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The Best Tools for People Managers in 2024
7 min read
Published: Jan 10, 2023
Revised on: May 29, 2024
Here’s our curated shortlist and our reasons for liking each company; please click into each company to get more details:
- ClickUp
- Flexible and customizable features allow users to tailor ClickUp to their specific needs and workflows.
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and manage tasks and projects.
- Robust collaboration tools like comments, chat, and assign mentions facilitate team communication and coordination.
- Multiple task views like list, board, Gantt chart provide flexibility to organize tasks.
- Integration with common tools like Google Drive, Slack improves workflows.
- Deel
- Easy to use platform with an intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned how user-friendly Deel's platform is.
- Good customer support. Numerous reviews praised Deel's customer service for being responsive, knowledgeable, and helpful.
- Flexible payout options. Reviews liked the variety of payout methods offered by Deel, from bank transfers to PayPal and crypto.
- Simplifies international hiring and payments. Deel makes it easy to hire and pay contractors globally by handling compliance and paperwork.
- Offers features like advances. The ability to get advance payments on earnings was called out as a useful feature.
- Monday.com
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviewers mentioned how user-friendly Monday.com is.
- Visual project management. Reviewers liked the ability to visualize workflows and track progress through boards and timelines.
- Enhanced team collaboration. Monday.com facilitates task assignment, communication, and real-time updates to improve collaboration.
- Customizable boards and workflows. Users appreciated the ability to fully customize boards and automations to match their needs.
- Centralized hub. Storing all project information and files in one centralized place made managing projects easier.
- Assembly
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned Assembly is simple, easy to navigate, and user-friendly.
- Good customer support. Reviews mentioned Assembly's support team is responsive in resolving issues.
- Rewards redemption process is smooth. Users liked the gift card and other reward options that can be redeemed with points.
- Integrates well with Slack and Microsoft Teams. The integration makes giving recognition quick and seamless.
- Good for employee recognition and engagement. Reviews highlighted Assembly's peer-to-peer recognition features that help boost employee morale.
- Lattice
- Easy to use interface and intuitive navigation. Many reviews mentioned that Lattice has a user-friendly interface that makes it simple to find features and navigate the platform.
- Effective performance management system. Reviews highlighted that Lattice streamlines the performance review process through customizable templates, continuous feedback features, and automated workflows.
- Robust goal setting and tracking features. Reviews noted the ability to easily set, track, and update goals at the individual, team, and company level as a major benefit.
- Integration with other tools like Slack. Reviews praised the integrations Lattice offers to platforms like Slack to enable easier sharing and communication.
- Useful reporting and analytics. Reviews mentioned the ability to pull reports and gain insights into performance metrics as a valuable capability.
Managing people can be challenging. You are always looking for the best ways to achieve goals while working smart. You also constantly have to find new ways of motivating your employees. With each new day, there's a new challenge to overcome.
The post-pandemic workplace has had a major shift and businesses are adopting people management software solutions to manage their human resources and employee performance more effectively. While certain qualities make good managers, people management tools help managers breathe. Employees can focus on doing their best work.
Some people management tools are industry-specific, but the best tools are adaptable in different use cases.
What Does People Management Look Like?
People management encompasses a range of activities and responsibilities aimed at optimizing the performance, development, and well-being of employees within an organization. Effective people management involves several key components:
Recruitment and Onboarding:
- Identifying talent needs and creating job descriptions.
- Sourcing and interviewing candidates.
- Welcoming new hires and facilitating their integration into the company culture.
Training and Development:
- Assessing skills gaps and providing training programs.
- Encouraging continuous learning and professional growth.
- Offering mentorship and career development opportunities.
Performance Management:
- Setting clear performance expectations and goals.
- Conducting regular performance reviews and providing constructive feedback.
- Recognizing and rewarding high performance.
Communication:
- Maintaining open lines of communication between management and staff.
- Encouraging feedback and addressing concerns promptly.
- Facilitating team meetings and collaborative discussions.
Employee Engagement:
- Fostering a positive work environment and company culture.
- Promoting work-life balance and employee well-being initiatives.
- Encouraging participation in decision-making processes.
Conflict Resolution:
- Addressing and mediating conflicts or disputes among employees.
- Ensuring fair and impartial resolution processes.
- Promoting a respectful and inclusive workplace.
Diversity and Inclusion:
- Implementing policies that support diversity and inclusion.
- Encouraging a culture that values and respects differences.
- Providing training on unconscious bias and cultural competency.
Compensation and Benefits:
- Designing competitive compensation packages.
- Managing benefits programs and ensuring employees understand them.
- Reviewing and adjusting pay structures to remain competitive.
Legal and Ethical Compliance:
- Ensuring adherence to labor laws and regulations.
- Implementing policies that promote ethical behavior.
- Handling sensitive information and situations with confidentiality and integrity.
Succession Planning:
- Identifying and preparing future leaders within the organization.
- Ensuring continuity of key roles through strategic development.
- Creating pathways for career progression.
Effective people management is dynamic and adaptive, requiring a balance between achieving organizational goals and supporting individual employee needs. It involves a combination of strategic planning, emotional intelligence, and strong communication skills to build a motivated, productive, and satisfied workforce.
Who Can Use People Management Tools?
If you oversee employee growth and deliverables within and outside of human resources, people management tools can be useful for you.
These tools will also be helpful if you manage employee growth and deliverables within and outside of human resources. This includes technical and business managers, project managers, portfolio officers, product owners, team leads, and heads of divisions at different tiers of private and public companies, including nonprofits and governments.
Tools for people managers can also be used in recruitment management, training talent, setting personal and team objectives, creating performance appraisals, implementing reward systems, etc. with these three basic functions:
- Human resources, which involves managing personnel information
- Workforce management - including timekeeping, time off, and absence management
- Management of talent/skills from recruitment to onboarding, performance, learning, development, and career development
What Are the Best Tools for People Managers?
Effective people management involves a combination of skills, processes, and tools to ensure employee productivity, engagement, and development. Selecting the best tools for your specific needs will depend on your organization's size, industry, budget, and desired features. It's important to evaluate each tool's capabilities, user-friendliness, integration capabilities, and customer support to ensure a good fit for your team and organizational requirements.
What Is the Best People Management Tool for You?
The best tools for people managers are the ones that cater to their needs at the workplace. It is crucial to weigh the most important factors for your organization before committing to a people management system you will likely use for a long time. There’s no one-size-fits-all tool. However, some tools may overlap in function.
Consider these criteria before choosing a people management platform:
- Determine a budget for a plan flexible enough to accommodate new users.
- Set out 2-3 immediate problems your organization needs a PMS to resolve.
- Consider your organization’s size. Some people management tools are better suited to small, nimble teams, while others work very well with multinational teams.
- The UI interface and the experience of using the product should be clean and easy. It should also be easy to onboard new employees to the system.
- Consider whether the product requires multiple permissions from several members of the team or it can be used autonomously.
- End users should be able to give and receive feedback in real-time.
- The tool must allow users to generate data-rich, relevant reports.
- The tool you choose should be able to integrate with third-party applications for a seamless experience.
Top People Management Tools
There are hundreds of platforms and software for driving organizational improvement. We’ve researched for you and narrowed it down to these top people management tools in the market today.
The tools on this list are evaluated based on their features, pricing, and pros and cons for better-informed decision-making.
Pricing
$7.00 per user/month
- Free version
- No Seat Minimum
ClickUp is an all-in-one people management tool designed for teams of any size, providing intuitive tools to centralize collaborative work and eliminate miscommunication. ClickUp’s extensive feature set also includes AI capabilities for generating summaries and action items, real-time editing and collaboration tools, and comprehensive task and schedule management.
Features:
- ClickUp Docs: Teams can make and manage a central repository of training materials, SOPs, guidelines, and other knowledge documents. Documents can be linked to tasks for quick access and categorized based on internal access rules.
- Prebuilt Templates: ClickUp offers numerous templates to streamline processes such as onboarding, employee development, and engagement. Examples include the Onboarding Checklist, 30-60-90-Day Plan, Employee Development Plan, Training Matrix, and Employee Engagement Survey templates.
- Process Automations and Dashboards: Automate mundane tasks like changing employee statuses or responding to job application emails. Customize Dashboards to track real-time performance, review workloads, and optimize schedules, enhancing overall productivity and efficiency.
Integrations:
- Slack
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Webhooks
- HubSpot
- Everhour
- Toggl
- Harvest
- Google Drive
- OneDrive
- Dropbox
- Microsoft Teams
- Zendesk
Availability:
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
Pros
- Flexible and customizable features allow users to tailor ClickUp to their specific needs and workflows.
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and manage tasks and projects.
- Robust collaboration tools like comments, chat, and assign mentions facilitate team communication and coordination.
- Multiple task views like list, board, Gantt chart provide flexibility to organize tasks.
- Integration with common tools like Google Drive, Slack improves workflows.
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to overwhelm from number of features and configuration options.
- Occasional bugs, glitches and performance issues hamper user experience.
- Mobile app lacks some functionality compared to web/desktop.
- Limitations of free version like number of tasks, features restricted.
- Difficulty finding specific help documentation among extensive support content.
2
Deel
Pricing
Contact sales for pricing
Deel is a global people management platform that specializes in payroll software. Deel allows organizations to hire and manage full-time employees from anywhere in the world. This tool stands out for allowing companies to manage both contractors and employees.
Features:
- Deel is available in over 150 countries across 4 continents, making it ideal for global teams
- Get a full demo here
Integrations:
- Slack
- Quickbooks
- Netsuite
Availability:
- Cloud
- Web-based
Pros
- Easy to use platform with an intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned how user-friendly Deel's platform is.
- Good customer support. Numerous reviews praised Deel's customer service for being responsive, knowledgeable, and helpful.
- Flexible payout options. Reviews liked the variety of payout methods offered by Deel, from bank transfers to PayPal and crypto.
- Simplifies international hiring and payments. Deel makes it easy to hire and pay contractors globally by handling compliance and paperwork.
- Offers features like advances. The ability to get advance payments on earnings was called out as a useful feature.
Cons
- Expensive, high fees. The most common complaint was that Deel's fees were too high, especially for larger teams.
- Issues with transfers and payments. Some reviews cited problems with transfers getting lost or delayed.
- Limited customization and flexibility. Deel provides standardized contracts and processes which some found inflexible.
- Buggy interface and tech issues. Bugs and glitches with the platform were called out as annoyances.
- Lack of local knowledge and expertise. Reviews mentioned Deel lacking expertise on local laws and regulations in some countries.
Pricing
$8.00 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
Mondays may not be the most popular day of the week, but Monday.com has flipped that on its head with this helpful people management tool. Apart from the core Monday.com work management platform, organizations can buy into one of their suite of products:
Features:
- Task management: Assign tasks to people, groups, or teams, and prioritize and track completed tasks on the platform.
- Time tracking: Employees can check in and check out of work, and track billable hours and time spent on projects.
- Customizable reporting dashboards: Generate actionable insights from logged employee and performance data.
- Team management: Keep a handy activity log of team activities for transparency and motivation. Teams can also view shared schedules on a shared calendar.
- Formula integrations: Users can create and work with formulas on monday.com
Integrations:
- Outlook
- Microsoft Teams
- Dropbox
- Slack
- Zoom
- Zapier
Availability:
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviewers mentioned how user-friendly Monday.com is.
- Visual project management. Reviewers liked the ability to visualize workflows and track progress through boards and timelines.
- Enhanced team collaboration. Monday.com facilitates task assignment, communication, and real-time updates to improve collaboration.
- Customizable boards and workflows. Users appreciated the ability to fully customize boards and automations to match their needs.
- Centralized hub. Storing all project information and files in one centralized place made managing projects easier.
Cons
- Steep learning curve. Some reviewers found the initial setup and learning process time-consuming and complex.
- Limitations of free plan. Key features like automations are only available on paid plans.
- Integration issues. Some users faced challenges integrating Monday.com with other tools they use.
- Slow performance. A few reviewers complained about occasional lagging or platform slowness with heavy usage.
- Price. Monday.com's pricing model makes it cost prohibitive for larger teams to use all features.
4
Assembly
Pricing
$2.80 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 1 User
Assembly is an efficient employee management tool with rave reviews from users across different industries. Two major offerings include: Assembly really nails the ‘people’ part of people management systems, with features that stay focused on the end users
Features:
Integrations:
- Microsoft Teams
- Office 365
- Bamboo HR
- Namely
- SharePoint
- Workday
- SuccessFactors
- Paychex
- Slack
Availability:
- Web
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned Assembly is simple, easy to navigate, and user-friendly.
- Good customer support. Reviews mentioned Assembly's support team is responsive in resolving issues.
- Rewards redemption process is smooth. Users liked the gift card and other reward options that can be redeemed with points.
- Integrates well with Slack and Microsoft Teams. The integration makes giving recognition quick and seamless.
- Good for employee recognition and engagement. Reviews highlighted Assembly's peer-to-peer recognition features that help boost employee morale.
Cons
- Limitations in analytics and reporting features. Some reviews wanted more detailed analytics and user statistics.
- Creating flows and automations can be tricky. Reviews noted workflows and automations are sometimes hard to setup.
- Limited customization options for recognitions. Users wanted more ways to customize recognitions with images/GIFs.
- Lack of mobile apps earlier on. Reviews mentioned lack of mobile apps made it hard to use when not by a computer.
- Confusion due to branding changes. Reviews noted frequent name changes of the reward units was confusing initially.
5
Lattice
Pricing
$11.00 per user/month
- No Seat Minimum
Lattice's people management tool revolutionizes HR operations with its AI-powered platform designed to streamline processes and enhance productivity. Trusted by over 5,000 organizations, Lattice empowers HR professionals to lead effective teams while prioritizing employee well-being and growth.
Features:
- Performance Management: Lattice helps identify top talent and equips employees to succeed in their roles by providing continuous performance feedback, goal tracking, and one-on-one meeting facilitation.
- Compensation: The platform links compensation directly to performance, making it easy to reward top performers equitably and fairly.
- HRIS Integration: Lattice connects high-impact talent programs to a comprehensive employee record, ensuring seamless HR operations and complete data visibility.
Integrations:
- Zenefits
- UKG
- Workday
- TriNet
- Slack
- Okta
- SFTP Integrations
- Salesforce
- Outlook Email + Calendar
- OneLogin
- Personio
- Jira
- Namely
- ADP
- Microsoft Teams
- Jumpcloud
- Microsoft Azure
- Humaans
- BambooHR
- Gusto
- G Suite
Availability:
- iOS
- Android
- Web
Pros
- Easy to use interface and intuitive navigation. Many reviews mentioned that Lattice has a user-friendly interface that makes it simple to find features and navigate the platform.
- Effective performance management system. Reviews highlighted that Lattice streamlines the performance review process through customizable templates, continuous feedback features, and automated workflows.
- Robust goal setting and tracking features. Reviews noted the ability to easily set, track, and update goals at the individual, team, and company level as a major benefit.
- Integration with other tools like Slack. Reviews praised the integrations Lattice offers to platforms like Slack to enable easier sharing and communication.
- Useful reporting and analytics. Reviews mentioned the ability to pull reports and gain insights into performance metrics as a valuable capability.
Cons
- Steep learning curve for some features. Some reviews noted that certain advanced functionality like setting up OKRs can have a difficult learning curve.
- Mobile experience needs improvement. The mobile app experience was called out in reviews as an area for improvement.
- Dashboard/homepage not intuitive. The homepage and dashboard views were mentioned as sometimes being confusing to navigate and cluttered.
- Not enough customization in review templates. Some reviews wanted more ability to customize performance review templates.
- Data formatting issues in reporting. Reviews pointed out occasional formatting errors when pulling reports from the platform.
6
Leapsome
Pricing
Contact sales for pricing
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 10 Users
Leapsome is an HR platform designed for people and manager enablement, offering a comprehensive suite of tools to enhance performance reviews, goal setting, learning, and employee engagement. They provide a solution for the modern workplace so that teams are supported and aligned with company goals.
Leapsome ensures that your HR needs are met within a single, user-friendly platform, making it an indispensable asset for any modern organization aiming to cultivate a thriving work culture.
Features:
- Performance Management: Leapsome simplifies performance reviews with customizable templates and automated workflows, allowing managers to provide timely and constructive feedback, ultimately driving team effectiveness and employee satisfaction.
- Employee Engagement: The platform includes robust engagement tools such as pulse surveys and feedback mechanisms that enable organizations to regularly check in on their teams' well-being, fostering a culture of open communication and continuous improvement.
- Learning and Development: Leapsome offers personalized learning paths and training modules that deliver relevant content to employees based on their roles and career aspirations, promoting ongoing professional growth and skill development.
Integrations:
- HRIS
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
- Jira
- TriNet
- UKG
- ADP
- BambooHR
- Charthop
- Gusto
- Deel
- Paychex
Availability:
- Web
Pros
- Easy to use interface and intuitive design. Many reviews highlighted the user-friendly nature of Leapsome.
- Useful performance management features like goal setting, feedback, reviews. Reviews mentioned Leapsome helps track goals and get feedback.
- Improved transparency and alignment through OKRs and feedback. Reviews noted increased transparency across teams.
- Time savings compared to manual processes. Some reviews said it reduced time spent on administrative HR tasks.
- Engagement surveys and feedback help improve company culture. Reviews mentioned it helps reinforce company values.
Cons
- Steep learning curve initially. Some reviews said it took time to learn how to use all the features.
- Confusing navigation/UI. A few reviews pointed out it can be hard to find certain features or navigate menus.
- Limited customization options. Some reviews wanted more ability to customize certain features.
- Integration limitations. A couple reviews mentioned limitations integrating with other tools.
- Features not utilized fully. A few reviews noted teams don't use all available features.
7
Eddy
Pricing
$6.00 per user/month
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
Eddy is a suite of products for managing recruitment, onboarding, and employee payroll, among other people management functions. It simplifies hiring and managing employees for small businesses and startups.
Features:
- Payroll management: Create employee payroll records, track their benefits, and manage payments
- People management: Keep up with important employee information and documentation for future reference
- Recruitment: Organizations can post job openings across job boards and manage applicants with the inbuilt Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Integrations:
- Glassdoor
- Indeed
Availability:
- Cloud-based web
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned Eddy is simple to navigate and easy for employees to use.
- Good value/affordable pricing. Multiple reviews liked that Eddy provides a lot of functionality for the price.
- Helpful customer support. Reviews praised Eddy's customer service for being responsive, friendly, and willing to customize the software.
- Streamlined hiring/recruiting. Eddy makes it easier to post jobs, track applicants, and move candidates through the hiring pipeline.
- Centralized HR information. Reviews liked having employee data, documents, time-off, etc. all in one place.
Cons
- Limited customization/personalization. Some reviews wanted more ability to customize Eddy to their specific needs.
- Missing some key features. Reviews mentioned lacking scheduling, messaging, and full payroll integration.
- Reporting capabilities need improvement. Reviews said Eddy's reports could be expanded and customized.
- Still new/developing product. As a newer HR software, some features are still in development.
- Lacks some HRIS/HRMS robustness. Reviews noted Eddy may not suit larger companies needing advanced capabilities.
8
15Five
Pricing
$4.00 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 1 User
The people at 15Five describe their product as a ‘holistic performance and engagement solution’. 15Five’s platform allows managers to boost engagement, motivate their teams, track progress, identify areas for support and give quick feedback.
Features:
- Continuous Feedback: Employees get high-fives and recognition as they complete tasks, and managers can review and send feedback. Employees can also initiate feedback and check conversations by prompting their managers
- Customizable Templates: Create engagement surveys, question queues, and review points from customizable templates
- Action Management: Manage and track tasks and projects with easy-to-follow actions
Integrations:
- Workday
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
Availability:
- Web
- Android
- iOS
Pros
- Improves communication between employees and managers through weekly check-ins. Allows for timely feedback and discussions.
- Easy to use interface and setup. Intuitive for both employees and managers.
- Provides visibility into team and individual goals and objectives. Allows tracking progress over time.
- Facilitates employee recognition through features like High Fives. Boosts morale.
- Centralizes performance management and reviews. Provides useful records and insights.
Cons
- Can feel repetitive answering the same questions every week. Questions get stale over time.
- Not all employees like documenting work and giving constant feedback. Can feel like micromanaging.
- Pricing can be high for large teams. Expensive for big organizations.
- Lack of advanced custom reporting and analytics features. More metrics would be useful.
- Mobile app capabilities are limited compared to desktop. Missing some features.
9
Trakstar
Pricing
Contact sales for pricing
Trakstar is a suite of employee engagement and performance management features for agile teams. Trakstar focuses on optimizing employee performance through continuous engagement and tracking.
Features:
- Employee management: Streamline your team’s experience with clear onboarding instructions and organizational processes. And have a succession management system for onboarding new talent
- Employee reviews: Give reviews on tasks and general performance, and receive reviews from members of the team
- Performance tracking: Keep track of team member performance on KPIs with a custom rating scale tailored to your team’s goals
Integrations:
- MS Office
- G Suite
Availability:
- Windows OS
- Android
- iOS
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface for employees and managers. Many reviewers highlighted the user-friendly nature of the software.
- Customizable features to align with an organization's specific performance review process and needs. Reviewers appreciated the ability to customize competencies, ratings, goals, etc.
- Great customer support that is responsive and helpful. Multiple reviewers praised the customer service team.
- Ability to track goals and progress throughout the year. Reviewers liked the ongoing notes and updates instead of just an annual review.
- Cost effective compared to similar solutions. Several reviews mentioned Trakstar being more affordable than competitors.
Cons
- Limited customizability in certain areas like reports, grading scales, workflows. Some reviewers wanted more control and custom options.
- Buggy at times, with some features not working properly. A few reviewers cited technical issues.
- Unintuitive administrative functions like 360 reviews. The admin side seems more confusing than the employee side per some reviews.
- Missing some key features like succession planning, PIPs, etc. A couple reviews pointed out lack of certain HR features.
- Slow page loading times and response from support at peak periods. A couple reviews cited performance lags.
10
Workday
Pricing
Contact sales for pricing
Workday HCM is a human resources management system with a variety of HR features. Workday’s most popular reviews are that it makes documenting employee processes and benefits easier.
Features:
- Performance Tracking: See employee tasks and deliverables in real-time, assign tasks and view the dashboard to see trends in team performance
- Personnel Reports: Managers can generate reports on their teams or specific tasks and projects
- Time Tracking: Manage your employees’ clocking in, task timing, and other timekeeping
Integrations:
- Paycom
- Concur
Availability:
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Pros
- User-friendly interface and easy to navigate. Many reviews praised how intuitive and easy to use Workday HCM is.
- Integrated system with many HR functions in one place like payroll, benefits, performance management, etc. This consolidation is seen as a major advantage.
- Strong analytics and reporting capabilities provide valuable insights into workforce data.
- Customizable to meet the specific needs of different organizations. Workday allows for custom business processes.
- Cloud-based system provides accessibility from anywhere with an internet connection.
Cons
- Expensive, especially for smaller organizations. The licensing and implementation costs are seen as high.
- Complex to implement and configure. It requires careful planning and setup.
- Steep learning curve, especially for users who are not tech-savvy. Extensive training is often required.
- Lack of flexibility/customization unless you pay for it. Many features need to be purchased separately.
- Technical issues like slow performance, bugs, and glitches. Some reviews mentioned frustrations with technical problems.
Conclusion
Navigating the dynamic landscape of people management requires leveraging efficient and intuitive tools that streamline processes, enhance communication, and foster productivity. Our comprehensive list of best tools for people managers underscores the importance of selecting platforms that align with the unique needs and goals of an organization and its workforce. From project management and team collaboration to performance evaluation and employee engagement, these tools offer a diverse array of features aimed at optimizing managerial functions and ultimately contributing to a thriving and cohesive work environment. By harnessing the power of these tools, people managers can significantly elevate their capabilities, enabling them to effectively lead and nurture their teams toward success and growth.
