How leaders can manage employees through an ‘ambition reset’

... but the past two years have prompted many people to ask, “Is my job really worth it?”

• Some have titled this era—one in which employees are unwilling to compromise personal interests for organizational gain—as the Age of Anti-Ambition.
• Whereas ambition used to be measured in promotions and salary raises, today it’s a marker of how much passion or personal pride employees bring to their roles.
• The pandemic prompted many of us to reconsider what matters most in life and how a career can contribute to overall well-being. Levels of ambition have changed accordingly.

• The rise and fall of ambition will have a significant impact on innovation.
• As change accelerates and increasingly complex issues emerge, great leaders will rise to the top of their organizations.
• Tomorrow's workplace is one of personalization driven by leaders who can keep broader business priorities on track while catering to individual needs. Likewise, promotions into leadership roles will need to come on different terms.
• Being able to identify how one's work contributes to something bigger makes it easier to roll out of bed with enough motivation to last through the day.