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Managers step up when organizations give them clear expectations, practical tools and repeated opportunities to practice. Start by helping managers set meaningful goals, deliver useful feedback, lead through strengths, coach instead of command and build skills through targeted development. These five actions can improve day-to-day leadership while supporting teams through AI-driven changes in how work gets done.
How can managers set meaningful goals?
To align team efforts with organizational priorities, help managers set meaningful goals using a framework such as objectives and key results (OKRs).
Meaningful goals help everyone understand their role in the bigger picture. Here's what you can do:
- Establish clear objectives and measurable key results for each team member.
- Revisit goals and OKRs regularly during one-on-ones and performance reviews.
- Train managers to connect individual goals with team and company priorities.
How can managers give more useful feedback?
Feedback is a powerful management tool, but not all feedback is equally useful. Managers should balance constructive guidance with specific positive reinforcement to create a supportive environment. Here's your action plan:
- Cultivate a feedback culture with timely, specific and actionable feedback.
- Offer managers training and practice in effective feedback techniques.
- In parallel, help individual contributors learn how to receive feedback, ask clarifying questions and act on what they hear.
How can managers lead through team strengths?
Strength-based management asks managers to recognize what each employee does well and use those capabilities intentionally. Rather than focusing only on weaknesses, managers can align responsibilities with strengths while still addressing development needs. This approach can support a more engaged and productive team. Here's how:
- Help managers identify and name individual strengths across the team.
- Align assignments with employees' strengths when the work and business needs allow.
- Use Electives Membership to give employees and managers org-wide access to live expert-led classes, refreshed monthly.
How can managers coach instead of command?
Help managers shift from always giving answers to helping employees build their own judgment. Managers can coach by asking questions, challenging assumptions and guiding employees toward independent problem-solving. The coaching process can start with a few practical actions:
- Ask employees to think through and explain their proposed approach.
- Build coaching skills through training for leadership development.
- Create opportunities for managers to practice coaching conversations and receive feedback.
How can organizations build manager skills through practice?
Manager development works best when learning connects directly to the situations managers face at work. As teams adopt AI and change how work gets done, managers need opportunities to learn, practice and apply new behaviors rather than simply hear about them.
- Combine live expert-led learning with realistic practice, reflection and feedback.
- Use scenarios and role practice to prepare managers for difficult conversations, shifting priorities and AI-related changes.
- Reinforce new skills through one-on-ones, peer discussion and on-the-job application.
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