“They appeared to know enough to justify their jobs, and nothing more.” — Michael Lewis, The Big Short

Michael Lewis described financial experts who missed the signs of the housing crash—but his words resonate just as strongly when describing ineffective change management experts. Many arrive armed with impressive frameworks yet lack the real insight needed to drive meaningful change.

If you’re selecting an organizational change management (OCM) vendor, you’re likely facing significant challenges. Here’s what makes choosing the right partner difficult—and how you can overcome these obstacles.

Why Selecting an OCM Vendor is Tough

The field is still evolving.

Change management began emerging in the early 20th century with the development of organization psychology, and Kurt Lewin’s three stage model (unfreeze-change-refreeze). It wasn’t until the 1980s and 1990s, with the rise of enterprise software like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, that structured change management became critical.

Because ERP touches nearly every function of a business, from finance and human resources to supply chain and operations, these sweeping implementations required disciplined, organization-wide change management that aligned with each phase of the software rollout.

Only recently have organizations seriously invested in internal OCM capabilities.

Change management is intangible.

Unlike technology implementations or capital expenditures, defining success in change management can be elusive. Should employees be happy? Should everyone agree? How do you measure employee acceptance or behavioral shifts? This intangible nature makes proving direct causation challenging.

Like branding, change management invests in outcomes that aren’t always immediately measurable. Both require belief, patience, and strategic commitment to reveal their true impact over time.

The stakes are high.

Poor change management can have severe financial and reputational consequences.

In 2024, a record 2,221 CEOs exited their roles, often due to failed strategic changes and technology misfires.

Notable examples include Unilever and Intel, both experiencing leadership turmoil and layoffs due to inadequate change management.

Common Pitfalls with Change Management Vendors

To uncover what differentiates effective OCM vendors from ineffective ones, I spoke with Patrick Gong, Senior Director of Digital Finance Transformation at The Campbell’s Company, and Cara Bilinski, a global transformation leader with over 20 years experience. They highlighted four critical pitfalls:

1. Consultant Bait-and-Switch: Firms often win contracts with senior teams but delegate actual work to inexperienced consultants. “You can get an A player or a C player from the same company, ” advises Bilinski. “You need to meet the person doing the work, not just the sales team.”
2. Technical Skills Without Behavioral Aptitude: Many consultants possess strong technical knowledge but lack essential skills in psychology, communication, and instructional design. “Most people don’t know everything—and they don’t need to,” Bilinski said. “What matters is bringing together people with deep skills who can partner, listen with empathy, and build a shared understanding.”
3. Excessive Focus on Frameworks: Firms that prioritize theoretical models without practical execution risk failing to achieve real-world readiness. Gong emphasizes, “OCM is about empathy, communication, and cultural understanding – not just methodology.”
4. Executive-Only Engagement: Effective OCM requires engaging employees at every level, not just with senior management. Gong points out, “The best consultants connect quickly and easily with the entire audience.”

Five Questions to Identify the Right Vendor

Selecting the ideal OCM vendor involves asking insightful questions—and carefully listening for red flags and reassuring signs.

1. How do you handle employee resistance?

Red flags: Focusing solely on leadership to cascade changes.

Green flags: Direct employee engagement through working sessions, feedback opportunities, and partnerships with those impacted by the change.

2. Who will actually work on our project?

Red flags: Vague assurances about senior leadership involvement.

Green flags: Specific identification of project team members and clear examples of past work.

3. How do you adapt change management frameworks?

Red flags: Rigid adherence to standard models.

Green flags: Real examples of how they have adapted to suit different industries, cultures, or leadership styles.

4. How do you ensure employee engagement?

Red flags: Over-reliance on leaders presenting messages.

Green flags: Diverse communication methods tailored to various employee groups, with tailored timing, messaging, and methods.

5. How do you assess and adapt to our company culture?

Red flags: Disregard for cultural nuances.

Green flags: Active efforts to address the organization’s unique culture, subcultures, and norms within the change strategies.

The Core Competency Check

Lastly, ask whether OCM is central to their practice or merely an add-on. A vendor serious about change management treats it as a strategic competency—not an afterthought or a loss leader.

As Patrick Gong explains, “You can’t bolt change onto a project midstream. It has to be baked in early – ideally before kickoff – because that’s when people start forming first impressions of the project.”

The Bottom Line

Effective change management isn’t about polished frameworks or flashy presentations—it’s about genuinely connecting with people. The right vendor will partner with you to win hearts and minds, driving sustainable change. Asking the right questions early ensures you find a vendor ready to do exactly that.

Effective leaders use these steps to get results.

We all know trust is the bedrock of high-performing teams, especially when they’re navigating change or uncertainty. The most prominent leadership frameworks — including transformational leadership, servant leadership, and authentic leadership — all emphasize the primacy of building trust.

Saying “we need more trust” is easy. Actually building it is hard. Too often, we know the what and the why, but we don’t quite know the how – the procedural knowledge.

Building trust requires specific skills and consistent actions.

It’s not just a fuzzy feeling; it’s a core competency of strong leadership.

So, how do we get better at doing trust?

Neuroeconomist Paul Zak offers a fantastic, practical framework. He says building trust is rooted in our brain chemistry. He studied the neurochemical oxytocin – often called the “trust molecule” because it’s linked to feelings of empathy and connection. Zak identified eight key leadership behaviors, forming the mnemonic OXYTOCIN, that actually stimulate oxytocin release and build trust:

• Ovation: Recognize excellence. Celebrate successes, big and small. Make people feel seen and appreciated.
• eXpectation: Set challenging but achievable goals. This shows you believe in your team’s capabilities.
• Yield: Give people autonomy. Let them manage how they achieve their tasks. Trust them to find the best way.
• Transfer: Enable job crafting. Allow team members to shape their roles to fit their skills and passions.
• Openness: Share information broadly and transparently. Knowledge is power; sharing it builds confidence and reduces uncertainty.
• Caring: Intentionally build relationships. Show genuine concern for team members as individuals.
• Invest: Support whole-person growth. Help your team develop personally and professionally, not just in their current job role.
• Natural: Be vulnerable and authentic. Show your own humanity; it makes it safe for others to do the same.

Here’s the crucial part: Zak found these aren’t steps to follow one by one. The real power comes from practicing these behaviors concurrently and consistently. Think of them as dials you’re constantly adjusting, not checkboxes to tick off.

Mastering these OXYTOCIN behaviors isn’t just about being a “nice” leader; it’s about effective leadership through psychological safety, collaboration, and empowerment.

The takeaway? Building trust requires more than good intentions; it requires deliberate practice and skill – the procedural knowledge of how. Start weaving these OXYTOCIN behaviors into your daily interactions. Which one will you focus on this week?

The Key to Better Decisions and Performance.

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

– Viktor E. Frankl

When emotions go up, intelligence goes down.

Think about the last time you were angry or doubtful. What about when you were frustrated or overwhelmed? If you’re like me, you realize your behavior probably had some room for improvement.

In school, we learn subjects like math, science, and literature. At work, we’re expected to have a basic mastery of language and technical skills. Emotion regulation is never a required course.

Instead, we learn to regulate our emotions through trial and error, often developing adaptive behaviors that might not serve who we want to be or how we want to show up at work. And, when we get it wrong, the consequences ripple — through our decision-making, creativity, and relationships.

I fired off that email too soon.

I didn’t see the opportunity that could have made the project outcome better.

I opted out of that development experience because of fear.

I resisted career-changing feedback.

I said something hurtful out of frustration.

I let the conflict escalate.

Do you ever have thoughts like that? Managing our emotions skillfully in these situations shouldn’t be an afterthought; it should be the first tool we use to help ourselves and our teams succeed.

The good news? Emotion regulation is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and strengthened over time so we’re better equipped to perform at our best.

The basics of emotion regulation include:

• Recognizing that an emotion is present – biologically and psychologically.
• Naming the emotion without judgment.
• Practicing the pause between emotion and action.
• Reframing emotions as packets of information.
• Deploying the right tool (stillness, movement, reflection) to return to balance.
• Choosing to learn from our emotions.

When we practice emotion regulation, we start to enjoy these benefits:

• Clearer thinking, which leads to better decisions.
• Improved creativity, which leads to innovation.
• More connected relationships, which lead to higher engagement.

What’s interesting is that we assume people should know how to do this. But we wouldn’t expect someone to know how to code in Python, would we? We’d provide them with instruction, use cases, lab time to learn, and grace for mistakes. We owe it to our people to do the same when it comes to this essential workplace skill. If we took emotion regulation as seriously as we do technical skills, we might just create those high-performing cultures we seek.

Lessons from The Lord of the Rings.

Leadership often finds us when we least expect it. It isn’t always about seeking power or standing in the spotlight. Sometimes, the most effective leaders are the ones who step forward reluctantly but rise to the challenge with courage and determination.

One of the most iconic examples of such leadership comes from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and his character, Frodo Baggins.

In my role as a Change Management Manager, I’ve seen individuals who remind me of Frodo. They step into leadership not because they crave it, but because they are trusted to carry the weight of change.

Frodo’s Leadership Lessons

1. Value courage over confidence.
   Frodo’s leadership begins with uncertainty. Frodo isn’t the strongest member of the Fellowship; his strength is his willingness to take the first step, even though the path is unclear. Leadership requires the bravery to move forward, even when the outcome is uncertain.
2. Surround yourself with allies.
   Frodo’s strength comes from the Fellowship, especially Sam, who supports him when the burden becomes too heavy. The quest would have failed if not for everyone playing their roles, according to their strengths. Great leaders build strong, diverse teams. 
3. Humility is a strength.
   Frodo’s humility keeps him focused on the mission, not personal glory. In fact, other characters disqualify themselves from leadership based on their desire for power. Effective leadership is about service and authenticity. 
4. Leaders serve the greater good.
   Frodo’s journey is isolating and grueling, but his commitment to the greater purpose keeps him going. Leadership often involves sacrifice and perseverance.

Connecting Fiction to Reality

Frodo’s journey mirrors real-world leadership, especially in change management. Driving through uncertainty, rallying teams, staying humble, and focusing on the goal despite hardship are critical to driving progress. Reluctant leaders often excel because they lead with authenticity, care, and purpose.

What is your One Ring, and how will you carry it? By embracing leadership with courage and humility, you’ll inspire others to follow.

Part 2: The “How Do We Feel” Conversation.

A while back, we shared our first blog post on the book Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg. It focused on Part 1: The What’s This Really About Conversation. Here are our thoughts on Part 2: The How Do We Feel Conversation.

Duhigg tells us that every conversation is, in some way, about how we feel.

Every conversation is shaped by emotions.

So, no matter what you’re trying to achieve, the “how we feel” component is essential.

Why should we be emotional Supercommunicators?

Duhigg explains that emotional intelligence is a “form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions.” This type of intelligence allows us to:

• Recognize and name our own emotions.
• Regulate our emotions and influence the emotions of those around us.
• Employ perspective-taking.
• Build relationships with colleagues.
• Use our emotional skills to grow.

Lest we think this is all too “touchy feely” for work, Duhigg weaves together lessons, significant research studies, and impactful case studies from the past 40+ years to demonstrate the importance and impact of these skills.  A few examples:

1. Ahead of the international space station launch, NASA worked to redefine the criteria for “what makes a good astronaut” to include emotional intelligence.
2. A University of Chicago psychology professor taught listening and vulnerability skills at a conference of Wall Street and hedge fund professionals.
3. A group of civic organizations brought opposing sides of the gun control debate to explore how to connect during conflict.

These examples get professionals past small talk, technical expertise, and who shouts the loudest or shames the greatest, and teaches them to meet in the right place to connect with others and do their best work.

Are you an emotional Supercommunicator?

• Do you ask deep questions? Remember to ask questions that:
  • Draw out someone’s values, beliefs, judgments, or experiences, not just facts.
  • Invite people to talk about how they feel, describe specific emotions, or empathize.

• Do you listen? Confirm your understanding by restating what you’ve heard. And remember, showing that you understand doesn’t mean you agree.
• Are you fostering reciprocity? As others share their vulnerabilities, share something about yourself as well. Acknowledge the other person’s emotions and show them you care. Respond to the other’s needs.
• Do you make room for laughter? Lighten up! Laughter shows we have heard the other person and that we want to connect with them. Duhigg says, “Laughter, and other nonlinguistic expressions such as gasps and sighs, or smiles and frowns, are embodiments of the matching principle…”
• How good are you at interpreting nonverbals? Duhigg says Supercommunicators are good at detecting how others feel based on the energy in their gestures, the volume of their voices, the speed and cadence of their speech, and the affect they carry.
• Are you making conversations psychologically safe? Show genuine interest and listen actively. The safer someone feels, the more they are willing to trust, share, and reveal vulnerabilities.

How do Supercommunicators handle tough conversations?

Becoming a Supercommunicator doesn’t guarantee conflict-free, comfortable communication. It doesn’t promise a newfound ease with disagreements. Rather, we approach conflict differently:

• Shift the goal to understanding why the conflict exists, rather than focusing on winning or wounding.
• Recognize that the conflict has multiple parts: the surface issue at the center of the disagreement, and the emotional conflict underneath.
• Reframe the idea of control. Rather than controlling the other person, focus on controlling yourself: your impact on the setting and your focus in the conversation.
• Make room for emotion. Emotions are there, whether or not you choose to acknowledge and use them. If you don’t, they “leak out” and have unintended effects on your conversations and relationships.

Supercommunicating is aptly named. It really is a superpower you can deploy in any social or professional situation. It’s about knowing what kind of conversation is happening, how the participants are feeling, and how to draw out what really matters to all involved.

What’s there to love about change management consulting?

In your consulting career, imagine supporting a professional team to bring to life a cause that’s near and dear to your heart. Your colleagues are brilliant, caring, and fun, the organization is behind your efforts to scale this impactful program and, at the end of every day, you feel like you’re doing something meaningful for your community and the world.

Then, when you launch the program, you see immediate positive results, and people talk about how they can use the content in their professional and personal lives – even with their kids! Two years later, what started as a pilot program with 30 people has gone global and reached thousands. It’s a hot ticket!

What’s not to love?

What you’ve just read is a true story of my own experience on an Emerson project for one of our clients. I could talk for hours into the minutiae of the subject matter and the results the team achieved. It was the single greatest project of my consulting career.

When considering what I loved most about this work, three themes emerged.

1. Work that means something. When we use our strengths in service of what we care about, work isn’t a grind or a drag. Instead, it becomes an act of service and creativity. We can see that we’re making a contribution to the people around us. We feel like we matter.
2. Working with awesome people. If we’re lucky, we’ll get to work in variety of settings with people of diverse career experiences. They’ll bring their talents and their personalities into our world, and we’ll get to go into theirs. We’ll form genuine connections and express care for one another over a long period of time, even after we move beyond our daily work together. Relationships are at the heart of work; when those are solid, the work gets done with more ease.
3. Paying it forward. Supporting other people to perform at their best is everything: offering mentorship and guidance, holding space for people to think deeply, making connections within and among networks, and watching others succeed. It’s not about me; it’s about we.

Since that project, my role at Emerson has changed. I’m now an Associate Client Director, and the same themes appear in a new way.

1. Helping others see how they matter. Doing client work can sometimes feel like being caught in the weeds. It’s easy to forget how today’s actions serve to the bigger picture. Because I get to have a perspective that’s a bit zoomed out, I’m able to help others identify the puzzle pieces they’re placing and how important their work is.
2. Developing relationships with more people. You mean I get to meet and get to know more people? Sign me up. Every person is fascinating to me, and just being with them lights up my world. Whether we’re talking about AI, learning ROI, or helping people to do their best work, we’re connecting on humans at work, and THAT energizes me. When relationships are good, work comes easily, so building relationships improves life for us all. Huzzah!
3. Anchoring my efforts to ensure the success of others. I love to see others win and people win together.

When work is personally meaningful, it’s easy to love it.

As leaders, when we help ourselves find personal meaning in the work we do, we’re better able to help our colleagues and teams do the same.

People are eager to make a difference. Help them connect the dots, and you’ll see engagement and performance soar. And they’ll be happier and healthier doing it.

Cultivating Business Success Through Empathy

Many of us work under significant stress with constant change and unending demands for high performance. Traditional leadership models rooted in authority or control are proving less effective than a more human-centered way: compassionate leadership. Compassion acts on empathy and creates a workplace where people feel seen, heard, and valued.

Why is compassionate leadership critical to success today?

“Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
– Theodore Roosevelt

Enhanced Employee Well-Being

Think about your own experience: Don’t you tend to perform better when you’re feeling better? Focusing leadership on people’s physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing sends a message: we care about you and support you. When people feel like they’re valued, they are more resilient to stress and less susceptible to burnout. And they’re better equipped to give their best.

For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, companies that adopted compassionate leadership practices—such as flexible work arrangements and mental health support—saw higher levels of employee satisfaction and retention compared to those that didn’t. These organizations recognized that their employees’ wellbeing was crucial for sustaining both individual and business success.

Increased Engagement and Performance

People whose leaders demonstrate compassionate behavior and attitudes tend to be more engaged at work. They are more likely to invest in their work and go above and beyond in their roles. Natural outcomes of engagement include better performance, increased innovation, and a competitive edge for the organization.

And if you want evidence, a study by the American Psychological Association found that employees who felt their leaders were compassionate reported greater job satisfaction, commitment to their organization, and overall performance. The study highlighted that compassion in leadership not only fosters a positive work environment but also drives tangible business outcomes.

People whose leaders demonstrate compassionate behavior and attitudes tend to be more engaged at work.

A Resilient and Adaptive Workforce

In the face of constant disruption, compassionate leadership can help people – and by extension, organizations – navigate challenges more effectively. In times of crisis or change, emotions run high. Leaders who are empathetic are better able to understand their teams’ concerns and provide the support necessary to adapt. The ability to meet the moment builds resilience within our teams, enabling the organization to weather uncertainties and emerge stronger.

We’ve seen that during economic downturns or organizational restructuring, compassionate leaders who maintain open communication and provide reassurance help their teams stay focused and motivated. This mitigates the distress around uncertainty and helps preserve morale, contributing to a quicker recovery.

Actions to Cultivate Compassionate Leadership

1. Listen actively and validate experience.

Listen without an agenda, practice silence, and refrain from judgment. Acknowledge the other’s experience, whether or not you agree. What they’re experiencing and feeling is valid. Try to understand their perspective. Doing so demonstrates care and fosters trust.

2. Encourage open communication.

Giving people the space to share their opinions and concerns frees up tension and provides room for collaboration and connection. Be the person who makes people feel safe. Ensure you have a predictable cadence for one-on-one meetings and team communication. Discuss expectations openly and give positive feedback for behaviors you’d like to see the team demonstrate.

3. Foster a culture of inclusivity.

We’re stronger when we value our differences. Seek divergent ideas, consider opposing viewpoints, and encourage dissenting opinions. Sometimes this creative tension is exactly what’s needed to get to the best outcomes. When we include all points of view, people feel respected and heard. What greater gift could we offer?

4. Provide support and resources.

Know what the physical, mental, and emotional health benefits are in your organization. Do you have an EAP program? Partner with a coaching service? Have gym stipends? Knowing these and other benefits can help you offer the right tool for the situation.

5. Lead by example.

Practice self-compassion. Modeling desired behavior will go farther than talking about it. Set the tone by interacting with care. Think and talk through business decisions with the awareness that actions impact people. Help your people do the same. This can help others see what desired behavior looks like; they’ll follow your lead, creating a ripple effect of empathy throughout the organization.

We’re stronger when we value our differences.

As leaders, we influence the direction of our organization through our relationships with people. To be compassionate means we’re working to alleviate the suffering of our people. When we do, we enhance their wellbeing, engagement, and performance. In a world where we’re doing all we can to keep up with constant change, the ability to lead with compassion isn’t only beneficial…it’s essential.

Are you a super communicator? No? Are you familiar with Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg? No?! This best-selling book is our latest book club pick. All of us at Emerson Human Capital are reading it, section by section, and meeting to discuss our takeaways.

As consultants in the world of Learning & Development and Change Management, we have to be good listeners and ask thoughtful, appropriate questions. It’s how we ensure we deliver on the real needs of our clients. So, we’d like to think we are already super communicators – but are we?

Here’s what we’ve learned so far by reading and discussing the book.

A Few Key Ideas

Three Types of Conversations

Duhigg organizes his book around three main types of conversations:

1. What is this really about?
2. How do we feel?
3. Who are we?

Understanding the answers to each of these questions ensures participants are engaging in the same type of conversation.

Think about how often you or your team have jumped into a discussion out of habit or urgency (with or without an agenda), only to walk away wondering, “What just happened?” or feeling that you didn’t get your needs met. Recognizing and acknowledging the type of conversation helps avoid confusion and inefficiency.

Four Rules of a Learning Conversation

1. Pay attention to what kind of conversation is happening.
2. Share your goals and ask what others are seeking.
3. Ask about others’ feelings and share your own.
4. Explore whether identities are important to this discussion.

Quiet Negotiations

Duhigg tells us, “Within every conversation there is a quiet negotiation, where the prize is not winning, but rather determining what everyone wants, so that something meaningful can occur.” This quiet negotiation focuses both on what everyone wants and on the rules for making decisions together. He frames negotiation as a “subtle give-and-take” to ensure everyone wins, rather than the more common understanding of negotiation as a zero-sum game.

Neural Entrainment

It seems at our cores, Emersonians are kind of nerds. One of our loves is neuroscience. So, imagine our fascination when Duhigg introduced the concept of “neural entrainment.” He says, “At the heart of every conversation is the potential for neural synchronization,” which is an alignment between speaker and listener that is a key to the effectiveness of the communication.

Our Questions and Challenges

Sharing to Connect vs. Shifting Focus

At Emerson, we love to use the power of storytelling. Duhigg uses real-life stories to teach his concepts. Early in the book, he describes how a CIA agent learned to build and recruit key resources through sharing personal feelings and vulnerabilities.

When our team met, we paused to debate this further. After all, it seems every active listening principle tells us to keep the focus on the speaker and not grab the spotlight. We were left wondering how these concepts peacefully co-existed. (Spoiler alert: Duhigg dives into this further in section two of his book.)

The Post-Pandemic Problem

How do we overcome the challenges of connecting in a post-pandemic, more remote culture? Supercommunicating is about connecting. However, to our team it feels even harder than ever to make connections. One of us said, “Things seem so much more transactional.”

We had a few ideas to help overcome this challenge:

• Go to meetings a bit earlier and chat with those early to join.
• Turn your cameras on. See and be seen.
• Use humor. Share laughs, person to person. Be human together.

Manipulation?

Duhigg uses a case study to demonstrate the concepts of super communicating. The example is based on a jury in deliberations. As we read how one jury member applied super communicating principles, we could see how the minds of other jurors were changed.

We wondered whether supercommunicating was simply a form of masterful manipulation. As we talked, we decided it’s more about drawing out what really matters to other people — uncovering what they value and want. Duhigg helps us see past a “zero sum game” to a negotiation experience in which the pie gets bigger and everyone wins.

Simple Ways We’re Becoming Super Communicators

Get past: “I have an agenda and I need to get X, Y, and Z out of this meeting.” This doesn’t create strong relationships. Let go of your agenda and thoughts and be mindful and present, so you can actually read the people and what they need. It is important to get to the objective, but strong connections better in long-run for project.

Ask upfront: “What do you want to get out of this meeting? Use this with internal teams and with clients. Co-create a plan for the agenda. Even start with yourself to prepare for conversations. Duhigg suggests answering these questions first:

• What are two topics you most want to discuss?
• What is one thing you hope to say that shows what you want to talk about?
• What is one question you will ask that reveals what others want?

Adopt: Help, Hear, Hug? Clarifying the conversation means recognizing what each participant needs. As Duhigg says, “Different needs require different types of communication, and those different kinds of interaction – helping, hugging, hearing – each correspond to a different kind of conversation.” Is it a practical conversation (helped)? Emotional (hugged)? Or social (heard)?

Establish the shared language to help define what kind of conversation is really happening. Get aligned right away. As our team said, “Why not? That way, we’re having the same conversation!”

Intrigued by some of these concepts? Stay tuned for Are You a Super Communicator? Part 2 to find out what we learned from the rest of the book.

Consider a multi-directional development model.

In the consulting world—and certainly not limited to this field—it is all too common for organizations to adopt a “move up or move out” culture. In other words, individuals must get themselves promoted to a higher rung of the org chart; if they’re not promoted within a pre-set timeframe, they’re considered unredeemable or fired.

In its worst form, it is survival of the fittest. In its best form, it operationalizes a growth mindset, supporting individuals as they develop and advance along their chosen career path.

But is “up or out” the only direction?

What about side-to-side? Or even forward and back? Does your organization have a plan for someone to opt out of an “upward” path? Can they do so with emotional and professional safety?

When Trish Emerson founded Emerson Human Capital Consulting, she knew firsthand the up-or-out culture that many of us have experienced. She wanted to build an organization with a “multi-directional” culture.

As I consider how this has played out within Emerson, I can cite real examples of current team members who have moved “up” into leadership roles then “back” to more client-focused roles. Others have transitioned from full-time employees to contractors. Others are clients turned employees turned contractors. And still others have been contractors and then joined us as full-time employees.

Our philosophy—doing meaningful work with people we love—isn’t limited to linear career paths. We want those people we love—the talented, creative, relational, impactful people—to find a sweet spot where they can thrive. In turn, this nurtures the culture and the well-being of our overall organization by retaining team members in ways that allow them to be their best, high-performing selves.

I experienced this firsthand recently. I spent decades in up-or-out and “in order to grow you have to go (somewhere else)” career scenarios. A year ago, I accepted a promotion at Emerson. At the time, the role was new. There were aspects of the role presented to me that I knew I would love. Other aspects I knew would be challenging or less energizing than my other work.  We collectively agreed to try it; if it didn’t work, we’d figure it out. In other words, there was an “opt out” card on the table.

Over the course of the year, I found myself questioning whether this role was the right thing at the right time.

I decided to talk to Trish, our CEO, about shifting back to the role I had loved. I recently worked on a client project focused on empathy, belonging, and trust, so I was very tuned-in to these dynamics as I approached her to discuss what a move would mean.

How remarkable to be able to say, “She made it so easy!” She secured my sense of belonging by quickly confirming that all team members need to be in roles that help them thrive. She sees how that feeds the well-being of the organization. She empathized with the factors at play for me as a whole person – not just “Workplace Lisa.” She created psychological safety by allowing me to own the message about my decision – what got said, by whom, and when. And I had every reason to trust my employment was never at risk, nor did I sense there would be hidden political implications or surprise consequences. In fact, this decision doesn’t preclude me from future promotions.

What is your workplace culture like when it comes to career mobility?

Is “up” the only direction? Do you lose team members because they need to go to grow? Or do you have an opt-out path, framed in safety and belonging? Are there alternative paths that still reflect success and embrace an individual’s experiences, strengths, and skills? How do you make these options more than just words?

I’d love to hear from you. Use the form below to share your thoughts.

Do your design and delivery create the right environment?

Psychological safety is a hot topic in discussions about organizational culture. Moreover, business leaders seem to understand that safety, empathy, trust, and belonging are critical to the well-being of both employees and organizations.

Recently, I had the opportunity to develop a course on these four components of culture. Our client believed that teaching leaders how to foster empathy, belonging, psychological safety, and trust would improve employee engagement, retention, DEI, and civility issues, helping the organization achieve its goals.

But simply talking about these four components wasn’t enough.

We needed to demonstrate them throughout the entire learning experience. This meant choosing words, imagery, and a course structure that allowed our audience to feel safe and stay engaged while they worked through vulnerable and challenging topics.

How did we do this?

1. We chose language that avoided direct reference to gender identification, race or ethnicity, age, or disability status. For example, we would refer to “team members” and “supervisors” without specific demographic references.
2. We used stories to make the concepts relatable. Storytelling engages our minds and hearts. It taps into our capacity for empathy. We didn’t just want to teach about these concepts, we wanted the learners to experience them. For example, we used stories and scenarios that featured the “whole person” at work. We also used videos from recognized experts like Simon Sinek, who taught about trust through a story. We relied on powerful Ted Talks to teach about assumptions.
   

   We use “paper people” and stick figure imagery with no race, age, or gender.

3. We carefully selected visuals that were inclusive but not specific. What does this mean? For example, we used pictures of hands coming together in a group; the hands represented different skin tones and different genders. We avoided images with faces that might reinforce the assumptions our brains already create. We used “paper people” and stick figure imagery with no race, age, or gender.
4. We used visuals that were inclusive and specific. Sometimes we just needed to include faces. So, we made sure the faces in our imagery and case studies were representative of the team members in our client’s organization.
5. We called attention to our brains’ tendencies toward assumptions and biases. We made a lesson out of this very real human function, and then taught how awareness can help us set those stories aside to be replaced by openness, curiosity, and empathy.
6. We set a group agreement to protect confidentiality. We made it ok to share what participants learned in the workshop but agreed not to share what other participants said.
7. We started and ended with “your one word.” This workshop was delivered virtually, so we needed to intentionally build a sense of connection. We started with introductions that included name, team, location, and “your one word.” Each person shared a word to describe how they were feeling coming into the workshop that day. We heard everything from “excited” and “motivated” to “stretched” and vulnerable.”
8. We included group and individual activities. Not everything has to be shared to be learned. Particularly for topics like these, the learners needed time to reflect and apply at an individual level. They did this through self-assessments, confidence checks, and application activities focused on specific members of their teams. They also worked in groups on case studies so they could benefit from ideas and takeaways from their peers. Whenever appropriate, we did whole group debriefs so participants could benefit from different thinking and ideas.

Most importantly, we reviewed the concepts, the content, and the visuals with our client advisory team to make sure each aspect would land well. We had to check our own stories and assumptions about what would be effective and open ourselves to the feelings and experiences of the advisors. In other words, we had to practice what we were preaching in our own course.

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