Discover how transformative leadership strategies can accelerate employee growth and workplace success. Learn how strategic support, advocacy, and stretch assignments can unlock potential, foster collaboration, and drive professional development in your organization.
Last week, a friend shared a compelling story about an employee they supervised who had undergone a remarkable transformation. While technically skilled, this employee had struggled with people skills, preventing them from advancing within the company. Instead of dismissing them, my friend took a strategic approach—offering consistent, specific, and authentic praise whenever the employee demonstrated even minor improvements. They also provided targeted training in key areas. Over time, the employee developed outstanding interpersonal skills, earning widespread recognition for their support of colleagues. Now, they are on the verge of a well-deserved promotion.
This success story highlights how leaders can play a crucial role in accelerating personal and professional growth. Transcendent leadership, which combines an optimistic, future-oriented mindset with purposeful and creative interventions (Crossan et al., 2015), can help employees reach their full potential. Beyond praise and training, leaders can implement practical strategies to foster development in the workplace.
During President Obama’s administration, female staffers developed an “amplification” strategy to ensure that women’s ideas were repeated, credited properly, and heard by everyone in the room (Scott, 2016). Leaders can apply similar advocacy to elevate avoices in their organizations, benefiting both individuals and the company as a whole.
Ricardo Semler, CEO of Semco, empowered employees by allowing them to select projects aligned with their interests, fueling both personal passion and professional growth (Semler, 2001). Providing stretch assignments—opportunities that challenge employees in new ways (see Wichert, 2011)—can foster innovation and creativity across an organization.
Spanx founder Sara Blakely champions an inclusive workplace by actively encouraging employee input (Bikoff, 2017). Leaders who prioritize collaboration create environments where employees feel valued, leading to greater job satisfaction, creativity, and organizational success.
My friend’s leadership exemplifies how a strategic and intentional approach can inspire transformation. By advocating for others, providing growth opportunities, and fostering collaboration, leaders can cultivate a culture of development and excellence. The key question for any leader is this: What intentional step can you take today to ignite growth and transformation within those in your organization?
References
Bikoff, M. L. (2017, December). The uplifter: How Spanx CEO Sara Blakely became one of the most inspirational women in business. Atlanta Magazine. https://www.atlantamagazine.com/style/uplifter-how-spanx-ceo-sara-blakely-became-one-of-the-most-inspirational-women-in-business/
Crossan, M., Seijts, G., & Gandz, J. (2015). Developing leadership character. Routledge.
Scott, E. (2016, September 14). White House women want to be in the room where it happens. Vox. https://www.vox.com/2016/9/14/12914370/white-house-obama-women-gender-bias-amplification
Semler, R. (2001). Maverick!: The success story behind the world's most unusual workplace. Random House.
Wichert, I. (2011). The early stretch assignment: Starting off on the fast track. In Where have all the senior women gone? Nine critical job assignments for women leaders (pp. 45-59). Palgrave Macmillan UK.
