Using stretch projects to build trust

Talent isn't discovered. It's developed through someone's belief. Most managers miss this simple truth. When I was in my early 20s, I had bosses who saw something in me before I proved it. They set the bar high and gave me stretch projects that felt overwhelming at first. But I was hungry and had the drive to match their belief. I was also given the support to help me succeed. By 28, I was a second-line manager with 3 direct reports, each leading their own team. That leadership experience was a steep learning curve, but it set my career on a strong trajectory in a fast-growing sector. Looking back, none of that would have happened if those early leaders had waited for me to prove myself first. They created the proof by believing first. If you are a leader here's 𝟱 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳: 1. 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆    ↳ Assign projects slightly above their current skill level to show you trust their growth potential     2. 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁    ↳ Praise their problem-solving approach and learning attitude, not just results     3. 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁    ↳ Regular check-ins and guidance signal that you see their long-term value     4. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀    ↳ Bringing newer team members into strategy discussions shows you value their input     5. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀    ↳ Seeking their perspective demonstrates confidence in their judgment 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: 𝟯 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀: 1. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆    ↳ People remember who believed in them first    ↳ Creates emotional connection to the company    ↳ Reduces recruitment costs long-term     2. 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁    ↳ Employees rise to meet expectations    ↳ Self-fulfilling prophecy effect    ↳ Accelerated learning curve     3. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲    ↳ Builds psychological safety    ↳Increases risk-taking and innovation    ↳ Creates culture of mutual support The leaders who believed in me didn't just change my career - they shaped how I led. When you invest in someone's potential before they prove it, you're not just developing them. You're creating the kind of leader who will do the same for others. If you are a leader, think of someone on your team right now who's hungry but unproven. What's one way you could show belief in them this week? ♻️ Share this to help leaders unlock someone's potential today. Follow Adeline Tiah for more content on leadership + future of work.

I’ve never seen a £3,000 training course do what one real stretch assignment can. We’ve been sold the idea that development means budgets. Courses. Platforms. Frameworks. But the truth is, the most meaningful growth often happens in the work, not around it. At Moorhouse, we didn’t just talk about learning. We designed for it - deliberately. Real development happens in the stretch. But only when trust is in place. We created space for people to lead before they felt ready. Not recklessly - but with the right support, mentoring, and visible belief. That’s how capability scales, especially in consulting. Not just by “training” leaders, but by letting them lead when it counts. The return on that was measurable: • Faster progression paths • Higher retention • Stronger client trust and NPS • More resilient teams - who had earned their confidence in real moments One consultant led a critical turnaround project early in their career. They won client trust, delivered outcomes, and secured a multi-million-pound follow-on. Not because they were the most experienced -  But because they were trusted early enough to grow into the moment. Development isn’t a line item. It’s a leadership decision. Where in your business could someone surprise you, if given the stretch? 🎤 Below are the links to two recent podcasts that share more on this topic: ❶ Consultancy Growth Podcast - https://lnkd.in/exAT6BEV ❷ Leadership Success - Apple: https://lnkd.in/e-6DdJ6p | Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eqKgsB66 ♻️ If this reframed how you think about L&D, share it with someone building teams, not just budgets. Follow Richard Goold for grounded insight on growing leaders through real work - not just workshops. #Leadership #ConsultingLife #HighGrowthFirms #CultureAndPerformance #LeadIndicators #FutureOfWork

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆) Stretch work should elevate skill, tap passion, and create a platform to learn—not feel like a dump-and-run. Here’s a simple, repeatable playbook I use 👇 1.) Pick for hunger, not tenure ↳ Look for curiosity, reliability, and coachability. ↳ Ask: “What’s one area you’re excited to grow in this quarter? 2.) Co-define the “Why” ↳ Tie the assignment to their motivator (money, mastery, meaning, time, progression). ↳ Ask: “If this goes well, what outcome would feel most rewarding to you?” 3.) Clarify outcomes + constraints ↳ Write 3 bullets: Success looks like… / Must avoid… / Deadline is… ↳ Keep it outcome-focused, not task-focused. 4.) Shape the learning goals ↳ Name 1–2 new skills they’ll build (e.g., stakeholder mgmt, forecasting, facilitation). ↳ Add a quick baseline: “Rate your confidence 1–10 today.” 5.) Chunk the work into milestones ↳ Break into 3–4 checkpoints with dates and expected artifacts (brief, draft, pilot, launch). ↳ Ownership stays with them; your job is friction removal. 6.) Pre-load resources ↳ Share the top 3 docs, 2 people to shadow, 1 example of “gold standard.” ↳ Make introductions so they have a platform and visibility. 7.) Set support cadence + guardrails ↳ Cadence: 15-minute weekly touchpoint. ↳ Guardrails: what they can decide solo vs. when to escalate. ↳ Phrase: “I’m your air cover; you run the play.” 8.) Let them drive the room ↳ Give them the mic in updates, demos, and readouts. You speak last (or not at all). ↳ This builds confidence and signals trust to the org. 9.) Coach on the reps, not the result ↳ Use a tight loop: What worked? What didn’t? What will you do differently next sprint? ↳ Correct with questions, not rework. 10.) Close the loop + codify the win ↳ End with a retrospective. Capture lessons, add artifacts to their portfolio, and socialize the impact. ↳ Public recognition: highlight the skill built, not just the task completed. Mini script you can steal “I see potential in you and a project that matches your goals. Success looks like X by Y date, with Z constraints. You’ll build A and B skills. You own it; I’m your air cover. Weekly 15-min huddles, and you lead the readouts. Up for it?” Leaders who do this don’t just deliver projects—they manufacture future leaders. 💬 What’s one stretch assignment you could hand off this month—and to whom? #LeadershipDevelopment #Coaching #EmployeeGrowth #Delegation #LearningCulture #LeadingTheFront   -------------- Want more like this in your feed? ➡️Engage (like/comment/repost) ➡️Go to Matt Antonucci and click/tap the (🔔)   𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀. 😊