The past few weeks we’ve been focusing on a series dedicated to putting principles to practice highlighted in real-life case studies. These case studies are also featured in my free, downloadable ebook: Revitalize and Retain Staff.

One of my favorite tools as a leader and a manager is the Leadership Growth Lattice. In the past, forward progress, especially at an organization level, was more of a ladder. You would climb up the rungs of a ladder, primarily through promotion and job title, until hopefully you reached the top. Leadership is no longer like that; it is more of a lattice structure. We also know that extrinsic rewards like title bump only go so far; in order to attract and retain talent they need a “wider net” approach.

Imagine a fan-like, lattice structure that you might grow roses on. Think about how it spreads out in many directions. The same is true of the Leadership Growth Lattice.

The adaptive leader used the Leadership Growth Lattice to create multiple opportunities for their employees and team to grow. It provides a roadmap for both the coach (you) and the person on specific areas of growth and development needed to build the person’s Aptitude and Attitude.

The Lattice can also challenge the current beliefs of the person about the timeframe and the expectation of their role (and growing roles). Once you can build discrepancy through a tactical, tangible plan you can then begin to grow your people with proper expectations.

Finally, it frames a commitment between you and the person with a specific work plan and review dates, and ensures that opportunities will be created.

Imagine this lattice-like structure (much like a garden lattice), as it sprawls upward in multiple directions we have boxes of growth on the structure. You can have any box of growth you’d like, but usually I like to go with some basics: job training and skill building, leadership training, coaching and mentorship, internal teams and committee growth, external community development, personal and life growth. Within these boxes, the leader and person work together to identify growth opportunities under each title:

Job training and growth: You might encourage the person to get greater competency around accounting and finances or around creative design which will expand their technical skills and position them for the next promotion.
Leadership training: You may also encourage the person to attend a leadership conference or emplore them to get training in supervisory skills.

Coaching and mentorship: The person should explore what it would be like to get a coach (outside of you) and/or provide mentorship opportunities for others.

Internal teams and committee growth: You could sponsor this individual to join other teams within the organization or community. These are great opportunities for the person to expand their leadership circle and find other leadership styles they like or don’t like.

External community development: Equally, if you’re in an organization, you should be encouraging this individual to explore community boards and volunteer opportunities as well. You do not have to do the full job of growing and maturing this person; leaders on other nonprofit boards or volunteers can also influence the individual from a different perspective. If this person is a leader in your community, recommend them for additional boards and move them up in stature as you go.
Personal and life growth: Finally, we care for our people. We want to know what’s going on in their lives and how we can come alongside them and support their life goals. Perhaps it's purchasing a house, getting married, raising a family, or going on an international trip. We don’t have to be their best friend, but we want to show them that we understand the good stuff of life and help them get there. I remember one person wanted to eventually purchase their own house. It was great that they shared that with me because it gave me even more reason to give them a raise each of the following years so that they could purchase their home.

The Leadership Growth Lattice is about having a structured conversation. Sometimes we are asked to “manage by walking around” or host a Happy Hour with our staff or have one-on-ones with our staff. What exactly does that look like and how do you have meaningful, yet professional conversations? The Lattice is a great way to check in on 5 or 6 areas that you know the person is passionate about.

Case Study: LinkedIn
As LinkedIn rapidly grew following its acquisition by Microsoft, it faced challenges in retaining top talent and ensuring employee engagement in a fast-evolving digital environment. While traditional career paths focused on upward mobility, LinkedIn realized that employees wanted a more holistic approach to growth—one that encompassed not just promotions but also skill development, internal collaboration, mentorship, outside interests, and personal life goals.

Leadership recognized the need for a growth lattice-type model of development, where employees could explore lateral moves, new projects, and personal growth opportunities that aligned with their life goals.

LinkedIn introduced this strategy to foster a culture of continuous learning and holistic employee development. This approach emphasized the following components:

Skill Development: LinkedIn rolled out LinkedIn Learning, an internal learning platform offering a vast array of courses in technology, leadership, and personal development. Employees could take courses to upskill themselves, expand their expertise, or explore new fields of interest, ensuring they could grow in multiple directions.
Internal Team Memberships: Employees were encouraged to join cross-functional teams and work on projects outside their usual roles. This created opportunities to explore different areas of the business, gain new experiences, and make lateral moves within the company, fostering a flexible approach to career growth.
Mentorship Programs: LinkedIn launched a formal mentorship program where employees were paired with leaders in different departments. This helped employees build relationships, learn from senior leaders, and gain insights on career progression. The mentorship structure was designed to support both career guidance and personal development.
Outside Volunteerism: To encourage employees to align their work with personal values, LinkedIn supported outside volunteer work. Employees were given time to volunteer for causes they cared about, promoting a sense of purpose and allowing them to develop skills outside the workplace.
Life Goals: Leadership encourages employees to discuss their personal goals during performance reviews. This enabled employees to align their professional development with broader life aspirations, such as pursuing advanced education, work-life balance, or passion projects.

LinkedIn’s approach led to a significant rise in employee engagement. By allowing lateral career moves and skill development, employees became more invested in their personal and professional growth.

This flexibility encouraged employees to stay with the company longer, as they saw continuous opportunities for development. In particular, high-potential talent was more likely to remain, reducing turnover.

Additionally, LinkedIn’s focus on mentorship and cross-functional teams expanded the leadership pipeline, preparing employees for leadership roles across various departments.

This Leadership Growth Lattice approach helped build a stronger organizational culture that valued learning, flexibility, and collaboration. Employees felt empowered to pursue new skills and internal opportunities, fueling innovation and team synergy.

Cross-functional projects infused fresh ideas, contributing to product innovations. By aligning professional development with personal goals and volunteerism, LinkedIn supported work-life balance and purpose. This holistic approach not only made LinkedIn a top employer but also enhanced long-term organizational success and adaptability in a fast-growing industry.