleague like Ben is more likely to ask how he can support her vision rather than offer unsolicited advice. Highlight that there's already support. Leveraging the psychology of social proof is a powerful way to build momentum for your idea. By highlighting early successes or the backing of key stakeholders – whether it's higher-ups, external vendors, or partners – you signal that your idea is already validated and gaining traction. This creates a sense of credibility, making it easier for others to get on board. You might say, 'We've just started X, and already we're seeing Y result,' which subtly conveys that you're on the right track without inviting alternatives. Or, if relevant, emphasize stakeholder support by saying, 'I've discussed this with [manager/leader]Pair a compliment with a boundary. When you need to firmly but politely regain control of a conversation, it's important to signal that while you value someone's input, you're not currently looking for additional ideas. This approach is especially helpful in meetings where time is tight and sticking to the agenda is crucial. Here are a few phrases to try: Ask directly for what you need. Set the tone for feedback by clearly outlining the type of input you are open to. This helps avoid misaligned suggestions and keeps the conversation focused. For example: If someone's enthusiasm starts to veer off track, guide it toward areas where their input will be most helpful. For instance, 'your expertise could be incredibly valuable on the compliance side. Could we focus there instead of diving further into strategy?' This approach not only keeps the discussion aligned with your needs but also ensures the other person feels their contributions are appreciated and purposeful. While unsolicited advice can be irritating, it's also a chance to stop taking work so personally. When others' input crosses the line, you'll be equipped to assert yourself with clarity, kindness, and confidence.
Forbes
04-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- Forbes
Female Leaders: Own Your Time By Redefining Productivity And Balance
Dr. Sohee Jun, founder of S.J. Consulting, is a women's leadership coach, bestselling author, and expert on women's workplace challenges. Through coaching ambitious modern women and reflecting on my own experiences, I've come to experience life as a delicate, and often precarious, tightrope walk. Balancing career aspirations, family responsibilities, personal growth and everything in between is overwhelming; there's never enough time to manage it all. At times, it seems as though one misstep or imbalance could send everything tumbling—and sometimes that's not far from reality. So, here's one truth we don't talk enough about or give ourselves permission to believe: You don't have to do it all—you're here to thrive. And that requires a redefinition of our beliefs about what it means to be a "successful woman." It requires the courage to step away from the conventional wisdom we've been told about what we should be doing and how we should be doing it—including striving to do it all. Reject The 'More' Mindset In Favor Of Real Productivity Most of us (including myself!) are at the mercy of the "more" mindset, thinking we always need to be working harder and cramming more into our day. Haven't we all tried this, only to end up deeply, utterly exhausted? From the moment we get up, we're told we need to meditate, work out, ensure our kids are fed and off to school (if we have children), then off to work we go, where we go from mapping strategy to delegating tasks to catching up with coworkers to supporting team members, to doing the actual work, "showing up" every minute and thinking weeks ahead while trying to manage what's right in front of us (and most definitely forgetting to eat or move) ... and suddenly it's 6 p.m. High achiever, I see you. It's time for a new approach. If this way of living and time management no longer feels sustainable, I invite you to live and work in a way that feels aligned by protecting your priorities and staying committed to them. Productivity isn't about doing more; it's about doing what matters. Let that sink in for a moment. Take a step back and reflect on how you spend your time. Are you letting notifications—every ping and ding—dictate your day? Are you at the mercy of whatever pops up on your calendar, including meetings scheduled without your input? Building a meaningful day—and ultimately a fulfilling life—begins with clarity. It's about both knowing and staying focused on your priorities and owning your time in alignment with them. Get Curious And Redefine Balance Ask yourself: What does balance look like in my life right now? And more importantly, how can I redefine it in a way that works for me? Balance isn't a one-size-fits-all concept. It evolves as your life and priorities change. A year ago, my calendar was packed with back-to-back meetings and endless tasks. I felt so drained and disconnected from what mattered. Now, I've discovered balance, and for me, that means creating space between tasks and kindly but firmly saying "no" to requests that don't align with my priorities. I won't sugarcoat it—this wasn't easy. In fact, learning to let go of the need to do everything was one of the hardest habits I've ever built. But it's also been one of the most rewarding. Owning my time has allowed me to not only pursue my ambitions but do so in a way that supports my well-being. So, get curious and redefine what productivity and balance can look like in this season of your life. Balance is personal, so ask yourself what it looks like for you, then structure your day to honor both your goals and your joy. Once you've identified what that looks like for you specifically, you can take aligned steps. Build A Plan—And Take Items Off Your List A solid plan is your roadmap, but adaptability keeps you moving forward. Take time each Sunday to identify the top two to three priorities for the week. Then look at your calendar to ensure that the activities, meetings, tasks and to-dos are aligned to it. And here's the other part of the equation that we don't do often enough: Take items off the list. We're well-practiced in building our to-do list; meanwhile, the "muscle" of taking misaligned and less important items off of that list has atrophied. Most women I coach need this reminder frequently: "If you're saying 'yes' to [X], then what will you say 'no' to?" This half of the question really stops people in their tracks—and that's a good thing! The way to own our time is to really discern the commitments we want to show up for. Not only does this serve the people we're in interaction with because our energy is more present, but also we're more clear and less distracted. So, identify your priority for the week and take other items off the list. It's okay to reschedule meetings; it's also okay to give yourself permission to say "not now," or even "no," with clarity and kindness. Well-Being And Mindset Are Key Your well-being fuels your productivity, so recharge with short walks or deep breaths to stay focused and creative. As a mindfulness practitioner and long-time meditator, these practices have shifted how I show up and allow me to ground myself in what's right in front of me. Last but not least, as a mindset coach and expert, I make it a habit to be aware of my mindset and how I'm thinking about a situation. If I find my mindset isn't supportive, I reframe it so I can prepare myself for success. Stay curious about yourself, listen to your inner voice and keep learning about your inner narrative so you can keep it aligned. As a whole, productivity and our definition of balance are personal, and your journey is uniquely yours. But I hope you'll experiment with these guidelines to identify what works for you in this season of your life. Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
Fast Company
13-07-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
How to battle work intensification
It's not just you—work kind of stinks right now. If you're struggling to get something done because too many people were involved, getting hung up by emotion and conflict in your workplace, or just swaying under the weight of too many tasks in one day . . . congratulations! You're experiencing work intensification—the gnarliest trend we don't talk about enough. Researchers in Europe have been looking at this phenomenon for many years. They pin it down to three things happening, often all at once. First, workloads are simply too heavy—too many tasks in too little time. Every job has a version of this. You might be invited to too many meetings or asked to pack too many warehouse pallets in an hour. Second, work is too interdependent—it takes too many people to get any given task done. When Jamie Dimon famously complained about a single decision needing 14 committees for approval, interdependence was the issue. Third, workplaces have become emotionally challenging. For example, since COVID-19, rudeness toward frontline workers has increased —and folks are feeling it. To better understand how this issue was affecting workplaces, in April 2025 consulting firm Anthrome Insight partnered with Patrick Hyland, an organizational psychologist. We surveyed 1,000 workers ranging from entry-level employees to the C-Suite levels in five different industries. Our findings were striking. A quarter of respondents always or often felt overwhelmed and half felt overwhelmed at least some of the time. Over half (62%) were experiencing task overload. Over a quarter were getting whacked by bureaucracy and a lack of priorities. Almost a third were dealing with angry coworkers, bosses, and/or customers. The damaging effects of work intensification For employees work intensification drives burnout and negatively affects mental health. It may even be driving the record levels of executive turnover we're seeing in the CEO and CFO roles. Work intensification can also impact productivity. On the surface, this seems a bit counterintuitive. Do more tasks, get more done, more productivity, right? It's the middle part of that sentence where things break down. Doing more tasks does not mean getting more done. First off: the tasks may be a bad idea to do in the first place. In an era when we spend up to 60% of our time on 'work about work' (communication and coordination around what we're actually trying to get done), our time is being wasted by some of the tasks we undertake. If work has intensified due to 'work about work,' then we're just consuming more empty work calories, and not engaging in healthy productivity. Work intensification also comes from a collapse of prioritization—and there too, productivity erodes fast. As the saying goes, when everything's important, nothing's important. When too many tasks are coming through too quickly, the important ones are bound to get lost. Humans get cognitively overloaded. For instance, we struggle to remember lists longer than seven items in our heads (which is why American phone numbers are seven digits long). If you have 14 priorities—all emphasized—your brain is going to tap out. And it might tap out on the wrong task. Look at the other two dimensions of work intensification—excess interdependence and highly emotional working conditions—and the productivity consequences become even clearer. No one ever made an organization more productive by making processes more complicated. We may also have some cultural myths from the startup world (or honestly movies) that workplaces where passionate bosses scream and pour their hearts out are more productive. Actually all that running around yelling just eats up even more cognitive space for the unlucky folks being yelled at. Rumination—where your brain can't stop going over a traumatic event over and over—is a well-documented impact of bad emotional interactions at work. As one study found, rumination from unpleasantness at work can not only affect the sleep of employees, but of their partners too. All that yelling is not positioning anyone to work effectively. What to do about work intensification Work intensification can seem daunting, but there are concrete strategies to combat it. At an individual level, this might mean more active conversations with leadership about your workload to hone in on what's crucial. It might mean politely opting out of overly complex processes when possible, or lessening your involvement with those processes. It might mean setting up some firewalls in between yourself and highly emotional situations—or having strategies to manage the ones you can't avoid. For example, it's okay to not volunteer to mediate arguments at work, even if this is something you are capable of doing. You can ask meeting participants embroiled in a conflict to 'take it offline' and not make the rest of the group spectators to an emotional exchange. Teams can tackle work intensification, too. Regular and clear conversations about roles, responsibilities, and what's actually on everyone's plate can help mitigate overwork, process complexity, and even emotionally charged interactions. Discussing priorities is good 'work about work'—not wasted time. It's okay to take a negative angle—understanding 'the essence of strategy is what you don't do.' If teams have a clear view on what's not worth doing and who doesn't need to be involved, work intensification can be reduced. Finally, organizations can combat work intensification with the right mindset shift. Start with the principles that not all work is good work, not everyone has to touch everything, and not everything has to be an emotional crisis, and a number of different decisions logically follow. We are plagued by bad myths: that overwork is to be cherished, that collaboration means everyone in the same room all the time, and that extreme emotions fuel extreme results. Once we understand that these behaviors don't really drive the right outcomes—and in fact the opposite behaviors are actually more productive—a whole new array of possibilities open up. As our research showed, simply being aware of the three components (excess tasks, excess interdependence, and excess emotion) and passionately combatting them makes one 119% more likely to feel highly effective. In other words, if you know exactly how work is breaking down, and you actively fight back . . . you're making real progress.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Small Store Owner Struggles As Staff Constantly Call Out Sick Or Care For Family. Dave Ramsey Says Corporate America Would Just Fire Them
When a small business owner called into Dave Ramsey's 'EntreLeadership' podcast recently, she didn't talk about marketing, sales, or profits—she asked for help dealing with something more personal: what to do when too many employees are out for weeks at a time due to illness or family emergencies. With nine employees and around $700,000 in annual revenue, the specialty retail and race timing business owner told Ramsey she's struggling with multiple extended employee absences. 'It'd be one thing if it were one person, but it's multiple,' the owner said. 'And I'm just a small retail store.' Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can Ramsey, who has run businesses of all sizes, told her, 'At your size, you can only absorb so much of it in the name of grace. And then you can't continue to absorb it all because you won't have the money to pay the people that are there because the work's not getting done.' He sympathized with her desire to be kind and flexible, but said the numbers don't lie. 'My grace can only go as far as the math allows it.' Ramsey explained that in his own company, they sometimes pay employees out on extended medical leave, but that luxury comes with scale. 'When I was your size, I couldn't do that. I didn't have the money to do that.' The small business owner clarified that her team members aren't lazy. 'None of them I would look at and go, 'Oh, you're slacking.'' Trending: Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Still, Ramsey didn't pull punches. 'Corporate America will fire their butt with no feelings,' he said. 'At least you got feelings.' 'Welcome to leadership. Sometimes it's hard... because small business people like you and me, we care about folks, we don't just cut their throat,' Ramsey noted. He recommended setting a clear policy: allow three weeks of PTO, and then no more than one month unpaid. Beyond that, the position likely needs to be filled. 'You're just never here, so we probably ought to call it out loud and say that,' he said. 'I feel bad for you, but I also can't go on not getting this work done.'Ramsey said leaders can make exceptions when they feel truly called to support someone long-term, but added, 'That's a rare exception.' His closing reminder: 'The good of the whole outweighs the good of the one. When you can't afford to do it, you can't afford to do it. That's not evil, it's just the stage of business you're at. I'd like to tell you it gets easier. It gets more complicated, is all it gets from here.' Read Next: The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement —?Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article A Small Store Owner Struggles As Staff Constantly Call Out Sick Or Care For Family. Dave Ramsey Says Corporate America Would Just Fire Them originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
