Expert-driven resources and intuitive tools designed to guide you through every turn, empowering you to make informed decisions and embrace change with confidence.
growth
upskilling for
Click the menu above to get started!
Menu
Register for Events
All Employees
Leaders of People
resource center
Inclusive Leadership
Leadership DNA
Who We Are
Empowered Teams
Working Together
Empower & Equip
Simplify & Innovate
Prioritize & Eliminate
Competing to Win
Decision-Making
moving with speed
Leading Day-to-Day
Leading Through Change
Leading at Prudential
Click here TO Discover How We're changing
Our vision, our purpose, and our cultural aspirations will always remain at the core of everything we do.
New leadership and management expectations will help senior leaders and managers demonstrate the behaviors we need to win.
How We Lead
A more nimble, flatter oraganization will enable us to make better, faster decisions using new methods of decision making.
How We Move with Speed
An interconnected business strategy with a focus on eliminating non-critical work and continuous improvement to enable growth.
How We Compete to Win
Empowered Teams enable businesses to respond to the market with greater speed and efficiency, leveraging the expertise of enterprise functions to accelerate growth.
How We Work Together
What MAKES US PRUDENTIAL
WE’RE CHANGING HOW WE OPERATE WHILE PRESERVING
Click each section to learn how we're changing to win. Then explore the corresponding resources in the main menu.
Close
Connected, interdependent enterprise strategy
WE'RE MOVING TO:
Disconnected strategies across businesses and functions
WE WENT FROM:
Specific leadership and business expectations for 4P and 5P leaders to which they can be held accountable Managers expected to play a coach/supervisor role; larger managerial spans
High-level leadership expectations lacking the specificity needed to hold leaders accountable Managers expected to play a player/coach role; smaller managerial spans
Faster, higher-quality decision-making with clear accountability Clarity on which types of decisions get escalated Flatter, more nimble org structure, with fewer decision-makers at the top
Slow decision-making with diffused accountability Too many decisions get escalated Layered, complicated org structure with too many decision-makers at the top
Prioritization of the highest value work; continuous reduction or elimination of work Shared tools to manage and measure outcomes that drive transparency and accountability Continuously improve, embracing change with urgency
Too many top priorities; too much work in the system Inconsistent/inadequate tools and behaviors to manage and measure outcomes across the enterprise Slow pace of change resulting in massive point-in-time change initiatives
Empowered business teams with embedded functional resources enabled by enterprise functional teams
CLOSE
Have questions?
enterpriselearning@prudential.com
take the tour
Click here to access Upskilling for Growth
Heads Up!
Our Upskilling for Growth content has moved to a new, secure home on Learning @ Pru. Please update your bookmarks and use the new link below going forward. The site looks and works the same - just safer and fully compliant!
Click the images on the right to learn more.
Access resources to help you prepare for and navigate changes.
CHANGE
leading through
Click here to learn more about what’s changing at Pru.
prudential growth content Hub
Are you a leader of people?
Leading through change for Leaders
Are you navigating a change?
Leading through change for all employees
Home
I am being asked to transfer some of my responsibilities.
Click the buttons below to view and download interactive PDFs. Each PDF will open in a new tab.
all employees
Scenario 1
Download PDF
I am feeling overwhelmed by the unknown.
Scenario 2
I am interested in support navigating my career.
Scenario 3
I am interested in support navigating my career
I am feeling overwhelmed by the unknown
I am being asked to transfer some of my responsibilities
Which of the scenarios below best describes changes you experienced?
Leading through change for
Which of the following situations below best describe recent changes impacting me?
How do the changes impact my role as a manager?
How do I talk to my team about what's changing at Pru?
I am leading a new team
I am new to leading others
New Manager Behaviors as Pru Pivots to Growth
The Shift in Management Behaviors
Talking About Market Competitiveness
Prudential's Growth Strategy Leader Toolkit
Five ways we are working together to drive Pru’s growth
Which of the following scenarios below best describe changes impacting you?
Leaders of people
I am leading an expanded team
I am looking for ways to ways to prioritize
GROWTH
New leader behaviors to drive
Our ability to grow will depend on the productivity of our teams. Whether teams are developing new products, interfacing with our customers, or supporting the experience of our employees, leaders of people will need to rely more on their teams for ideas, decision-making, and execution. Leading to fully leverage the expertise and capability of our talent will help enable our pivot toward growth.
to Shift Focus to Driving Growth
As we flatten the organization, many leaders will take on broader spans of control. Increasingly, leaders of people will need to focus less on doing the work themselves and more on getting the work done through others. Within broader spans, team members will be doing more varied and diverse work, requiring leaders to coach and support their teams in new ways.
to adapt to new team structures
Why will leaders of people need to adopt new behaviors as we pivot toward growth?
behaviors
The shift in management
PRIORITIZATION
Leveraging Expertise
Prioritization
eXPECTATION SETTING
EXPECTATION SETTING
Delegation
Problem-Solving
coaching
from: leaders focus on the details of how the work is being done
to: leaders enable team members to lead the work themselves
I need to show my team how the work gets done in order to deliver successful results.
Once I’ve established target outcomes, my team can determine how best to deliver successful results.
I need to know everything on my team’s to-do list so I can help prioritize what needs to get done.
My team can effectively prioritize what’s most important because they know what success looks like. Click here to learn more.
My team needs my expertise to move the work forward.
I will do the highest priority work myself and delegate discreet tasks and deliverables to my team members.
I will delegate high priority work across my team matching skills and expertise to the outcomes we aim to drive. Click here to learn more.
I need to approve each decision.
My team is empowered to make high-quality decisions quickly leveraging the ABCD and DARE frameworks. Click here to learn more.
All challenges gets escalated to me, and I am personally responsible for removing obstacles.
My team members can leverage each other’s experience and expertise to problem-solve and overcome challenges. Click here to learn more.
I need to ask tactical coaching questions to ensure my team knows what needs to get done, as well as when and how it should be completed.
How is priority 1 going this week? What can I do to help? Have you consulted XYZ about this? What are your next steps? When should we connect next to assess your progress?
I need to ask strategic coaching questions to help my team member identify what they believe needs to get done, how they think it should be completed, and what resources they need to do the job well. Click here to learn more.
What are your most pressing priorities? What about that would be the most important for us to discuss? What aspects of your approach do you have more or less confidence in? How will you leverage the team for support? What do you feel you need in order to be successful in achieving that?
Click the plus icons below to learn more.
What does this shift in management behaviors look like?
Everyday Coaching for Managers and What Does it Take to Be a Good Coach? - videos from our leaders about effective coaching.
Everyday Coaching Conversations and Everyday Coaching 2+2 Conversations - for quick tips on benefits, how to coach, what’s the process, and examples of questions to ask.
Everyday Coaching 201 resources – COMING SOON!
Everyday Coaching 101 training – self- paced course that provides an overview of Everyday Coaching and how we think about coaching at Prudential.
RESOURCES & TRAINING LINKS
What do you feel you need in order to be successful in achieving that?
How will you leverage the team for support?
What aspects of your approach do you have more or less confidence in?
What about that would be the most important for us to discuss?
What are your most pressing priorities?
EXAMPLES OF STRATEGIC COACHING QUESTIONS
I need to ask strategic coaching questions to help my team member identify what they believe needs to get done, how they think it should be completed, and what resources they need to do the job well.
Utilize the resources below to elevate your coaching skills.
It requires leaders to be curious; and asking open-ended questions to draw out thoughts, solutions, and actions.
Coaching equips team members with the tools they need to navigate challenges independently, fostering a sense of empowerment and autonomy.
Identify the problem or challenge.
Frame the challenge as an opportunity using “How might We…, so that…” statement.
Identify any constraints and insights.
Define what success looks like – how we know the problem is solved.
Ideate on prioritized challenges.
Break down the ideas into bite size tasks to experiment, assign ownership.
PROBLEM SOLVING STEPS
My team members leverage each other’s experience and expertise to problem solve and overcome challenges.
“What have you noticed since our last meeting that has been better or different?”
Ask follow up questions to help team members focus on solutions instead of problems:
“How did you make that happen?”
“What did you do to initiate or avoid that?"
One simple way to support more effective problem solving is to embed questions into your team meetings such as starting with:
Engaging team members to independently or collaboratively problem solve helps to remove barriers and align our growth strategy faster.
problem solving
In order to achieve Prudential’s growth goals, leaders must empower employees at lower levels of the organization to make decisions. Effective decision making requires everyone to be clear on who gets to decide, who gets to weigh in before the decision is made, and who is responsible for the outcome. Click on the Decision-Making Resource Hub to learn more about the ABCD/DARE frameworks and access on-demand learning, FAQs, and success stories.
DECISION MAKING
My team is empowered to make high-quality decisions quickly leveraging the ABCD and DARE frameworks.
Create intentional space for your team to learn new skills and grow their expertise. Use the Continuous Learning Culture Guide for Leaders of People to integrate learning into the flow of work.
3) Develop your teams’ strengths and skills
Assign each team member tasks and projects that match their abilities and interests. Share how their contributions will support the team’s work and Prudential’s vision & strategy.
2) Align your teams’ skills and strengths with the work your team needs to accomplish
Use the Retaining our Talent Through Stay Conversations and About Me guides, in addition to Pru’s formal tools for performance management (e.g. Everyday Coaching 2+2 Conversations, performance reviews, etc.).
1) Assess your team’s skills, strengths, opportunities to improve, and motivations
In order to identify, develop and utilize your team’s diverse expertise:
leveraging expertise
Reference the Career / Learning Platforms to guide your team to additional learning opportunities provided by Prudential.
Use the Learning Lounge Meeting Toolkit to facilitate ‘Learning Lounges’ within or separate from team meetings to share challenges, showcase exciting project work, highlight a new learning, or discuss process improvements.
Pro Tips
My team has the expertise they need to move the work forward.
As you transition to lead more direct reports, effective delegation will not only be a necessity, but can enable you and your team members to focus on higher-value, more fulfilling work.
delegation
I will delegate high-priority work across my team, matching skills and expertise to the outcomes we aim to drive.
Follow the tips below to help you determine what to delegate and how to do so effectively.
Proactively schedule check-ins about projects/tasks (or use 1:1 check-in time) at key milestones where your team member can update you on progress and where you can provide feedback. Click on the Giving and Receiving Feedback overview to learn more.
4) Create a clear channel of communication and feedback
The projects or tasks you delegate need to come with proper context, a clear tie to goals, definition of success, and necessary milestones. Refer to the Delegation Worksheet to help you flesh out project/task details and set your team members up for success.
3) Define and communicate the desired outcome along with the appropriate resources to complete the task
In most scenarios, there is likely a team member who has the specific skills needed to complete the project/task, a team member who would benefit from a stretch assignment, or multiple team members who could partner together to complete the project/task.
2) Consider your team members’ talents & aspirations
Understanding which tasks to keep and which to delegate requires reflection and effort. Use the Delegation Worksheet to identify work that can be delegated to your team members.
1) Assess tasks to delegate
Using a simple matrix can help team members create a plan based on the level of effort for each task and the impact the task will have on the business and/or Prudential’s customers. This tool can be used both in 1:1 check-ins and in full team meetings. Share the prioritization matrix with your team members.
prioritization
My team can effectively prioritize what’s most important because they know what success looks like.
My team has the expertise they need to move the work forward. Click here to learn more.
*NWoW teams or teams using other agile methods/tools for prioritization should continue using the approach(es) that work best for them.
Like A Boss: Win at Managing Others is a resource that is meant to assist new leaders:
Congratulations on your new role as a leader of people!
Navigate the shift from doing to leading Drive authentic conversations Delegate effectively
Manage conflict Lean into a consistent approach to leading at Prudential
The role of a leader is extremely important at Prudential, and we want to ensure that you have the baseline preparation to be successful. Click the resources below to learn more.
Employee benefits Learning platforms Leadership development
Talent management Employee policies Rewards and recognition
Don’t forget to reference the one-stop-shop of Leaders of People resources that will answer questions you might have about:
Use the Team Purpose, Vision, & Working Agreement template in an initial meeting to help everyone understand the reason the team exists, what will be expected of them, and the team’s purpose and identity. Next, take a deeper dive into the Team Charter template to align on team objectives, core values, and ways of working. Ask team members to answer professional and some personal questions about themselves leveraging the About Me guide. Each team member should save their filled-out user manual on a team SharePoint site for future reference. For additional support, reference the Leading and Working in Teams LinkedIn Learning course, which helps you create a high-performing team by encouraging taking risks, failure, and learning from those failures.
Use the resources and templates below in the first 30-60 days to establish a strong foundation for your new or expanded team.
In a team meeting, have each team member share 1-2 work-related facts and 1-2 fun/personal facts from their user manual.
Start team meetings with icebreakers to set the tone for a more energized and engaged team dynamic.
build trust
Clearly define team purpose, vision, & working agreement
Starting team meetings with an icebreaker enables more open sharing among the team and builds team camaraderie. Refer to the icebreaker activities template for ideas.
Encourage open dialogue between you and your team to better understand their strengths, opportunities, what’s working, what’s not, etc. Asking open-ended questions shows you’re interested in knowing more about them. Use the resources below to establish a strong foundation for your expanded team.
activating your team
As a leader of an expanded team, you’ll want to build a culture where team members can effectively lead the work themselves, encouraging ownership and autonomy. While you are still responsible for your team’s outcomes, your efforts are best directed at setting strategy and empowering your team members.
Explore the essential behaviors below to fully leverage your team’s capabilities.
COACHING
My team members can leverage each other’s experience and expertise to problem solve and overcome challenges.
PROBLEM SOLVING
dECISION MAKING
DELEGATION
lEVERAGING EXPERTISE
Effective decision making requires everyone to be clear on who gets to decide, who gets to weigh in before the decision is made, and who is responsible for the outcome. Click on the Decision-Making Resource Hub to learn more about the ABCD/DARE frameworks and access on-demand learning, FAQs, and success stories.
Leveraging the expertise of your team is a key aspect of leading expanded teams.
Team members may be unsure what task to tackle first or when work should fit into their schedule. Using a simple matrix can help team members create a plan based on the level of effort for each task and the impact the task will have on the business and/or Prudential’s customers. This tool can be used both in 1:1 check-ins and in full team meetings. Share the prioritization matrix with your team members. *NWoW teams or teams using other agile methods/tools for prioritization should continue using the approach(es) that work best for them.
Use the Retaining our Talent Through Stay Conversations and About Me guides, in addition to Prudential’s formal tools for performance management (e.g. Everyday Coaching 2+2 Conversations, performance reviews, etc.).
2) Align your teams’ skills and strengths with the work your team needs to accomplish.
Assign each team member tasks and projects that match their abilities and interests. Share how their contributions will support the team’s work and Prudential’s vision & strategy. Refer to the Delegation resources for more information.
3) Develop your teams’ strengths and skills.
1) Assess tasks to delegate.
2) Consider your team members’ talents and aspirations.
3) Define and communicate the desired outcome along with the appropriate resources to complete the task.
Simply handing tasks to someone else isn’t delegating. The projects or tasks you delegate need to come with proper context, a clear tie to goals, definition of success, and necessary milestones. Refer to the Delegation Worksheet to help you flesh out project/task details and set your team members up for success.
4) Create a clear channel of communication and feedback.
Ensure all team members are clear on why the team exists and how it adds value to the enterprise (purpose) Set a compelling and inspiring north star for the team’s work (vision) or realign on team goals and Determine how the team will operate and what’s expected of team members (working agreement)
Knowing where to start and how to tackle tasks isn’t always easy.
In order to achieve Prudential’s growth goals, leaders must empower employees at lower levels of the organization to make decisions.
Download the Team Purpose, Vision, & Working Agreement and complete in an initial team meeting.
When leading an expanded team, it may feel easier to dive directly into the work itself. However, it’s critical to take time upfront to:
ACTIVATING YOUR TEAM
BRINGING YOUR TEAM TOGETHER
Use the Retaining Our Talent Through Stay Conversations guide in one of your first 1:1s with team members to understand their motivations and show a genuine interest in their career and development.
Ask team members to complete a About Me guide which allows them to share their interests and their work style. Each team member can save their completed user manual on a team SharePoint site for future reference.
1) Assess your team’s skills, strengths, opportunities to improve, and motivations.
Click each icon below to learn more.
Leading a larger team might require you to support them in new ways. This work should begin in the first 30-60 days and will continue throughout the lifecycle of a team.
i am leading an expanded team
I am interested in improving my coaching skills
Check back regularly as we update our offerings to provide the latest and most relevant content!
REGISTER FOR EVENTS
Tech is in Our DNA
Psychologial Safety Workshop
EVENT
Join this all-employee hybrid event on September 25 to learn how technology can pave the way for innovative solutions.
This Inclusive Leadership Journey will show everyone, from individual contributors to executives, how to cultivate trust and belonging and allow everyone to do work with impact, while driving stronger business outcomes and building a more inclusive culture.
what it is
Inclusive Leadership Home
REGISTRATION LINK
Explore this registration page to discover workshops and events tailored for your professional growth.
Click each tab below to review the replays from past events to learn more.
EVENT RECORDINGS
Administration
Leverage Workday to manage your team’s everyday administrative needs. Use the search function for instructions on how-to self-service processes such as talent management, acquisition, and time-off requests.
Workday
Learn about Pru’s policies for items such as:
Time, Absence & Leave Hire, Change Job & Terminations Employee Data Management Talent & Performance
Leverage this platform to find important policies for yourself and your employees.
Direct your employees here for questions about available benefits and perks.
rewards & recognition
Leverage this platform to reward and recognize your employees and to see recognition provided to them by others.
Employee Benefits and Resources
Direct your employees here for information about this wellbeing program.
Career / Learning Platforms
Managers can view important information and upcoming activities. They can also find resources to develop teams, champion our strategy and live our culture.
Attend In Your Corner events several times per year to gain knowledge and ask questions of subject matter experts (invitations sent via email). Join the Teams channel for more regular information updates and resource recommendations.
Visit the ‘MyTeam’ view directly from your dashboard to engage in your team’s development.
Users can access available content from a variety of sources (ex. Udemy, LinkedIn). Users can access Degreed directly or through Talent Marketplace.
Browse the open catalog for Prudential specific enrollment based or on demand training.
Workday Learning
Log in to see your team’s learning trends, top learners and those that are overdue for mandatory training.
Identify potential learning and development opportunities for yourself and/or leaders that report to you.
at Prudential
leadership development
Direct your employees here for information about mental health resources.
Keeps Customer Promises + Delivers Shareholder Value
Knows Our Business + Makes External Connections
Owns Business/ Function + Puts Enterprise First
Cares For People + Makes Tough Business Decisions
Combines deep knowledge and expertise with a keen understanding of our external environment to earn competitive advantage. On March 7th, Adam Tooze, prize-winning historian, writer, and economic commentator, led an important conversation about what’s going on in the world, including current and future political and economic trends, and their potential impact on Prudential’s global growth strategy.
Flexes between driving results for one’s local business/function and collaborating across the global enterprise to drive overall growth.
Prioritizes business outcomes and efficient, high-quality decision-making while expressing genuine care for employees and enabling strong talent management. On May 23, workplace belonging expert Smiley Poswolsky shared tips on how building stronger connections with our colleagues can help us personally and professionally.
Prudential will host four events in 2024 dedicated to exploring each dimension within the Global Leadership DNA.
TECH IS IN OUR dna
Watch the "Tech is in our DNA" event replay below.
Join us on Wednesday, September 25th from 10:00am ET to 11:00am ET for the third installment of our four-part Global Leadership DNA series, Tech is in Our DNA. This all-employee event will help you understand how emerging technology can pave the way for innovative solutions to deliver on our customers' needs and enhance long-term shareholder value across Prudential.
Watch the All-Employee Event Replay below.
OUTSIDE + IN AND WHERE YOU FIT IN
THE POWER OF HUMAN CONNECTION
Event coming soon.
now available!
Meets the evolving needs of our customers/clients through next generation financial solutions that generate long-term, sustainable value for shareholders.
The Tech-Ready Academy will help you grow your tech, data, and AI knowledge while giving you the skills and confidence to join the conversation about the latest technologies.
Wednesday, September 25th
Complementary leadership behavior:
Skills-Based Hiring
Interview Essentials
I'm hiring for a role on my team
Click the links below to learn more.
Virtual Onboarding Guide
Click the link below to learn more.
A new employee has just joined my team
Calibrating Performance
2+2 Conversations
I need to give feedback to my team
Career Conversations
Development Planning
I'm looking for ways to devolop my team
Become a Better Leader
Career Navigator
I'm looking for ways to develop as a leader
Stay Conversation Guide
I'm concerned a team member is considering leaving
Team Conversations
Everyday Coaching Conversations
What you need to build, engage and grow your team.
leading day-to-day
I am hiring for a role or onboarding an employee on my team
I am concerned a team member is considering leaving
I am looking for ways to develop as a leader
I am looking for ways to devolop my team
Leadership Development Programs
Like a Boss
People Central
I am looking for additional resources to perform manager-related tasks in Workday
Click the buttons below to learn more.
makes tough business decisions
cares for people
decisions
puts enterprise first
owns business function
mindset
Makes External connections
Knows Our business
Perspective
Delivers Shareholder Value
Keeps Customer Promises
outcomes
Click each quadrant on the right to learn more.
In each dimension, two complementary leadership behaviors intertwine to create the synergy and balance that we need to win.
our leadership dna
Priortizes & executes critical activities with urgency
Courageously makes & commits to difficult decisions
Encourages healthy, respectful debate to drive good decisions
Strategically develops and deploys talent
Inspires followership through inclusive, empathetic and purpose driven people leadership
makes tough business Decisions
Prioritizes business outcomes and efficient, high-quality decisionmaking while expressing genuine care for employees and enabling strong talent management.
DECISIONS
TOUGH-MINDED
+
warm-hearted
Collaborates and challenges effectively within an Empowered Teams Reporting Model; is committed to the greater good of the enterprise
Connects dots across businesses to generate new ideas and insights, and ignite change
Empowers teams by delegating effectively
Takes personal responsibility for the business
Sets a bold and optimistic vision for the future
PUTS ENTERPRISE FIRST
OWNS BUSINESS FUNCTION
MINDSET
ENTERPRISE
OWNER
Continuously builds external network and demonstrates industry leadership externally
Actively leverages competitor knowledge and market insights
Effectively and confidently operates within a global, matrixed company
Continuously builds business and financial acumen
MAKES EXTERNAL CONNECTION
KNOWS OUR BUSINESS
Combines deep knowledge and expertise with a keen understanding of our external environment to earn competitive advantage.
PERSPECTIVE
IN
OUTSIDE
Generates customer-driven profitability for long-term shareholder value
Seeks a competitive edge through continuous innovation, agility and smart risk-taking
Intimately understands our evolving customer/client base, aiming to meet their unique financial challenges
Deeply passionate about Prudential's purpose
Shareholder
customer
Leadership DNA printable card
Register for Workshop
Prioritizes business outcomes and efficient, high-quality decision-making while expressing genuine care for employees and enabling strong talent management.
Cares for People + Makes Tough Business Decisions
Knows Our Business + Makes External ConnecTIONS
OUR leadership
dna
Host your own LS DNA workshop
For more on Leadership DNA, check out the resources below.
Leadership DNA Explainer Video
Ls-DNa faqs
LS-dna journey ON-DEMAND
Facilitator guide
Group scenarios
LS-DNA behaviors & examples
Ls-DNa Team conversations
Leadership DNA quiz
I am in an Empowered Teams Reporting Model and report to two leaders
I am a Business Leader who defines "WHAT work gets done"
I am a Functional Leader who defines "HOW work gets done"
The first (and sometimes second) layers of functional leadership of teams embedded in the business (e.g., HR supporting Group Insurance) will have reporting relationships with both the Business leader as well as their Function leader.
This reporting model helps ensure that business outcomes and priorities are clear, while ensuring alignment of functional tools and frameworks across the enterprise.
For many teams, this will simply formalize the way they already work.
The embedded team members supporting functional leaders in a business will report only to the functional leader.
With two equally important reporting lines
empowered teams Reporting Model
Sets objectives and priorities, and determines what work needs to be done at a given time to drive value for the business.
The business leader’s empowered leadership team prioritize work to align with business needs.
Takes primary ownership for performance reviews.
Defines WHAT work gets done
business Leader
Guides the way work gets done and ensures the right functional skills, tools, and capabilities are in place.
Supports the employee’s career progression and is responsible for career paths, skill development opportunities, and recommendations for advancement.
Defines HOW work gets done
Functional Leader
The team members reporting to the most senior functional employees in a business will not have multiple reporting lines; they will report into the functional employee only.
Functional teams supporting other Functions will not be embedded in that function and will not have more than one reporting relationship.
The Functional Leaders of the embedded teams will report to both Business & Function leaders.
In this model, leaders can make most of the decisions they need to operate day-to-day without escalations or approvals as long as they fall within the guidelines set by functions.
Click the images to learn more about the Reporting Model
TEAMS
EMPOWERED
decision-making in empowered teams
empowered teams overview
frequently asked questions
Additional Resources
Click Here
What are Empowered Teams?
Click each icon below to begin making better decisions faster.
Effective decision-making requires everyone to be crystal clear on who gets to decide, who gets to weigh in before the decision is made and who is responsible for the outcome.
We are improving how we make
Questions about the framework? We have answers & resources to learn more.
faq & resources
Who makes the decision? Learn more about the ABCD and DARE frameworks.
about the frameworkS
Read about accomplishments that resulted in using the decision making framework.
success stories
on-demand learning
Complete the training and master the art of making better decisions faster.
DIRECTOR, TALENT ACQUISITION
KENDALL MARTIN
Talent Acquisition and its partners have been on a journey of optimizing the end-to-end TA process. A key element of this is how we formulate quicker and well-informed hiring decisions that align with our philosophy. Our current process has often caused confusion for those involved and has led to some being unaware of who the ultimate decision makers are throughout the process. The D.A.R.E. framework has allowed us to bucket the multiple stakeholders involved, identify who has the decision at each step, and remove redundancies that could be solved for via technology and reporting. By doing this, our offers process involves the right people at the right time, and will result in faster offer decisions for the business and our candidates.
CHIEF PRODUCT OWNER
PAUL VIRTELL
Lisa Grant
Marketing Director at Boom!
The Living Benefit Claims Platform team recently used the DARE model to address an issue that came up on our migration efforts. The issue was first raised on Friday evening and put the timing of our migration at risk. Using the DARE framework, we completed our analysis, discussed our findings with our Advisor group, and the Recommender (me!) presented the facts and recommendation to our Decision Maker (Carolynn Smith). Using the model allowed us to gain insight/direction from our key stakeholders and arrive at a final recommendation in just a couple of days.
VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE COUNSEL
Seamus Morley
I enjoyed this! I appreciated Liv Boeree's focus on using numbers/precision/percentages rather than vague probabilities, assumptions and gut instinct. As we embrace data-driven decision making, we need to hold each other accountable for demonstrating the data that informs our recommendations, advice and, ultimately, our decisions. This will not only enable better decisions, but also increase speed; if we come prepared with the underlying justification for our positions, we will ensure the Decision Maker (D) is fully informed as early as possible.
Hover over the images below to learn more
Click the buttons below to learn more about the ABCD and DARE Frameworks.
ABCD Framework
DARE Framework
The major difference between ad hoc and a big-bet decisions is that big-bet decisions involve far more capital expenditure compared to ad hoc decisions. The similarity is that they are both relatively infrequent and don’t occur often. The difference between delegated and cross-cutting decisions is a delegated decision is far narrower in scope and only has implications for a single group of people, whereas cross-cutting decision may impact the entire enterprise. The similarity is that they both are relatively frequent decisions that are common to see within an organization.
What makes them different? What makes them similar?
?
compare these Decisions
Compare these decisions
D
Delegated decisions are frequent and narrow in scope. These decisions are narrow because it only impacts a single team. These decisions are also more frequent as they are typical day-to-day responsibilities among teams. Delegated decisions are typically assigned to an individual to carry out.
DELEGATED Decisions
C
Cross-cutting decisions are typically more frequent and broader in scope. They normally require broad collaboration across organizational boundaries. Cross-cutting decisions are typically made through a series of decisions by different groups as part of a collaborative effort. To make the decision more digestible, it can help to break the overarching decision down into a clear series of decisions. For efficient decision-making clear owners and timelines need to be assigned for these types of decisions.
CROSS-CUTTING Decisions
B
Big-bet decisions are infrequent and broad in scope. These types of decisions typically have major consequences for the organization and involve situations where there is no clear right or wrong answer. Big-bet decisions are typically made by an individual or by a small group of leaders. This may also look different depending on a group’s experience level.
BIG-BET Decisions
A
Ad-hoc decisions are infrequent and narrow in scope. The impact of the decision on the overall organization may depend on how concentrated the decision is within a function. These decisions are typically infrequent since we would not expect to receive these types of requests often and it is narrow in scope as it relates to an area of the business. Ad-hoc decisions are typically made by the decision-maker with assistance from the advisors and recommenders.
Ad-hoc Decisions
Click each decision below to learn more
E
Who will do this work that is not in the conversation, and will they understand context? Do they have critical information they should advise on? As you think about each role and who should fill it, also think about who is critical to the meeting. You may have more than one advisor, but not all advisors need to attend.
determining questions
This persona must be informed of decisions and their implications (does not have a vote). To speed up and ensure flawless decision execution, sometimes it is helpful to have the Execution Partner in the room when the decision is made.
Execution Partner
R
Recommenders, how many do we need? Who is deciding the options to put in front of the decision-maker, vs working in the background to gather analysis? Do they have sufficient convening power to organize options, drive discussion and alignment? What impact will there be if this is the recommender?
This persona prepares and frames evidence-based analysis, case, alternatives, pros and cons, then make their recommendation to the decision-maker, but does not have a vote. They often manage the agenda, convenes the meeting and ensures progress.
Recommender
Ask who are the relevant experts on the topic. First, what organization and then deeper to the individual or individuals. Do they have the perspective to best help influence the quality of the options developed? How many advisors do we need? What level of impact do we need from them?
This persona provides input, advice, and has the opportunity to influence decision makers. They a voice in the room, but don't have a vote. Some stakeholders are so important that they must be in the room. Are the individual(s) ready to make contributions to the development of the decision or do they just want to be have a seat at the table? There are no spectators in decision making!
advisor
Do they have the right level of knowledge already? Do they deeply understand business impact? Are they are the lowest in the organization with full authority to make the decision? What support might they need from an advisor, recommender and execution partner?
This persona is ultimately responsible for making the decision or vetoing a decision based on the scenario. Where the other roles can have multiple people, ideally there is only one decision maker. The goal is to eliminate bureaucracy, so keeping hierarchy as the sole reason for making someone a decision maker is not criteria enough.
DECISION maker
dare Framework
to access the ABCD Framework
decision-making framework video
Click each section to learn how we're changing to win.
This persona prepares and frames evidence-based analysis, case, alternatives, pros and cons, then make their recommendation to the decision-maker, but does not have a vote. They often manage the agenda, convene the meeting and ensure progress.
This persona provides input, advice, and has the opportunity to influence decision makers. They are a voice in the room, but don't have a vote. Some stakeholders are so important that they must be in the room. Are the individual(s) ready to make contributions to the development of the decision or do they just want to be have a seat at the table? There are no spectators in decision making!
Click each persona below to learn more
FAQs & RESOURCES
Our enterprise-wide approach to decision-making requires everyone to be clear on who gets to decide, who gets to weigh in before the decision is made and who is responsible for the outcome. This will help teams make decisions more quickly and move on to execution.
This approach challenges us to:
Be intentional about including diverse voices in the conversation early
-
Clarify who has decision-making authority and who else has a voice in the process. This will minimize lack of clarity and escalations
Once all relevant perspectives have been accounted for, accept the decision-maker’s decision as final (disagree and commit)
Clearly outline timelines and next steps, defining exactly who is accountable for exactly what by exactly when
Our decision-making approach enables our strategy by improving the speed and quality of the decisions we make. As an organization, it will allow us to become bolder, faster, and be better partners for our customers and clients.
Prudential’s new decision-making approach will save you time, make your roles and accountabilities clearer, and empower you to make decisions within appropriate guardrails.
Review the resources to the right to start using our new decision-making approach today.
If your team would like to experience the enabling effective decision making session by working on an example (current or past business decision) together, please fill out the intact team request form after the Decision-Making module has been completed. Contact Learning Support if there are any additional questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Resources
ABCD/DARE frameworks Explainer Video A Case Study in Effective Decision-Making ABCD/DARE Best Practices ABCD template DARE template
Decision-making in the age of urgency Decision-making in uncertain times If we’re all so busy why isn’t anything getting done Three keys to faster better decisions Untangling your organization’s decision-making Want a better decision? Plan a better meeting Context on Prudential’s decision-making approach
3 behavior themes to enable good decision-making Healthy debate tactics How to give effective feedback Management Committees & Governance Meeting best practices
tool
when to use it
Prioritization Matrix
WAIT Template
Process Recommendation Guide
Manager guide for reducing ad-hoc requests
Helps teams create a plan based on the level of effort and impact for each task.
A list of questions to help you evaluate the value of work requested.
A template to assist you in writing a proposal to modify/eliminate tasks.
Recommendations for instituting working norms around how unexpected requests are handled.
When evaluating what tasks to do and when.
When evaluating if a task should be pursued at this time.
When you see opportunities to eliminate work from the system.
In the flow of work as ad-hoc requests arise.
Reference the resources below to continuously assess your team’s work and ways to focus on the highest-priority activities.
Do fewer things better.
Before kicking off a new project, WAIT! Assess the value of the work by asking the below questions first.
assessing the value of work
Effort
Impact
DON't dO
Low Impact High Effort
DOn't do
These are low impact, high effort tasks that don't have much of an impact on the business and take up a lot of your time. For example, re-proofreading a strategic messaging document that's already been approved.
DO later
Low Impact Low Effort
These are low impact, low effort tasks which encompasses work that isn't as impactful on the organization but is still worth doing since it also doesn't take much time. For example, organizing your client contact list.
DO Next
High Impact High Effort
These are high impact, high effort tasks that require a lot of time but are also very important for the business. For example, creating a client strategy proposal.
DO NOW
High Impact Low Effort
These are high impact, low effort tasks that will greatly benefit the business without taking up much of your time. For example, signing new hire documents.
Click each section of the matrix below to learn more.
Prioritization matrix
W
I
T
WHAT is the strategic value?
Does it support a strategic strategy?
Do we have the time and budget to make it happen?
AMOUNT of resources required?
Does it make a critical difference for customers/stakeholders?
Who will feel the IMPACT?
Is there work we can stop doing before taking it on?
What are the TRADEOFFS?
Using a simple matrix can help team members create a plan based on the level of effort for each task and the impact the task will have on the business and/or Prudential's customers.
Employees should be empowered to be part of a constructive debate about the scope and nature of potential ad hoc requests and low-value work. Both requestor and doer should be flexible and willing to change the nature of the request based on impact, urgency, and available resources.
• •
Decision criteria used to greenlight ad-hoc work must be transparent with visibility for both requestors and doers. Requester must explain WHY it’s needed, HOW it will be used, and WHEN it’s needed. Leadership is responsible for role modelling changes to ensure thoughtful use of employee time for ad-hoc work.
• • •
How to reduce ad-hoc requests:
By following the guidelines below, leaders and employees can establish clarity, create space for open communication and prioritize requests based on their impact and urgency.
When you or your team is looking for ways to innovate on an identified problem.
When looking for opportunities to improve your process.
For simplifying your day-to-day tasks (i.e. draft emails, presentations, etc).
When you like to leverage design thinking to address a problem or to improve a process or product.
End-to-end support for identifying the correct problem and its root causes.
Guidelines for evaluating how you & your team completes tasks.
Learn best practices when leveraging ARTI, Pru's Gen AI tool.
This training will teach you how to leverage design thinking tools which can help simplify your processes.
Guide to Problem Solving & Generating Implementable Ideas
Process Improvement Best Practices
Intro to Arti
What is Design Thinking?
Reference the resources below to continuously assess your team’s work and find ways to work smarter.
Do important things faster.
A guide to assist you in writing a proposal to modify or eliminate tasks.
When you have a tech or data learning need and want to gain the skills and confidence to join the conversation about the latest technologies.
A website to help you grow your tech, data, and AI knowledge.
Tech-Ready Academy
Useful at any time, but particularly during large, cross-departmental projects.
Useful at any time, but particularly as teams are first forming or experiencing significant change.
In Miro or with other collaborative softwares.
At the beginning of a strategic planning process to prioritize team strategies, tactics, and OKRs.
A framework for understanding who gets to decide, who gets to weigh in before the decision is made and who is responsible for the outcome.
Instructor-led class where teams explore the tenets of psychological safety.
A meeting where a team examines how it’s working together with the goal of improving future collaboration.
An exercise that helps teams challenge assumptions and uncover blind spots in their performance.
Decision-Making Framework
Psychological Safety Workshop
Team Retrospectives
SWOT
Reference the resources below for ways to identify improvement opportunities as a team.
Make room for improvement.
Evaluate what your team is doing successfully. Uncover areas where there is room for improvement Develop a strategy to unlock potential and achieve future success. Identify external market trends that might constitute threats to your team’s succes.
• • • •
SWOT is part of a strategic planning process that helps you:
A SWOT analysis (which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) helps you challenge assumptions and reveal potential blind spots about your team’s performance, by examining factors and trends both internal (strengths, weaknesses) and external (opportunities, threats) to your team.
SWOT Analysis
Use this SWOT exercise to evaluate the state of your team or refer to a SWOT template on Miro to begin.
Resource center
Click the buttons below to access resources for Leaders of People and/or All Employees at Pru.
Register for Workshops/Events
Download
Visit Site
Five ways we are working together to drive Prudential’s growth
Click the buttons below to download helpful PDFs and/or access useful resources.
leaders of people
Resource center for
to access resources for All Employees
competing to win
working together
MOVING WITH SPEED
Moving with Speed
Lorem Ipsum
to visit access Leaders of People
Five ways we’re working together to drive Prudential’s growth
