When Bosses And Teams Don’t Align… Leadership Development Stages Reveal Why!

Leadership Skills

Have you ever wondered why your boss or a teammate approaches things so differently than you do? You’re not alone! William Torbert’s Action Logics sheds light on this puzzle, offering a fascinating view of how leaders interpret and respond to their experiences. Each Action Logic represents a developmental stage that shapes how leaders make sense of the world and approach leadership. Understanding this framework (and other adult development frameworks) can be a powerful tool for self-awareness and empathy, especially when collaborating with colleagues or bosses who might be several stages removed from your own perspective.

It’s essential to remember that these stages aren’t just a straight line. Like anything in horizontal and vertical development, growth unfolds in layers. As we evolve into new stages, we don’t leave the previous ones behind; we integrate the insights and strengths from each one. This understanding not only helps us appreciate the diverse perspectives of our colleagues but also enhances our ability to work together, no matter where we are in our individual developmental journeys.

In this article, we’ll explore practical strategies for engaging effectively with leaders and colleagues at each stage of Torbert’s Action Logics, while also recognizing the inherent challenges that come with these developmental differences.

1 — Opportunist Stage

Imagine a leader who’s all about personal gain and quick wins -that’s the Opportunist stage. Leaders here often see colleagues as competitors and may act impulsively. It can be tough to work with someone who has such a self-centered approach, especially if you’re further along in your development. Their reactive and self-centered approach may clash with your broader, more inclusive perspective, making collaboration feel transactional and one-sided.

Leona Helmsley was a hotel magnate known as the “Queen of Mean” whose leadership style often prioritized her interests and desires over her employees and customers. Her infamous quote, “Only the little people pay taxes,” reflects a mindset focused on self-interest.

It’s not enough that I succeed; everyone else must fail.

GenGHIS KHAN

Former Khagan of the Mongol Empire

Tips For Working With An Opportunist:

• Set Clear Boundaries: Create structured environments with clear, transparent expectations to help keep impulsive tendencies in check. 
• Focus On Mutual Benefits: Frame goals in a way that aligns personal gain with collective success, encouraging collaboration. 
• Introduce Accountability: Implement systems that require transparency and responsibility, which can help limit manipulative behaviors. 
• Use Data-Based Feedback: Provide feedback focused on tangible outcomes rather than personal criticism to reduce defensiveness.

2 — Diplomat Stage

Now, let’s talk about Diplomats. These leaders prioritize harmony and often go out of their way to avoid conflict. They like to keep everyone happy and may resist challenging the status quo. If you find yourself several stages beyond the Diplomat, working with someone who avoids conflict can feel frustrating. Their reluctance to rock the boat can feel like a barrier to meaningful progress.

Gerald Ford is a great example of this stage. He focused on creating stability during the Watergate scandal, choosing a non-confrontational approach despite personal criticism.

Peace is not absence of conflict; it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.

RONALD REAGAN

40th U.S. President

Tips For Working With A Diplomat:

• Foster Psychological Safety: Encourage open communication and create an environment where they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts without fear of conflict. 
• Provide Clear Roles: Clearly define expectations to help them feel more secure in taking a stand. 
• Encourage Risk-Taking: Offer opportunities for small, calculated risks, and celebrate their successes to build confidence. 
• Promote Assertiveness Training: Provide development opportunities focused on conflict resolution and assertiveness to help them navigate disagreements constructively.

3 — Expert Stage

Next up, we have the Experts. These leaders place a high value on technical skills and expertise. They can be detail-oriented and perfectionistic, often relying heavily on their own abilities. If you’re at a more advanced stage, working with someone who’s highly specialized can sometimes feel limiting. Their perfectionism can slow down progress and reduce opportunities for collaborative leadership.

Bill Gates, particularly in Microsoft’s early years, represented the Expert stage through his intense focus on technology and software development. His technical mastery helped propel Microsoft to success, though it required growth in leadership and delegation.

An expert is someone who knows some of the worst mistakes that can be made in his subject and how to avoid them.

WERNER HEISENBERG

German physicist

Tips For Working With An Expert:

• Acknowledge Their Expertise: Recognize their technical skills and involve them in relevant problem-solving that requires their specific knowledge.
• Promote Cross-Functional Work: Encourage collaboration across departments to broaden their perspective and help them see the value of teamwork. 
• Provide Delegation Support: Offer training on leadership and delegation to help them expand their influence. 
• Use 360-Degree Feedback: Provide comprehensive feedback from various sources to identify areas for growth.

4 — Achiever Stage

Achievers are goal-oriented and strategic thinkers. They’re all about effectiveness and results, balancing short-term objectives with long-term goals. But as you progress beyond this stage, their focus on metrics can sometimes feel a bit narrow. While effective, they might overlook the importance of systemic changes and broader human dynamics critical to long-term success.

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Meta (formerly Facebook), exemplifies the Achiever mindset, focusing on operational effectiveness and strategic planning that fueled Facebook’s immense growth.  

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.

ALBERT SCHWEITZER

German-French polymath

Tips For Working With An Achiever:

• Align With Goals: Show how your work contributes to their strategic objectives to foster collaboration.
• Provide Performance Feedback: Focus on results, but don’t shy away from addressing interpersonal dynamics and team processes. 
• Offer Leadership Opportunities: Encourage them to engage in high-level strategic projects that challenge their long-term planning capabilities. 
• Foster Team Relationships: Highlight the importance of team dynamics in achieving long-term success and help them see the value of collaboration.

5 — Individualist Stage

Individualists are the non-conformists of the group. They value personal growth and authenticity, often favoring creativity and innovation over traditional methods. If you’re at a more advanced stage, their emphasis on constant change can feel a bit destabilizing. While their innovative ideas can be invaluable, aligning them with organizational goals can be challenging.

Steve Jobs, particularly during his second tenure at Apple, exemplified the Individualist stage, where his focus on creativity and pushing boundaries led to groundbreaking products like the iPhone and iPad. 

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.

MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE

Philosopher

Tips For Working With An Individualist:

• Value Their Uniqueness: Encourage their creativity and welcome innovative solutions that challenge the status quo. 
• Offer Flexibility: Provide autonomy in their roles to accommodate their need for personal expression. 
• Assign Creative Projects: Engage them in tasks that require out-of-the-box thinking to showcase their individuality. 
• Encourage Mentorship: Pair them with mentors who appreciate personal growth to foster peer learning.

6 — Strategist Stage

Strategists think systematically and focus on long-term goals and sustainability. They excel in navigating complexity while integrating multiple perspectives. Working with someone at this stage can sometimes feel challenging, as their visionary thinking might seem difficult to connect with on a practical level. They can be perceived as being too focused on long-term goals, while day-to-day concerns might feel overlooked.

Jeff Bezos, exemplifies the Strategist stage, particularly in his later years at Amazon. His ability to see the big picture and drive long-term strategic growth while integrating multiple perspectives helped Amazon dominate the market.

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

PETER DRUCKER

Austrian-American consultant & educator

Tips For Working With A Strategist:

• Support Systemic Thinking: Engage in discussions about long-term goals and systemic challenges, aligning short-term actions with broader visions. 
• Facilitate Transformational Projects: Assign them to initiatives requiring deep, systemic change and strategic oversight. 
• Focus On Impact: Provide feedback emphasizing the long-term effects of their leadership. 
• Encourage Cross-Functional Collaboration: Involve them in interdisciplinary projects that value multiple perspectives.

7 — Alchemist Stage

Finally, we have the Alchemists—visionary leaders who excel at driving profound, systemic change. They integrate diverse perspectives and navigate paradoxes, focusing on long-term impact. However, collaborating with an Alchemist can sometimes feel a bit tricky, as their expansive vision might distract from the everyday details.

Nelson Mandela is a renowned example of an Alchemist leader, inspiring transformative change in South Africa while managing the complexities of reconciliation and systemic reform.

It always seems impossible until it’s done.

NELSON MANDELA

Activist & former President of South Africa

Tips For Working With An Alchemist:

• Embrace Their Vision: Support their transformative leadership by providing opportunities for impactful projects. 
• Create Platforms For Innovation: Give them the space to share their visionary ideas and implement systemic changes. 
• Celebrate Transformative Successes: Acknowledge and reward deep transformations and systemic changes, not just immediate results. 
• Encourage Mentorship: Utilize their skills as mentors to guide and inspire others within the organization.

When Bosses And Team Members Don’t Make Sense To Each Other 

So, how does all this play out in real life? As an executive coach, I often hear clients express frustration about their relationships with their bosses or direct reports. It’s not about one person being right or wrong; often, they simply see things differently. This disconnect usually comes from being at different developmental stages, leading to varying ways of thinking, communicating, and prioritizing.

For example, I had a client—a driven Achiever—who was frustrated with her boss. She described him as “overly detailed and impossible to please.” Her boss was operating from the Expert stage, valuing precision and expertise, while she was focused on achieving goals and moving the team forward. This disconnect made collaboration challenging; she found his perfectionism exhausting, while he felt she lacked thoroughness.

Here Are Some Strategies She Used To Approach The Situation:

UNDERSTAND THE STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

The first step is realizing that different developmental stages bring different perspectives. My client needed to see her boss’s emphasis on detail as part of his identity as an Expert. Once she reframed his behavior, she could approach the situation with more empathy and communicate her results in a way that addressed both her need for progress and his need for precision.

FIND COMMON GROUND

Identifying common ground between stages is crucial. We worked on helping her articulate how her focus on goals aligned with the larger objectives her boss valued. By connecting her results to technical excellence, she found a bridge between her Achiever mindset and his Expert orientation. This shift turned frustration into alignment, allowing them both to see how their approaches complemented each other.

COACHING AND MENTORING ACROSS STAGES

Engaging in coaching or mentoring relationships can also be a game-changer. If you’re ahead in your development, mentoring can guide those who are still growing. Conversely, if you’re at an earlier stage, seeking coaching can help you develop strategies to connect with colleagues or bosses. For instance, I’ve supported clients at the Diplomat stage who reported to Achievers pushing for more results-oriented leadership. In these cases, coaching helped the Diplomat become more assertive while encouraging the Achiever to appreciate the importance of harmony.

CREATE STRUCTURED FEEDBACK LOOPS

When working across stages, structured feedback is essential. People at different developmental stages might interpret feedback differently. For example, Experts may prefer data-driven feedback, while Individualists might value feedback that fosters personal growth and authenticity. Tailoring feedback loops to fit each person’s developmental stage helps prevent misunderstandings and fosters effective communication.

Navigating these developmental stages can feel overwhelming at times. But remember, each stage brings unique strengths. As we progress through these stages, we integrate lessons from our past, cultivating a more holistic and adaptable approach to leadership. By recognizing and leveraging these differences, we can enhance collaboration and achieve greater success together. Whether through empathy, coaching, or structured feedback, understanding the developmental journey of ourselves and others helps us build more harmonious and productive relationships in the workplace—no matter where we are in our own journey.

We’re supporting you with one-on-one coaching designed to help you build self-awareness and emotional intelligence, develop skills like communication and executive presence, and make strides towards the personal and professional goals you’ve set for yourself. Our approach is always tailored to meet your individual needs. Let’s chat.

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