Workplace Talent Growth

🔋 High-Agency Generalists Are The Future As a CEO, I spend a lot of time thinking about what kind of talent truly drives an organization forward — especially now, as AI accelerates everything around us. Lately, I keep coming back to a phrase from Daniel Priestley: ‘High Agency Generalist’. These are key people of influence in any group getting stuff DONE. The ones who can move between rooms, connect the dots, unblock teams, and turn vague ideas into actual momentum. In the past, these people were sometimes underestimated — too broad, too horizontal, too undefined. But in this new era, where AI is starting to handle a lot of the doing, I’ve found myself placing more and more value on the deciding. The orchestrating. The energizing. Enter the high-agency generalist. Not a jack-of-all-trades — but someone who: • Thrives in ambiguity • Translates strategy into execution across disciplines • Sees 3 steps ahead — and moves the room to act • Has the range to talk product, people, brand, and finance — all before lunch • Becomes the glue that holds momentum together They don’t just manage complexity. They accelerate through it. AI is changing a lot. But it isn’t (yet) changing our need for judgment, creativity, and energy. And those things don’t live in job descriptions — they live in people. If you’re a high-energy generalist: this is your time. And if you’re building a team for the future: make sure you’ve got one at the table.

Are You Aligning Your Strengths with What Your Organization Values? A few years ago, a talented professional, came to me feeling frustrated. Despite her hard work, she wasn’t moving forward in her department. After a core competency analysis, we discovered the reason: She excelled in technical skills, but the company placed heavy emphasis on leadership, initiative, and innovation—areas where she wasn’t fully demonstrating her potential. To fix this, we crafted a plan to develop these core competencies. We assigned her small team projects to build leadership experience, and encouraged her to share her innovative ideas. Within six months, she was recognized as a natural leader, and new opportunities started opening up for her. 🌱 📊 Here’s How You Can Assess Your Organization’s Core Competencies: 👉Review Job Descriptions: Look at the required skills for your current and aspirational roles. Companies often include key competencies in job postings. 👉Pay Attention to Company Culture: Observe what behaviors are praised and rewarded—this is often a reflection of the core competencies the organization values. 👉Engage with Leadership: Ask for feedback and guidance on what the organization sees as vital for success in your role. 👉Study Performance Reviews: Look at what’s being measured in performance evaluations—this will reveal the competencies your company values most. 💡 Key Action Points: 🔆Assess the core competencies your organization values most. 🔆Identify where your strengths align with those competencies. 🔆Take proactive steps to develop in-demand skills like leadership and innovation. Feeling stuck in your role? It might be time to reassess your competencies and align your strengths with what the organization values. Start today and unlock new opportunities! #Leadership #CareerDevelopment #CoreCompetencies #Innovation #Initiative #ProfessionalGrowth #LeadershipSkills #CareerAdvancement #SkillDevelopment #LearningAndDevelopment

Lets look at how managers can prioritize coaching, even if they think they don't have the time! Balancing priorities is often one of the biggest challenges for mid level managers (and yes, every manager really, but I'm just focusing on this specific role for today). Important and high impact activities like coaching can often be pushed aside as a result of overcommitting or reacting to whatever new problem pops up. The amount of time mid-level managers should spend coaching their team can of course vary, depending on several factors including the size of the team, the nature of the work, and the level of experience and development needs of team members. It also needs to be balanced with other activities 🤔 So how can mid level managers find enough time to consistently coach the team? Here are a few pointers ⤵ ⤵ 1️⃣ It is hugely important to have a clear understanding of tasks, responsibilities and priorities. When there is doubt here, leaders can take on too much or spend time on low value add activities. A 'workload and priorities discussion' between mid-level managers and their own manager can help to sort this out. 2️⃣ It is a good idea for managers to allocate a portion of their time to coaching people by blocking off time every week. If its not in the calendar...it's probably not going to happen. 3️⃣ The time spent coaching people should be effective and efficient. To achieve this, it is important to assess team members' development needs including skill levels, areas for improvement, and career aspirations. This helps managers to determine the appropriate amount of time to allocate for coaching as some individuals and teams may need more time than others. 4️⃣ Adopting a proactive coaching approach really helps...instead of waiting for team members to encounter problems or request assistance, regularly schedule one-on-one meetings with team members to discuss their progress, challenges, and goals. 5️⃣ Blend a formal with an informal approach. Integrate coaching into daily interactions. Look for opportunities to provide real-time feedback, guidance, and support during day-to-day interactions with team members. It is possible that less formal coaching will be required as a result. 6️⃣ Delegate tasks and responsibilities Assign tasks that stretch team members' skills and provide guidance and support to help people grow and become more autonomous. It might seem like extra work in the beginning but in the long term it increases capacity. 7️⃣ Regularly assess and adjust. Periodically review your priorities, tasks, and time allocation. Adjust your approach based on changing circumstances and emerging priorities. Continuously refine your time management strategies for optimal effectiveness. Always ask for help when you feel you need it. #leadershipdevelopment #timemanagement #priorities #coaching

Most people think learning stops after training. That's really step one. The most successful people share one habit: They find learning opportunities in every role. While others wait for training budgets and programs, these professionals turn ordinary workdays into skill-building experiences. They understand that every job is a classroom if you know where to look. Here's how to extract growth from any role: 1️⃣ Identify skills gaps in your team or department ↳ Volunteer to research solutions and present findings ↳ Position yourself as the go-to person for emerging challenges 2️⃣ Ask to shadow leaders during important meetings ↳ Request 15 minutes monthly with senior leadership ↳ Study their decision-making process and communication style 3️⃣ Take on cross-functional projects ↳ Collaborate with teams outside your usual scope ↳ Build relationships while expanding your skill set 4️⃣ Become the bridge between departments ↳ Translate technical concepts for non-technical teams ↳ Develop your communication and leadership abilities 5️⃣ Document and share what you learn ↳ Create resources that help others solve similar problems ↳ Build your reputation as a thoughtful contributor Your career growth is your responsibility. Make it happen. ♻️ Repost to help your network ➕ Follow Carmen Morin for more developmental leadership insights

The Tale of a Marketing Generalist... I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately… Being a marketing generalist is both a blessing and a burden. On one hand, it’s a superpower. You can jump into almost any marketing conversation and not feel lost. Brand? You’re in. Content? Let’s go. Campaigns? Already planning it in your head. Product marketing? Say less. Growth marketing? You’re ready to dive in ABM? It's your cake Demand Gen? Say no more PPC? Not a problem Analytics? You know where the numbers live. You become the person who can connect the dots across teams, channels, and strategy. You understand how the pieces fit together, not just how one cog spins. That range makes you valuable. Adaptable. Hard to sideline. You don’t just “do marketing” you understand the business of marketing. But here’s the other side. Sometimes, being able to do everything makes it hard for people to define what you’re truly exceptional at. You become essential… but stretched. Visible… but sometimes vaguely positioned. While specialists are known for one thing, generalists are known for being “reliable.” And in career conversations, that can get tricky. Because growth often rewards clear positioning, not just broad capability. So the real evolution of a marketing generalist is this: 👉 Moving from “I can do many things” to 👉 “I solve this type of problem because I understand many things.” That shift changes everything. You stop being seen as extra hands… And start being seen as a strategic bridge between product and sales, brand and revenue, strategy and execution. Being a generalist isn’t about being average at many things. At its best, it’s about having T-shaped depth and the ability to see the full chessboard. And in a world where marketing is getting more complex, more cross-functional, and more commercial… That shouldn't be a weakness. That’s leadership training in disguise. If you’re a fellow marketing generalist, and this is your story, don't be too worried. You’re just being shaped into someone who can run the whole engine — not just one part of it. #Marketing #Generalist #DemandGeneration #ABM #ProductMarketing #MarketingCampaign #ContentWriting

WHY business is all about putting people first ... what is a people-first culture - is and isn't. Imagine a workplace where the personal and professional growth of employees is just as important as profit margins. This isn't some unrealistic ideal. It's the essence of what's now being described as a people-first culture. A people-first culture is based on valuing people over profits. Its key features include empathy, respect, open communication, continuous learning, and work-life balance. It’s the type of culture that supports employee individuality, encourages voicing concerns, prioritizes professional development, offers flexible arrangements, and recognizes achievements with meaningful rewards. One of the most significant benefits of a people-first culture is increased employee engagement. When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to their work, leading to higher productivity, better customer service, and increased innovation. The supportive work environment that a people-first culture provides also reduces employee turnover. Establishing a people-first culture, however, is not without its challenges. Understanding the concept is one thing; implementing it is another. Detractors argue that a people-first culture is impractical or idealistic.  Balancing employee expectations for benefits, recognition, and work-life balance with maintaining organizational performance is a delicate task. On top of that, some employees may exploit a supportive environment or flexible policies, leading to underperformance and excessive absenteeism, which impacts team productivity. And some employees might prioritize personal preferences over customer service, leading to conflicts and decreased service quality. Yet, many argue that the shift towards a people-first culture is not just the right thing to do but a strategic necessity. For organizations seeking to implement a people-first culture, it’s important to understand that the benefits often manifest over the long term. Organizations need to be prepared to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains, which can be challenging in a results-driven environment. Many organizations will struggle with the concept of a people-first culture.  Others may claim to have embraced the idea, but it will be little more than a façade. For those who do fully commit to a people-first approach, the message is clear: focus on your people, and financial success will follow. Those who have made the journey towards a people-first culture will tell you that it may be a challenging trip, but the rewards are well worth the effort. The point is, there’s actually profit to be made in putting people first. #management #leadership #peoplemanagement #humaresources #aimwa

The first thing that hit me when I joined this mid-sized engineering company as a CHRO was the lack of structured #SuccessionPlanning. At an organizational growth rate as steep as it was, the importance of a robust #SuccessionStrategy to keep our growth momentum on track and ensure continuity in leadership was very clear. To this end, I initiated my work with a critical review of our current leadership structure, #TalentPools, and future organizational requirements. I met senior leaders and key #stakeholders to identify critical roles for which #SuccessionPlans should be developed. This review identified several gaps and potential risks. Some of the huge barriers were #ResistanceToChange. To many senior leaders, succession planning was an unnecessary complication rather than a strategic necessity. Secondly, our #TalentManagementSystem lacked the necessary analytics to effectively predict and plan for the #leadership needs of the future. The next challenge in the process was to make the process inclusive and unbiased. We did not only need a system that would identify the #FutureLeaders, but one that would also be fair and transparent in the development of their capacity. Knowing these challenges, we established a comprehensive #SuccessionPlanningFramework that includes both quantitative and qualitative tools. #TalentAssessmentTools: We used #PsychometricAssessments, performance reviews, and 360-degree feedback to assess the current leader in finding a successor. Tools like #HoganAssessments and #GallupStrengthsFinder helped us truly understand individual capabilities and suitability for future roles. #LeadershipDevelopmentPrograms: Based on assessment results, customized development programs for potential successors have been designed. This includes #mentorship, #coaching, and focused training sessions to get over the shortcomings in competencies and groom them for the leadership role. #SuccessionPlanningSoftware: We implemented succession planning software in the HR system— #SAPSuccessFactors and #CornerstoneOnDemand. These tools enabled us to track potential successors, review development progress, and evaluate succession readiness. It runs scenario planning and #SuccessionModeling to simulate organizational changes and what would be affected in such scenarios. Our succession planning strategy, therefore, bore its first benefit: a strong #LeadershipPipeline ready for the challenges ahead and improved employee engagement through clear career pathways. It also enhanced the organizational agility required for smoother transitions. Our organization is more resilient, with a strategic approach toward developing leaders that places us in good stead for the future. #CHRODiaries #SuccessionPlanning #LeadershipPipeline #HighPotentialEmployees #PerformanceAssessment #360DegreeFeedback #ChangeManagement #CareerProgression #EmployeeEngagement #StakeholderBuyIn #OrganizationalGrowth

UX hiring is quietly changing. And if you blink, you’ll miss it. Earlier, companies hired “UX Designers.” Now they’re hiring: UX Designer – Agentic AI UX Designer – Cybersecurity UX Designer – FinTech / BFSI UX Designer – HealthTech UX Designer – DevTools / SaaS Infra This is not fancy titling. This is a signal. What’s happening is domain-specialized UX hiring. Products today are no longer just screens and flows. They are: decision systems risk-heavy environments regulated ecosystems AI-driven workflows A general UX skillset alone is not enough when the product: can auto-act on behalf of users (Agentic AI) deals with threats, alerts, and false positives (Cybersecurity) involves money, compliance, and trust (FinTech) affects real human lives (HealthTech) So companies hire designers who already have domain judgment, not just design skills. Now let’s address the uncomfortable part. Does this mean generalist UX designers are useless? No. But it does mean “I can design anything” is too vague in 2026. Generalists are struggling not because they lack skill, but because they lack positioning. Here’s how generalists actually win today: - A strong generalist is not someone who knows everything. - A strong generalist is someone who: has solid UX fundamentals - understands systems, not just interfaces AND has gone deep in at least one domain Think of it like this: You keep your UX core broad, but your value spike comes from specialization. Examples: General UX + AI mental models = Agentic UX Designer General UX + risk & compliance thinking = Cybersecurity UX General UX + workflows & tooling = DevTools UX General UX + data & metrics = Growth / Product UX Specialization does not mean boxing yourself forever. It means giving hiring managers a clear reason to trust you fast. The market is not rejecting generalists. It’s rejecting vague designers. If you’re a UX designer today, the move is simple: Keep your fundamentals sharp. Pick a domain. Build depth. Learn the language of that industry. That’s how UX careers stay relevant while products get more complex. Design is evolving. So should our positioning.

If you want credit for your work, stop waiting for someone else to notice. Most professionals think self-promotion means bragging. That it's a choice between being liked and being recognized. They're wrong about the problem. The issue isn't that you're promoting yourself. It's that you're doing it badly. Watch what happens when you lead with ego. Someone says "I'm amazing at strategy" in a meeting when nobody asked. A colleague drops their MBA into every conversation about budgets. These moments don't just fall flat. They quietly teach people something about you. Now watch the opposite. When project management comes up, you mention the workflow you created that eliminated bottlenecks. When someone struggles with a difficult client, you share the approach you developed that turned things around. You're not bragging. You're solving their problem. This is what it means to lead with impact, not ego. The second method works even better: strategic storytelling. Instead of announcing you're good at something, share what happened. Tell the story of inheriting a failing project and the three decisions that saved it. Focus on the lessons other people can apply. People forget boasts. They remember stories. Self-promotion doesn't fail because you're talking about yourself. It fails because you're making it about yourself. Here's what most professionals miss. People decide two things when you talk about your work: ↳ Is this useful to me? ↳ Or is this just ego? Some professionals only share wins. Titles, promotions, achievements. But no lessons, no value. Others stay silent entirely. Nobody knows what they've learned or what they can do. The best self-promotion provides value first. The credibility follows. This is why professionals who master this advance faster. They're visible without being obnoxious. They get credit without directly asking for it. Everyone else is still choosing between being known and being helpful. 💡 Share this with someone who deserves more recognition for their work. ➡️ Follow Dorie Clark for more on building influence without feeling like you're bragging.

SOME leaders got it ALL WRONG 🔥 Perks like pizza and bean bags? Cool, but they’re not what keeps people invested. The real glue is respect, fairness, and opportunity - the kind of fundamentals that build culture, not just vibes. 1. Respect and Fairness • Let them be heard: Make space for voices. When people feel seen, trust grows. • Keep it real: Recognition should be earned, not handed out like party favours. Reward merit - it’s what keeps the culture honest. 2. Opportunities That Matter • Growth isn’t optional: People need to see a way forward. Create space for them to level up in skills and responsibility. • Access for all: Don’t gatekeep. Give everyone the same shot to thrive. 3. Pay What They’re Worth • Respect their value: Competitive pay isn’t a bonus - it’s the baseline. Undervalue people, and you lose them. 4. Balance is Power • Flexibility is the future: Time is currency. Respect their personal lives as much as their output. • Support > Pressure: Build a culture that lets people take care of themselves without guilt. 5. Well-being is Non-Negotiable • Safety is everything: From mental health to physical spaces, make sure they know they’re protected. 6. Feedback That Hits • Guide, don’t micromanage: Feedback should empower growth, not tick a box. • Open up the floor: Honest conversations build stronger teams. 7. Empowerment Through Trust • Let them own it: Autonomy isn’t just freedom - it’s a vote of confidence in their skills. • Push for bold ideas: Back their risks with resources and belief. 8. Recognition With Depth • Make it personal: A thank-you isn’t enough. Show them you see the real work behind the scenes. • Celebrate like it matters: Forget cookie-cutter celebrations. Honour wins in ways that reflect your team’s energy. The extras are surface-level. The essence is what sticks. When you nail the fundamentals - respect, fairness, and opportunity - you’re not just building a team. You’re building culture. Something real, something lasting. 💡Reno Perry