A Compass for Leaders

When a senior associate left the firm, the busy practice group leader moved swiftly. Files had to be reassigned, and quickly. The next morning, John, an associate in the group, opened his inbox to find seven new matters had been dropped onto his desk without warning.

At first, he froze. Then came a wave of anxiety: the tightening in his stomach, and the mental calculation of how to stretch his already packed schedule.

What unsettled him most wasn’t the extra work; it was how it was handled. The partner didn’t reach out to give him a heads-up or to ask about his capacity. There was no conversation about it at all. Instead, there were just the transferred files, and the expectation that he would get on with it.

By lunch, John found himself venting to a colleague: “I’m overwhelmed, and I don’t feel like there is anyone who cares.” The spark he had felt for his work was dimming. His sense of motivation was slipping away.

Circumstance vs. Leadership

Here’s the point too many leaders miss: the circumstances themselves are rarely the defining factor. Associates will leave. Workloads will shift. Demands will rise and fall. What makes the difference is how partners lead their people through challenge.

Imagine if the partner had paused before hitting “send” on that email. Instead of quietly reassigning files, they could have gathered the group together to acknowledge the associate’s departure and discuss the path forward.

The team could have looked at the list of files together. Associates could have been invited to voice their current workloads, their interests, and what they felt capable of taking on. The partner could have guided the conversation to balance fairness, provide clarity on expectations, and acknowledge the additional effort being asked of everyone.

Would the workload have been lighter? No. The facts would be the same: more files, fewer hands. But the meaning of those facts would be transformed. Instead of feeling dumped on, John might have walked out of that room thinking, “This is tough, but we’re in it together. I’m trusted. I’m respected. I’m part of this team.”

A transition like this can be experienced as unfair, isolating, and demotivating or as a chance for recognition, clarity, and team connection. The choice is real, and it rests squarely in the hands of the leader.

I encourage leaders to keep a simple compass in mind when handling difficult moments: five factors that spiral motivation up or down. Respect and recognition. Control and ownership. Certainty and clarity. Fairness. Connection and belonging.

A Compass for Leaders

Think of these not as a checklist to be ticked off, but as a set of bearings — guideposts that help you orient yourself in challenging conversations and decisions.

Respect and Recognition. At the core, people want to know they are seen and valued. Even when the news is hard, a workload increase, a change in role, acknowledgment can make the difference between deflation and motivation. John needed the partner to respect him enough to take the time to talk through the situation. Hearing his contributions mattered and that the firm trusted him to take on new challenges would have been encouraging.

Control and Ownership. Motivation thrives when people have a say in their work. It doesn’t mean leaders abdicate decision-making, but offering choice, consultation, or even small degrees of autonomy helps people feel invested in the process. Without it, people feel powerless. In John’s case, having a chance to weigh in on which matters he could take on, or how best to balance them, might have turned the experience from depleting to empowering.

Certainty and Clarity. Ambiguity is exhausting. When expectations, timelines, or reasons for decisions are unclear, stress rises. Leaders can alleviate this stress by providing transparency and clear direction. Even a short conversation that outlines why the files need to be reassigned, what the priorities are, and where support is available can replace uncertainty with steadiness.

Fairness. When the process for allocating work feels arbitrary or hidden, people quickly assume the worst. By being open about the “why” behind decisions and ensuring the workload is distributed thoughtfully, leaders can preserve a sense of justice and equity. Without it, resentment builds fast. With the absence of communication from the leader, John was left wondering if his pile was heavier than others’.

Connection and Belonging. Positive relationships in the workplace with both colleagues and leaders are a powerful motivator. Being part of a team that has each other’s backs boosts resilience. Leaders who bring people together, acknowledge shared challenges, and encourage collaboration foster a sense of belonging among their team members. When they don’t, individuals feel isolated and disconnected. A big part of John’s discouragement was from a sense of being left on his own without support.

Every Leadership Moment Counts

What I want leaders to see is this: motivation is not about generational quirks or personality types. It is a facet of our humanity. When people are respected, included, treated fairly, given clarity, supported and trusted, they thrive; when they are dismissed, left out, or sidelined, their energy wanes.

That is the power of this compass. When leaders take shortcuts and skip investing time and energy in these factors, they risk demotivating their team. When they take the time to lead with them, they boost engagement, trust, and resilience.

It is tempting, in busy practices, to see moments like file transfers as administrative details. But they are not. They are leadership moments, with consequences that ripple far beyond a single assignment. Each one either reinforces engagement or erodes it.

Here’s something to try: The next time you face a challenge, whether it’s reassigning files or delivering feedback, ask yourself: Am I navigating by the compass? If the answer is yes, you will not only handle the situation, but you will also strengthen the motivation, engagement, and resilience of your team.