What should leaders do for ambitious employees who want to try new things?

Recognize their curiosity and provide opportunities to explore new projects, roles, or learning experiences. Use a structured path that channels exploration into measurable growth, while ensuring alignment with team goals.

Why is it important to respect and understand individual goals?

Understanding individual goals helps tailor development, so careers flourish rather than stagnate. When people see that leadership accommodates their unique trajectories, engagement and performance tend to improve.

What does it mean to facilitate growth and performance for a team member?

It means actively shaping opportunities, feedback, and support to fit each person’s growth path. Leaders act as enablers, helping individuals connect their goals to team objectives.

How can you apply a 'one person at a time' approach in a team?

Schedule regular 1:1 conversations to understand each member’s goals and adjust assignments, coaching, and timelines accordingly. Treat each member as a unique contributor with a distinct growth plan.

What is the outcome of tailoring leadership to individuals?

Tailored leadership makes you a better, more effective leader by maximizing each person’s growth and the team’s performance. The approach fosters flourishing careers and stronger overall results.

Tailor leadership to individuals | Josh Bersin

Big Think

Education5 min read1 min video

Jan 30, 2026|630 views|12

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TL;DR

Lead by tailoring to individuals: respect varied goals, foster growth.

Key Insights

People have different career goals and life circumstances, including home responsibilities.

Effective leadership treats each team member as unique, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

A leader's core role is to facilitate growth and performance by aligning opportunities with individual motivations.

Understanding and respecting personal drivers (ambition, curiosity, work-life balance) boosts engagement and results.

Flexible expectations and personalized development plans are essential for long-term career flourishing.

RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUAL GOALS AND LIFE CONTEXTS

Leaders must first recognize that team members pursue very different career goals and carry different life responsibilities. Some people have substantial duties at home and prefer to leave work on time, perhaps around 5 or 6 PM, to attend to those obligations. Others are highly ambitious, curious, and eager to take on new challenges. By acknowledging these diverse contexts and not assuming a single path for everyone, leaders set the stage for each person’s career to thrive. This awareness is the foundation for personalized development.

LEADERSHIP AS A FACILITATOR OF GROWTH

The most effective leaders act as facilitators rather than enforcers of uniform standards. Their primary job is to support growth and performance by removing obstacles, providing resources, and guiding individuals through tailored coaching. When a leader focuses on enabling each person to perform at their best, they create an environment where growth is data-driven and relationship-driven. This requires listening, curating opportunities, and adjusting feedback to fit what each individual needs to advance, rather than applying a blanket approach to all team members.

TAILORING CAREER PATHS TO AMBITION LEVELS

Not everyone wants the same number of risks or the same pace of advancement. Some team members crave stretch assignments, cross-functional exposure, and rapid acceleration, while others prefer depth over breadth or steadier progression. Leaders should design career paths that match these varying appetites by aligning projects, mentors, and milestones with individual aspirations. By doing so, you keep people engaged, reduce turnover, and cultivate a culture where ambition is supported in multiple healthy ways rather than being forced into a single track.

BALANCING PERSONAL LIFE WITH PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS

Balancing work with personal responsibilities is not a barrier to growth; it is a reality that requires flexible leadership. By respecting preferred work hours and family commitments, leaders create trust and loyalty. This doesn’t mean lowering standards, but rather optimizing schedules, role design, and project scopes to fit real-life constraints. When teams see that leadership values balance, engagement increases and employees are more likely to invest energy during the times they are able to contribute most effectively.

UNDERSTANDING MOTIVATIONS AND DRIVERS

Effective leaders take the time to understand what motivates each person—whether it’s achievement, mastery, autonomy, or impact. Some are motivated by curiosity and variety; others by mastery and depth in a specific domain. By uncovering these drivers in conversations and regular feedback, you can align assignments and development efforts with what truly energizes the individual. Aligning work with motivation leads to better performance, higher satisfaction, and a more resilient team dynamic.

INDIVIDUALIZED GROWTH PLANS

Developing individualized growth plans is essential for translating motivation into concrete outcomes. These plans outline short- and long-term goals, the skills needed, and the paths to acquire them. They should be revisited and revised as people evolve, with clear milestones and accountability. By co-creating these plans, leaders empower employees to take ownership of their development, while providing the support, resources, and honest feedback necessary to progress at a pace that fits their personal situation.

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR DIVERSE TALENT

Open and ongoing communication is crucial when leadership styles differ across a team. Leaders should establish regular one-on-one conversations, transparent expectations, and feedback loops tailored to each individual. Clear dialogue helps manage misalignment between personal goals and organizational needs and ensures that employees understand how their unique path contributes to the broader mission. This communication approach builds trust, reduces confusion, and keeps growth plans aligned with changing circumstances.

MEASURING SUCCESS ON A PER-PERSON BASIS

Success metrics must reflect individual goals and contexts. Rather than relying solely on standard performance indicators, include measures such as engagement, progress on personalized development goals, and quality of outcomes within each person’s chosen path. This per-person measurement ensures that progress feels meaningful to the employee and supports sustained motivation. It also helps leaders identify when a shift in responsibilities or approach is needed to keep the trajectory aligned with personal and organizational aims.

PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR MANAGERS

Managers can implement practical tools like regular 1-on-1s, personalized career maps, and targeted feedback rituals. Use these tools to document preferences, track milestones, and adjust opportunities quickly. Encourage experimentation with projects that fit each person’s strengths and learning style, while maintaining accountability for outcomes. These practical steps make the concept of tailored leadership tangible and scalable across teams, improving both performance and personal growth.

FACING CHALLENGES: ALIGNMENT, RESENTMENT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Tailoring leadership also comes with challenges, including potential misalignment, perceived favoritism, or uneven expectations across the team. Mitigate these risks by maintaining fairness in opportunities, communicating criteria openly, and ensuring accountability remains consistent for all. When done well, individualized leadership reduces frustration, increases trust, and makes it easier to address issues early by focusing on each person’s development plan and how it supports the team’s objectives.

CULTURAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT FOR TAILORED LEADERSHIP

An organization must support tailored leadership through culture, policies, and HR practices that enable flexible development. This includes granting autonomy to managers to customize roles, providing resources for personalized training, and recognizing multiple pathways to success. When the broader system supports individuality, leaders can more effectively implement customized growth without creating siloed or exclusive tracks, ensuring that diverse talents contribute to the organization's success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR EVERY LEADER

The overarching message is clear: treat leadership as a tailored service that grows with each person. By recognizing diverse goals, acting as a facilitator, and constructing individualized growth plans, leaders unlock higher engagement and better performance. Continuous dialogue and adaptable practices are essential. Emphasize fairness, accountability, and ongoing support to ensure each team member can flourish according to their own timeline and aspirations.

Leadership Tailoring Cheat Sheet

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Identify each team member's personal goals and constraints (e.g., home responsibilities or peak ambition).

Adopt a one-on-one approach to discuss development plans tailored to the individual.

Facilitate growth by aligning opportunities with what matters most to the person.

Avoid a one-size-fits-all leadership style; customize expectations and timelines.

Avoid This

Don't assume all team members share the same goals or pace.

Don't ignore personal circumstances when setting workloads or milestones.

Common Questions

Acknowledge that some teammates prioritize family or personal time and may not want long hours. Offer flexible work arrangements or goal-aligned milestones that allow them to succeed without sacrificing personal commitments. This aligns development with their current life stage, which can sustain long-term performance.