is stretch assignment

Stretch Assignments: What Are They and Is Your Employee Ready For One?

Stretch assignments are a cornerstone of a strong employee development plan. A statement that is backed by a number of research studies. In one conducted by the Harvard Business Review of 823 executives, it was found that 71% of respondents said stretch assignments had the biggest impact on unleashing their potential. In another, this one conducted by Korn Ferry , stretch assignments were named the most valuable developmental experience, ahead of things like mentoring, classroom training, 360-degree assessments, and even exposure to senior leaders.

An intentional and strategic stretch assignment can go a long way in accelerating an employee’s development or supporting the trajectory of their career at your organization, though their success relies heavily on the one assigning the task - their leader.

In the following article, you will learn more about what stretch assignments are, what they are not, how to tell when an employee is ready for one, and more. Let’s begin.

What are Stretch Assignments?

While there are countless ways to define a stretch assignment, the following definition from BeLeaderly perfectly sums it up for the purposes of this article: “Stretch assignments are temporary, internal learning gigs that simultaneously offer an employee a chance to develop new skills while helping the organization solve a real business problem.”

Most commonly, stretch assignments are implemented to prepare an employee for an upcoming promotion, engage a high-performing employee, encourage skill development, or evaluate an employee’s level of interest or aptitude for another role.

As the name implies, stretch assignments mean they “stretch” or challenge an employee to think and act outside their comfort zone or day-to-day job. But what exactly makes a stretch assignment challenging ?

• It presents employees with an unfamiliar challenge
• It challenges an employee to create change
• It gives an employee a high level of responsibility
• It challenges an employee to work cross-functionally

At this point, it is important to define what stretch assignments are not. Stretch assignments are not a chance for you to hand off work you do not want to do. They should also not be what Korn Ferry calls “glass-cliff projects.” According to them, “stretch assignments and glass-cliff projects both involve some risk and often include crisis situations, but one is about building your skills and the other is about proving your worth, despite your many successes. One is encouraging; the other is an affront.”

4 Signs Your Employee Is Ready For a Stretch Assignment

Of course, there is a fine line between “stretching” or challenging an employee and overwhelming them. To help you distinguish if an employee is ready for and can handle a stretch assignment or not, here are a few key things to consider: 

• Their Track Record An employee who is ready for a stretch assignment and can handle it will not only have a history of successful projects and good performance, but will have a track record of asking for help when they need it, respecting boundaries, proactively seeking learning opportunities, and taking accountability for their actions (whether good or bad). These behaviors show a level of discretion that is imperative to the success of a stretch assignment, where an employee is outside of their comfort zone.
• Their Engagement According to Gallup , “engaged employees are highly involved in and enthusiastic about their work and workplace. They are psychological ‘owners,’ drive high performance and innovation, and move the organization forward.” Whereas, “actively disengaged employees aren't just unhappy at work - they are resentful that their needs aren't being met and are acting out their unhappiness. Every day, these workers potentially undermine what their engaged coworkers accomplish.” Fortunately, stretch assignments are an ideal chance to further engage already engaged employees and those bordering on disengaged. You should be quite certain that the individual you will give the assignment to will see it as a positive opportunity and be willing to do their best work, not just because they have to, but because they want to.

An employee who has been given a stretch assignment is going to need your support more so than they would for their everyday job. Therefore, before you give a stretch assignment, be sure you have the availability and capacity to proactively support your employee from start to finish. 

• Your Relationship Given the nature of stretch assignments, there is always a risk of failure and for some employees, failure is hard to handle even if it is a valuable learning experience. That is why it is so important to have a relationship built on trust before delegating a stretch assignment. Your employee needs to feel comfortable sharing their challenges and questions without fear of judgment, or else they might try to “go at it alone,” which is ultimately where people get themselves into trouble.

2 Major Things to Be Aware of With Stretch Assignments

• Stretch Assignments Should Not Impede An Employee’s Day-to-Day Job As a leader, you need to closely monitor the progress of a stretch assignment, the well-being of your employee, and the health of their day-to-day roles and responsibilities. If your employee is suddenly working an exorbitant amount or is showing signs of burnout , then you need to be prepared to step in. While the stretch assignment is important, it should not put your employee's core roles and responsibilities , not to mention their wellbeing, at risk. If this becomes an issue, use it as a learning opportunity to help the employee identify their signs of burnout and set boundaries .
• Stretch Assignments Need to be Fairly Distributed The unfortunate reality is stretch assignments are not always fairly distributed and accessible to all employees. This was highlighted in a study from BeLeaderly , which found that “women are less likely than men to receive challenging stretch assignments.” The report noted that “when stretch assignments are unclear, unadvertised, and unevenly offered, it makes women hesitate even more to pursue them. On the other hand, taking an open, equitable approach to stretch opportunities can create a thriving internal gig economy - one that’s accessible to all. This not only helps employees advance in the short term, but it can also set the course for diversifying, and therefore strengthening, your leadership ranks in the long term.” So, how can you ensure the distribution of stretch assignments is fair? According to a report by Catalyst , they recommend leaders link the distribution of stretch assignments to performance reviews, review the allocation of stretch assignments to ensure equitable distribution among women and equity-seeking groups, as well as consider providing new hires with a stretch assignment or assigning new hires to a team working on a stretch assignment. 

Employees who are given a stretch assignment will require more support, guidance, and encouragement than an average employee. Though the effort is well worth it as stretch assignments contribute to employee engagement, morale, satisfaction, productivity, and success, which in turn contributes to your success as their leader. It’s a win-win!

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The power and purpose of stretch assignments in career advancement

January 19, 2024

What are stretch assignments?

Stuck in a career rut? Feel ready to push boundaries and expand your skill set? Or do you feel ready for more and need the right opportunity to prove it? Enter stretch assignments: challenging projects to propel individuals beyond their comfort zones and ignite career growth. They are professional boot camps offering opportunities to lead cross-functional teams, tackle complex problems, or master entirely new skills.

These aren't just resume fillers; they're springboards to professional advancement. Discover hidden talents, impress key stakeholders, and watch your career ascend. Embrace the learning curve, the inevitable stumbles, and the thrill of overcoming them. It's an investment in your professional future, with the potential to unlock your full potential and take your career to the next level.

Ready to dive deeper? This article will guide you to identify the perfect stretch assignments for you, navigate their challenges with poise, and leverage them for maximum career impact:

• The power of stretch assignments: How they can help you get ahead in your career

The purpose of stretch assignments: How employers can use it to discover employee potential

Navigating the challenges of stretch assignments, fast-track your career with airswift, the power of stretch assignments : how they can help you get ahead in your career.

The power of stretch assignments lies in their ability to propel individuals beyond their comfort zones, acting as catalysts for continuous learning and growth.

These challenging projects develop new skills, boost confidence, enhance visibility, and open doors to unexpected career paths, ultimately shaping a dynamic and resilient professional journey.

Developing new skills and expertise

Learning new things is crucial for professional growth, and stretch assignments are like rocket fuel. These challenging tasks push you outside your comfort zone, forcing you to break free from your usual routine and pick up new skills.

Whether mastering a new software tool, leading a team on a project, or honing your communication skills, stretch assignments make you a more well-rounded professional.

Imagine an IT pro tackling a complex project with a diverse team. They conquer the technical aspects and learn essential project management skills like planning, budgeting, and delegation.

This experience broadens their skills, making them adaptable and ready for any challenge. By the end, they're not just technical whizzes but a well-equipped leader.

The benefits go beyond the individual. When employees learn and grow, the whole organisation thrives. A dynamic workforce with diverse skills and fresh perspectives sparks innovation and continuous improvement.

Those who embrace stretch assignments become valuable assets, bringing new ideas and approaches. This collective growth makes the organisation agile and competitive, able to navigate the ever-changing professional landscape.

Boosting confidence and growth mindset

Tackling challenging tasks is like dipping your toes into a chilly pool – it might be scary at first, but it can feel amazing on the other side. Stretch assignments are challenging projects that push you beyond your usual routine and comfort zone. But here's the thing: they're also powerful tools for building confidence and a growth mindset.

Imagine conquering a complex project you initially felt unsure about. That triumphant feeling? That's the confidence blooming! It's not just about mastering new skills for that specific project; it's about realising you can tackle anything you want.

Overcoming hurdles builds resilience and leaves you feeling like you can take on anything the professional world throws your way.

Stretch assignments are like personal cheerleaders for this way of thinking. They encourage you to see challenges as chances to learn and grow instead of walls to block progress.

Your talent and skills matter, sure, but renowned psychologist Carol Dweck says it's your approach that makes the difference. By embracing this, you will take a major step towards conquering career obstacles such as impostor syndrome .

So, always remember, with this combination of stretch assignments and a growth mindset, you're not just getting skilled up. You're developing a "can-do" attitude that keeps you learning and adapting.

Enhancing visibility and reputation

Taking on a challenging project at work can feel like stepping into the spotlight. Stretch assignments, often involving high-impact tasks or leadership roles, are your chance to show off your skills and make a big impression.

Imagine a marketing whiz leading a complex campaign. Everyone sees their talent in action as they navigate deadlines, budgets, and creative hurdles. Their success doesn't just boost their confidence; it gets noticed by colleagues, bosses, and even other departments. This "buzz" about their abilities opens doors to exciting opportunities: promotions, invitations to key meetings, you name it.

The more individuals tackle tough assignments and deliver results, the more they're seen as competent and proactive. This builds a strong reputation and paves the way for a brighter future within the company.

Completing a stretch assignment isn't just about learning new skills. It's about showcasing your potential and launching yourself towards the next level.

Discovering new career paths

Think of stretch assignments as stepping stones leading beyond your usual work routine. They're your chance to explore different corners of your field, like trying on different shoes to see which fit best. Working on cross-functional projects or tackling tasks outside your comfort zone gives you a taste of what different roles involve.

Imagine an engineer on a cross-functional project suddenly fascinated by product development. Who knew they had a hidden passion for turning ideas into things? This newfound exposure broadens their skills and opens their eyes to exciting career paths they have never considered before.

These discoveries can lead to some amazing things. Our engineer fired up about product development, might start seeking out roles that let them build and craft things. They might seek promotions, ask for projects that align with their new interest, or even create initiatives that blend their existing skills with their newfound passion.

Stretch assignments don't just expand your skillset; they can be the spark that ignites your career and leads you to something you truly love.

Businesses in today's dynamic landscape understand that their greatest asset is their products and their people. To nurture talent, unlock hidden potential, and build a workforce equipped for the future, forward-thinking employers are turning to a powerful tool: stretch assignments.

The purpose of stretch assignments is to transform employees into well-rounded professionals by immersing them in challenging tasks and fostering continuous learning, innovation, and leadership readiness—ultimately creating a workforce that is adaptable, creative, and prepared for the dynamic demands of the business world.

Let's delve deeper into how stretch assignments serve this critical purpose, transforming individuals and fuelling organisational success:

Investing in employee development

Smart companies know their greatest asset is their people. That's why they invest in stretch assignments – challenging tasks that push employees outside their comfort zones. It's like giving them a mini adventure to explore new skills and areas of their work.

Why? Because continuous learning and development are crucial for both the employee and the company. Employees who tackle tough challenges build new skills, gain confidence, and discover hidden talents. This makes them more adaptable and ready for anything the business world throws their way.

For the company, it's like building a stronger team. A diverse skillset across the board means the whole company is more flexible and able to handle change. It sparks creativity and innovation, helping them stay ahead of the competition in this fast-paced world.

Take companies like Google and IBM . They're champions of stretch assignments, and it shows. Their employees get to work on exciting projects, develop new skills, and explore different corners of their roles.

This makes them happier and more engaged and builds a culture of learning and adaptability that keeps the company thriving.

Fostering innovation and creativity

Stepping outside your comfort zone can feel scary, but it can also be incredibly creative. This is precisely what stretch assignments are about – pushing you to tackle new challenges and think outside the box.

Your brain must flex its creative muscles when you're not stuck in the usual routine. You start seeing problems from different angles and coming up with fresh solutions. Imagine a tech company bringing designers, engineers, and marketers together for a cross-functional project.

Suddenly, ideas are bouncing around like ping-pong balls! This clash of perspectives often leads to groundbreaking inventions, like a new gadget you never even knew you needed.

Hence, stretch assignments aren't just about learning new skills and sparking innovation. They create an environment where everyone feels encouraged to experiment and explore .

By stepping outside their comfort zones, individuals contribute to the company's success, discover hidden talents, and unleash their creative potential.

Preparing for future leadership roles

Thinking about taking the helm one day? Stretch assignments are like your leadership training ground . They let you test your skills on challenging projects, like a mid-level manager heading up a high-impact initiative.

Not only do you tackle tough problems, but you also learn to guide and inspire a team towards success. It's hands-on leadership experience preparing you for the captain's chair.

These challenging projects are like obstacle courses for your leadership skills. You'll face tough decisions, navigate uncertainty, and learn to bring your team together. It's like building a well-rounded toolbox for all things leadership, preparing you for bigger roles down the line.

Think of it as an audition for future leadership opportunities. Stretch assignments show your potential, letting everyone see your ability to handle pressure, make smart choices, and motivate others.

This real-world experience makes you a star team member and a potential future leader.

Cultivate your future leaders with Airswift's Global Employment and Mobility (GEM) ; we personalise your search for professionals to build your organisation's human capital pipeline.

Navigating the challenges of stretch assignments involves acknowledging common fears and imposter syndrome. Still, individuals can confidently tackle challenges and turn them into meaningful personal and professional development adventures by reframing these concerns as opportunities for learning and growth and building a strong support system with mentors and colleagues.

Overcoming fear and imposter syndrome

Taking on a big challenge can feel scary. You might worry about failing or feel like you're not good enough. These feelings are normal. Fear and "imposter syndrome" (that voice telling you you're a fraud) are common, but they don't have to stop you.

The key is to remember that stretch assignments are about learning, not just getting everything right. Think of them as adventures to explore new skills and areas of your work. So, instead of focusing on failure, focus on growth. Celebrate small wins and enjoy the journey!

Talking to others can also help. Mentors have been there before and can offer advice and support. They can share their stories about overcoming challenges and help you set realistic goals. Building a support network can make even the toughest stretch assignments feel manageable.

By facing your fears and reframing how you think about stretch assignments, you can turn them into opportunities for personal growth and confidence.

Finding the right stretch assignment for your needs

Choosing the right stretch assignment is like finding the sweet spot between a comfy sofa and a cliffhanger. You want it to challenge you but not send you tumbling. And ideally, it should be something you're interested in, too.

Think about your skills , what you're good at, and what you'd like to learn. Then, look for projects that stretch those muscles without overwhelming you. Don't forget about your passions and long-term goals. Pick something that excites you and helps you move towards your dream career.

This way, the challenge won't just feel good; it'll feel meaningful. And if you can't find the perfect fit, don't be afraid to create it! Talk to colleagues, propose new ideas, and show your boss you're proactive.

Many companies have resources to help you find the right stretch assignment. Human resources might offer career development frameworks like maps for your professional journey. They can show you what skills you need for different roles and suggest projects that match your interests.

Mentors can be another great source of advice. They've been there, done that, and have the wisdom to guide you. Ask them about their career paths and see if they can suggest any stretch assignments that fit your goals.

By combining self-reflection, company resources, and mentorship, you can choose a stretch assignment that's both challenging and meaningful. Remember, it's not just about the destination but the journey of growth and discovery.

Building support systems

Taking on a big challenge can feel like scaling a mountain alone. But you don't have to do it by yourself! Having a support team by your side makes all the difference.

Think of your mentors as Sherpas, guiding you through unfamiliar terrain and sharing their wisdom. They've been there before and can help you navigate any tricky bits. Your colleagues are like your fellow climbers, lending a hand and sharing their perspectives. And your supervisor is the base camp, providing resources and motivating you.

Open communication is key. Talk to your team about your goals, worries, and successes. Mentors can offer advice, colleagues can bounce ideas around, and your supervisor can ensure everything aligns with the company's vision. This teamwork makes the climb way more enjoyable!

Smart companies set up mentorship programs where you can learn from experienced pros. They create peer networks where you can share and learn from each other. They ensure regular check-ins with your supervisor, so you always have someone to talk to and keep you on track.

With this robust support system, you can conquer any stretch assignment. Remember, you're not alone – your team is right there with you, cheering you on every step of the way.

In summary, the power and purpose of stretch assignments in career development are undeniable. These experiences offer many benefits, from skill development and boosted confidence to enhanced visibility and unexpected career paths. Despite the challenges, individuals are encouraged to embrace stretch assignments as opportunities for growth, learning, and career advancement .

As Eleanor Roosevelt aptly said, "Do one thing every day that scares you." Individuals genuinely step into their full potential through these challenges and achieve remarkable professional growth.

Ready to take your career to the next level? Airswift's job portal offers the boost you need. Find the perfect fit for your ambitions, be it:

• Exciting Challenges: Dive into stimulating projects and refine your skills.
• Leadership Growth: Climb the ladder with tailored support and mentorship.
• Smooth Transitions: Navigate career changes with expert guidance and a supportive network.

Connect with Airswift today and unlock a world of possibilities.

This post was written by: Diyaa Mani, Content Marketing Coordinator

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Embracing Learning through Stretch Assignments: A Guide to Success

Industries now evolve 5 times faster than 5 years ago. With unrelenting change, adaptability is essential. McKinsey ( 2019) finds leaders exposed to 5+ functions and 3+ countries become 69% more change-ready. Harvard Business Review (2020) analysis shows broad experiences expand perspectives to envision transformation. Further studies show experiential learning opportunities directly enable greater agility—employees with wider skillsets adjust up to 40% quicker to disruptions.

This blog explores how "stretch assignments" and experiential learning are not just beneficial but essential for thriving in such a fast-paced environment. We delve into the intricacies of implementing successful stretch assignments and how they can be a key to not only surviving but excelling in today's ever-changing work world.

Stretch assignments are developmental projects that push people beyond their comfort zones. By tackling unfamiliar responsibilities, employees expand their skill sets and perspectives.

Stretch assignments are impactful for several reasons. They provide real-world practice, enhance problem-solving abilities, build resilience, boost engagement, and promote leadership skills. With continuous feedback and learning, employees progress in their careers and become better equipped to drive innovation.

9 key experiences that you should consider as stretch assignments:

Operational Delivery : Leading a project to enhance the efficiency of a critical production process.

Unfamiliar Environment : Taking a short-term role in a different department or geographical location.

People Management : Managing a cross-functional team on a high-profile project.

Global Remit : Overseeing a project with team members from multiple international offices.

Change Management : Leading an initiative to implement a new organisational structure.

Growth:  Developing and executing a plan to enter a new market.

Start-up:  Launching a new product line or service from scratch.

Turnaround : Revitalizing a struggling business unit or product.

Special Project : Managing a corporate social responsibility project with high visibility.

If you want to learn more about these key experiences, download our 9 Key Experiences to Develop Future-ready Leaders Handbook. Click here to download

The effectiveness of 'learning by doing' through stretch assignments critically depends on addressing 4 specific elements essential for success. This comprehensive guide explores these four elements, offering insights and practical strategies to maximise the benefits of learning through stretch assignments.

Element 1: Overcoming Organisational Resistance to Experiential Learning

One significant obstacle in implementing stretch assignments is overcoming organisational resistance to experiential learning. This resistance often stems from a lack of understanding of the practical benefits of 'learning by doing,' apprehension about the outcomes, or a preference for more traditional, structured learning methods such as classroom-based or e-learning modules. Overcoming resistance to stretch assignments requires a proactive and positive approach that emphasises educating and showcasing their tangible advantages, which can be achieved through securing management buy-in, effective internal communication of successes, and positioning HR as a facilitator of experiential learning opportunities:

Management Buy-In : Securing the active endorsement and support of top management for stretch assignments is essential. When leaders share their personal experiences with stretch assignments, they highlight their value in personal and organisational growth, effectively linking development with success.

Effective Internal Communication : Consistent communication about the successes and benefits of stretch assignments is critical. Showcasing stories of employee growth and their contributions to organisational objectives can help create a positive outlook towards experiential learning.

HR's Role in Facilitating Experiential Learning : The Human Resources department should be at the forefront of creating and implementing frameworks for experiential learning opportunities. Organising focus groups with senior leaders to discuss and share their experiences with major projects and stretch assignments not only reinforces the value of experiential learning but also serves as a powerful reminder of its effectiveness to the leadership team.

Element 2: Securing the Right Stretch Role

In the second element of our exploration into stretch assignments, we focus on the critical factors of ensuring that the stretch role that has been selected for an employee is right. This involves careful consideration of several key criteria, including aligning the role with both the individual's career path and the organisation's objectives, determining the optimal level of challenge to encourage growth without overwhelming, and clearly defining role objectives and expectations. By paying close attention to these factors, we can significantly enhance the effectiveness and impact of stretch assignments in employee development. It’s important to set employees up for success.

Let's delve into these critical success factors in more detail.

Firstly, Strategic Alignment: It is crucial to select stretch roles that align with the employee's career trajectory while contributing significantly to the organisation's objectives. This approach ensures the unlocking of potential with precision. When both individual and organisational goals are aligned to the stretch role, both the individual and the organisation are going to care more about making the assignment a success. 

Secondly, Optimal Challenge Level: The role should present an appropriate level of challenge, promoting autonomy and decision-making in employees. This balance fosters innovation and growth while ensuring the role remains achievable and the employee is not overstretched.

To determine if a role offers the right level of stretch, consider these aspects:

Employee’s Reaction and Confidence Level :

Observe the employee's initial reaction to the assignment. Signs of excessive anxiety or doubt may suggest the role is too challenging. In contrast, if they seem too comfortable or unchallenged, the role may not be challenging enough. The ideal stretch induces cautious optimism and an eagerness to embrace the challenge.

Past Performance and Learning Curve : Evaluate the employee’s historical performance and adaptability in similar contexts. If they have consistently managed slightly challenging tasks well, a more demanding assignment could be appropriate. On the other hand, if they have struggled with moderate challenges before, a more modest assignment would be advisable. The role should encourage them to utilise and expand upon their existing skills and knowledge.

Time and Effort Estimation : Assess the required time and effort for the assignment relative to the employee's current workload and abilities. A suitably challenging assignment should necessitate a substantial, yet manageable, increase in effort and time beyond their usual responsibilities. If the role demands an inordinate amount of time or effort well beyond the scope of their current position, it may be excessively challenging.

The final factor in securing the right role is Role Clarity: It is essential to clearly define the objectives and expectations of the stretch role. Regular check-ins and documented goals are vital for maintaining alignment and clarity, particularly in roles that are new or involve novel challenges. For those in the earlier stages of their career, roles with well-defined parameters often prove more successful as stretch assignments.

Element 3: Preparing the Employee for the Stretch Role

This third section is focused on providing employees with the essential preparation and support they need to successfully navigate and thrive in their stretch roles. The right preparation and support are crucial in ensuring the employee is not only ready but also set up for success in their stretch role. 

First, start with a skills assessment. Conducting a skills assessment is vital because it helps to identify the specific competencies an employee currently possesses and the areas where they may need further development. This assessment ensures that the employee is placed in a stretch role that is challenging yet achievable, aligning with their existing skills and potential for growth. By understanding their strengths and weaknesses, the assignment can be tailored to maximise learning and minimise the risk of failure, making the experience both developmental and beneficial for the individual and the organisation.

For high-stretch roles, it pays off to assess additional aspects to ensure the role is both safe and developmental. This can be done through a semi-structured interview. 

Additional aspects to assess include:

Assess the candidate's ability to adapt to new situations and learn quickly from experiences

Consider their level of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, empathy, and ability to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically

Gauge their tolerance for ambiguity and change and their resilience in the face of challenges

Review their past performances, especially in challenging situations, to predict future potential and development areas

Understand their career goals and motivation to ensure alignment with the objectives of the stretch assignment

Secondly, providing comprehensive and balanced support with realistic goals is crucial in the preparation for a stretch role. This involves offering robust mentorship and guidance to help employees navigate new challenges they might encounter. Furthermore, it's important to set achievable, clearly defined goals that are in alignment with the employee's capabilities and the objectives of the stretch role.

Regular and constructive feedback is essential to aid in their development and to adjust goals as necessary. Encouraging a work-life balance is also key, especially considering the extra effort and time that a stretch role might require; this can be supported through flexible working conditions. Additionally, ensuring that employees have access to the necessary resources and training to develop skills and address knowledge gaps identified in the assessment is vital for their success and growth in the new role.

Finally, creating a safe-to-fail environment : Cultivate a culture where failure is viewed as a stepping stone to learning. Emotional support and recognition of efforts, irrespective of outcomes, are essential. Not every stretch project goes as well as expected, sometimes not through the fault of the employee but because the role has changed. 

Here are our top quick tips for creating a ‘safe to fail environment’ 

Have leaders publicly discuss their own early failures and career detours. Vulnerability from the top makes it psychologically safer.

Separate performance reviews from assignment-based development initiatives. Ensure stretch projects are evaluated independently from day-to-day job effectiveness.

Set explicit expectations that stretch initiatives likely only have a 60% probability of fully realizing the original intent. Frame them as learning journeys.

Build slack time into participant schedules - roughly 20% - for reflection and application of learning during experimental projects.

Establish formal mentorship check-ins for talent in stretch roles to discuss learnings separate from line managers.

Publicly celebrate examples of teams pivoting ambitious initiatives due to external variables rather than viewing them as failures.

Element 4: Recognising and Advancing Career through Stretch Assignments

The recognition of the efforts and learning gained from stretch assignments is vital in ensuring they are seen as valuable experiences. And so is the need to continue an employee’s development journey after the completion of the stretch assignment. 

Continuing an employee's development following a stretch assignment is crucial for several reasons. 

First, it maintains employee engagement by acknowledging and rewarding the extra effort and risks undertaken during the assignment. This recognition helps employees see the tangible benefits of their hard work.

Secondly, ongoing development is key to retaining talent. Without meaningful opportunities for further growth or new challenges post-assignment, employees, particularly those with high potential, might feel undervalued and consider leaving the organisation. This could lead to a loss of critical talent.

Furthermore, it's important for other employees and line managers in the organisation to see the value of taking developmental risks. When they observe that personal and professional growth leads to positive outcomes, it encourages a culture of development and risk-taking for the greater good of the organisation.

Finally, post-assignment development helps in leveraging the investment made in an employee's growth during the stretch assignment. Stretch assignments inherently involve risks, including the possibility of personal or organisational setbacks. However, when employees successfully navigate these challenges, they emerge with enhanced skills and experience. Effectively utilizing these new competencies not only benefits the individual but also contributes significantly to the organisation's growth and success.

At the end of a stretch assignment, it is vital, as a first step, to update the employee’s personal development plan to address outstanding development areas and to capture future career aspirations. This must include inclusion in succession planning to understand and prepare for future roles and responsibilities. As a next step, consideration must be given to the person’s next role. There may not always be the right follow-on role available for an employee who has completed a stretch assignment, however, there are other ways to keep them learning and to harness their new skills and experiences. 

Three ways to continue the development journey in the absence of an immediately suitable role:

Follow-Up Projects: Engage in subsequent projects that build on the skills and experiences gained. This can include cross-functional collaboration working on diverse projects to apply skills in different contexts.

Mentorship or Coaching: Work with a mentor or coach to actively work on any remaining development areas to smooth the way to a new role or promotion.

Networking: Actively facilitate networking with senior stakeholders to open doors to new roles and opportunities. This may include regular meetings with senior leaders or participation in senior leadership meetings. 

When effectively executed and supported, stretch assignments can serve as a catalyst for substantial growth, both for the individual and the organisation. The four essential elements to consider are embracing organisational change, selecting the appropriate stretch role, effectively preparing the employee, and acknowledging their efforts and the insights gained. This comprehensive approach maximises the benefits of learning through stretch assignments. It not only encourages personal development but also contributes to the overall success of the organisation, fostering an environment where continuous learning and adaptability are key.

Having explored the impactful nature of stretch assignments and the strategies for their successful implementation, it's vital to take the next step in advancing your leadership development. To deepen your understanding and enhance your capabilities, we encourage you to download our in-depth guide, '9 Key Experiences to Develop Future-Ready Leaders'.

Download your free copy now 

Not sure which key experience to dive into? Let fate decide! Spin the roulette and embrace the challenge that lands your way. It's a fun, exciting, and somewhat mysterious way to discover what your career might be missing.

Spin the Roulette

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Stretch Assignment

What Are Stretch Assignments?

Why are stretch assignments beneficial.

• Catalyzes growth. These dynamic projects or tasks are designed to propel employees out of their comfort zones and catapult them into the realm of professional growth. By taking on unfamiliar responsibilities, employees are exposed to fresh challenges and opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge. It's like strapping a rocket to their career trajectory.
• Supercharges engagement and motivation. We all know that engaged employees are the heart and soul of any thriving organization. Stretch assignments inject a much-needed dose of excitement and purpose into the work lives of your employees. By entrusting them with challenging projects, you're sending a clear message: We believe in you. Their commitment, initiative, and creativity skyrocket, resulting in a turbocharged organization firing on all cylinders.
• Builds confidence and resilience. Stretch assignments give employees the perfect training ground for building confidence and resilience. As they conquer challenges and complete demanding projects, their sense of accomplishment skyrockets, boosting confidence levels and fueling a can-do attitude. Plus, the resilience developed through stretch assignments equips employees to navigate change and uncertainty with ease, making them valuable assets to your organization.

Types of Stretch Assignments

The skill-building extravaganza, the cross-functional adventure, the project of epic proportions, the innovation challenge, the client-facing expedition, how to implement stretch assignments in the workplace, step 1: align assignments with development goals, step 2: provide support and resources, step 3: set clear objectives and expectations, step 4: recognize and celebrate achievements, challenges associated with stretch assignments, challenge 1: the comfort zone conundrum.

• Understand the employee's perspective. Recognize that employees may be hesitant to take on stretch assignments due to various reasons such as fear of failure, lack of confidence, or concerns about work-life balance. Take the time to listen and understand their concerns before addressing them.
• Communicate the value . Clearly explain how the assignment can enhance their skill or broaden their experience and highlight the positive impact it can have on their career trajectory.
• Provide support and resources. Assure employees that they will receive the necessary support, guidance, and resources to succeed in the stretch assignment. Offer training, mentorship, and coaching to help them build the skills and confidence required for the task. Reassure them that you are invested in their success.
• Set realistic expectations .Ensure that employees understand the expectations and scope of the stretch assignment. Clearly define the goals, deliverables, and timelines involved. Break down the assignment into manageable steps and provide a roadmap for success. This will help alleviate concerns and make the assignment less daunting.

Challenge 2: Time and Resource Crunch

Challenge 3: skills gaps, challenge 4: balancing act, challenge 5: ensuring equity, evaluation and reflection, assess progress and outcomes, support reflection, refine and improve.

Brandi M Fannell, Ph.D.

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Position Yourself for a Stretch Assignment

• Claudio Fernández-Aráoz

I once hired a McKinsey consultant into a country manager role in a developing region. Two years later, despite great success, he told me he wanted to find a job at another company in his home country. I could see he was motivated, and still eager to grow, so I pushed him to instead think […]

I once hired a McKinsey consultant into a country manager role in a developing region. Two years later, despite great success, he told me he wanted to find a job at another company in his home country. I could see he was motivated, and still eager to grow, so I pushed him to instead think about what larger global roles he could perform for his current employer. He did and was soon appointed to manage the company’s entire international business from headquarters. It was a stretch assignment for him, but one in which he has thrived.

• Claudio Fernández-Aráoz  is an advisor on Talent and Family Businesses, a frequent lecturer at Harvard Business School, and the author of  It’s Not the How or the What but the Who .

Partner Center

I’m a well-regarded planning technician in the Community Development Department of a mid-sized city.  I’ve been in my current position for three years and have mastered most of the technical aspects of my job.  I want to move up in my department but need exposure to other elements of planning, building, and development services, plus the opportunity to develop new knowledge and skills.

I believe that I have good potential, but I worry that others don’t see what I have to offer beyond my current position. 

So, how do I start?   Should I take some courses and workshops?  What do you suggest?

The fundamental question is, how do you accelerate your development.  The best way to accelerate your growth and development is through a series of stretching job assignments coupled with helpful and candid feedback or coaching.

What is a “stretch” assignment?

A University of Michigan School of Medicine paper provided the following definition:

“A stretch assignment is a project or task given to an employee which is beyond their current knowledge or skills level in order to ‘stretch’ the employee developmentally.  The stretch assignment challenges employees by placing them into uncomfortable situations in order that they learn and grow.”

What are the benefits of stretch assignments?

For employees, a successful stretch experience can

• Help you develop new technical and/or “soft” leadership skills.
• Provide new knowledge.
• Expose you to other areas of the department or other city services.
• Develop new relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Reshape other people’s perceptions of your capabilities.

For the organization, stretch assignments offer many benefits as well.  They provide

• Low-cost employee development. Stretch assignments cost little.
• Leadership “try-outs.” Special projects or team assignments can try out emerging leaders as formal or informal leaders.
• Succession development. Since a wave of baby-boomer professionals and managers are retiring from local government, organizations can’t wait for people to develop. We need to accelerate development now and identify possible successors.

What are some examples of stretch projects?

As a plan checker in the Community Development Department, a stretch assignment for you could be any of the following

• Participating in a department budget team.
• Researching new “green” development practices.
• Serving on a multidepartment team to develop a specific plan for a new growth area in the city.
• Evaluating with other staff members potential vendors of new software that tracks development applications and activities.
• Leading a small workgroup to identify best practices and make recommendations for a telework program or alternative work schedules for department staff.

What do I need to know about stretch opportunities?

Learn through doing. Both managers and their direct reports often believe that the best way to learn is to attend a workshop or class.  A seminar or class is an excellent way to develop a conceptual framework about new behavior, but it doesn’t create new behavior.  Only if you apply the material to your work does new behavior or authentic learning emerge.

Adults (as well as children) learn best through doing. A stretching job assignment immediately exposes you to new areas of knowledge and produces opportunities to learn new skills.  These kinds of special projects or team assignments accelerate your development if they are paired with feedback and coaching.  Constructive feedback helps you acknowledge mistakes or missteps and learn from them.

Seek the “sweet spot” of learning. When discussing a potential stretch assignment with your boss or others, seek the “sweet spot” of learning and development.  The sweet spot is when you have a 50-70% chance of success.  If your chance of success is only 40%, the project will tend to overwhelm you, and it will be too stressful.  With a 90% chance of success, the stretch project will be too easy, and you won’t learn anything new.

If a stretch assignment is in your sweet spot, you will be uncomfortable but not too uncomfortable.  Learning happens when you are uncomfortable but not overwhelmed or distressed.

Understand the ideal mix of development. The ideal mix of development is 70/20/10: 70% of your development activities should be learning through doing; 20% of your development should be getting coaching; and 10% should be classroom training or education.

Ensure adequate support. Before accepting a stretch assignment, you must ensure you have adequate support.  Adequate support comes in many varieties:

• Management support, such as the community development director communicating to department staff the importance of the project.
• Sufficient time for work on the project (this is a critical area of support).
• Any budget monies needed for the project.
• A good mix of people on your team if the project involves a workgroup.
• Someone in management who can help you overcome any obstacles that arise or otherwise provide guidance and feedback.
• Adequate decision-making authority within certain “guide-rails.”

Assuming you are offered a special project, you should negotiate adequate support before embarking on the project.

Ask key questions!  In her article " 15 Questions To Ask Before Accepting A Stretch Assignment " (Forbes. March 14, 2019) Jo Miller identified several themes, which include

Support from the top:  Always ensure that expectations are agreed on, and you have support from leadership. 

Work-life balance:  Work-life balance is important, especially in a career like local government that often requires after-hours investment of time. 

Is this something new?  When you take a stretch assignment, it's important that you stretch! If you're just adding more work of a similar level to your task list, that's only making more work. Make sure you're using new or different skills, or skills you want to brush up on, are meeting different people, or advancing the organization's goals beyond your usual scope. 

Keep one eye on the way forward:  If you set yourself up for success by answering all the questions in Jo's article, these assignments will be career-building. But, always ask if the investment if time will deliver a return, or otherwise "open more doors" in the paths ahead.

How do I secure a stretch assignment?

While your manager or another manager may approach you with a stretch project, don’t wait for someone to offer you the opportunity.  You must take charge of your own learning and career development.

Be on the lookout for opportunities

To seek out a stretch project, you must first ensure that you continue to handle your current job responsibilities successfully.  You won’t get new opportunities unless you are seen as a good performer in your current position.

Second, you must be on the lookout for new projects (and ask your colleagues to also be on the lookout for you).  Know the kinds of new challenges facing the city council, city manager, and the community development director, and keep your ears open for opportunities to participate as new initiatives begin to emerge.

Third, make it known that you’d like a stretch opportunity.  Have a development conversation with your supervisor and/or manager or other key managers inside and outside your department.  In a development conversation, you can discuss your career aspirations, new areas of knowledge or skills that you desire, new stretch assignments that may accelerate your development, and any support you may need.

Through these formal or informal development conversations, you want to “hook” the supervisor or manager on your development as an active supporter.  As part of the discussion, you should ask the manager to let you know of any new project opportunities.

Depending on your relationship, ask for the manager to “sponsor” or recommend you for the new team or project.

Ensure 2 + 1

To provide feedback as well as help in securing stretch opportunities, you must have support, especially from a formal or informal coach.

You should go beyond your immediate supervisor or manager who may serve as a coach.  The minimum number of coaches is 2 + 1.

For adequate coaching support, you need a formal or informal coach in your department who knows your work or the workings of the department.  You also need a coach in another city department who has a bigger picture view and a good feel for the organization and knows how things work.  These are the “2.”

In addition, you must have a coach outside the city organization who can provide advice and generally guide you.  That’s the “1.”

The coach outside your organization can suggest some involvements in professional associations in order to enhance your knowledge, skills, and network (see Career Compass #48 entitled “How Do I Benefit From a Coach?” ).

How do I maximize the stretch opportunity?

Here are some tips to leverage your stretch assignment:

1. Be an agile learner

Since you won’t be a subject-matter expert in your new assignment, be curious, ask questions, seek advice, and learn as you go.  For example, ask:

• Why is this special project important?
• What’s the “why” behind the effort?
• What do we all need to learn?
• What am I missing?
• What else should I consider?
• What would be a completely different approach for addressing the challenge?

2. Engage people in many conversations

Go out of your way to engage diverse people inside and outside the organization in conversation about the issue and the effort.  Listen and be open to the conversation.  By doing so, you will expand your perspectives and your network.

3. Try out new roles

As you engage in the project, try out some new roles.  For instance, if you are good at analysis, try out public speaking about the challenge and project (start in a safe environment).  Again, learning and skills-building happen when you get uncomfortable.

4. Leverage the assignment

Over-deliver if possible.  Over-delivering will get you future stretch projects and additional opportunities to learn and grow. 

(For other suggestions on how to maximize the stretch experience, see Jo Miller, “ 4 Ways To Execute a Stretch Assignment Like a Rock Star ,” forbes.com , Dec 16, 2017.)

A Catalyst for Growth

Stretch experiences coupled with helpful and candid feedback are catalysts for rapid career growth.  In addition to new learning, relationships and skills-building, stretching job assignments help people see you in a new light (see also Career Compass #52 entitled “Recasting My Rep ”).

These experiences shape other people’s perceptions of you that are more aligned with your potential and career aspirations. 

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Stretch Assignments that Develop Strategic, Interpersonal, and Personal Skills

Given that most development occurs through experience (McCall, Lombardo, & Morrison, 1988), stretch assignments can provide a great vehicle for driving employee learning and/or leadership development. Stretch assignments are essentially short-term projects or assignments that provide unique and challenging experiences for the purpose of developing employee/leader skills and abilities. Although the use of on-the-job development is clearly on the rise, it is often applied without consideration of the necessary planning and support mechanisms.

The first thing to keep in mind if you’re thinking about leveraging stretch assignments for developmental purposes is the common-sense notion that different stretch assignments develop different abilities (e.g., public speaking skills cannot be developed through writing policy statements or crunching numbers). Because of this, it is important to first identify the specific skill(s) to be developed. Once you have a list of skills, the next step is to identify the available assignments that provide relevant exposure. This article will help you with this first critical stage of using stretch assignments – that is, thinking about competencies and identifying assignments. Below is a list of stretch assignments that have been shown to develop competence in the following three areas: strategic skills, interpersonal skills, or personal effectiveness.

If you would like to share this list, check out our reference guide which contains the same information in a PDF format.

Strategic Skills

These assignments will help develop competencies related to expanding one’s awareness of organizational functions and strategy ( e.g., coping with ambiguous situations, gaining a strategic perspective, influencing others, working with customers, problem solving )

• Spend 3 days with clients and report back (presentation or written report)
• Conduct a customer-needs analysis
• Write a policy statement
• Interview external stakeholders about their opinions of the organization
• Analyze and compare a competitor’s product or service
• Put together a presentation for a senior employee (i.e., supervisor or manager)
• Evaluate a training program
• Join a cross-functional team
• Join work on a project that has been unsuccessful
• Put together a task-force to solve a tough problem
• Monitor a new product or service through its entire life cycle

Interpersonal Skills

These will help develop competencies that increase one’s effectiveness to work with and manage other employees or teams ( e.g., communication, listening, managing conflict, managing relationships, teamwork, negotiation, trust, approachability, delegation, leadership )

• Lead a team meeting
• Become a mentor to a new employee
• Train a new employee in a particular skill
• Represent team concerns to supervisor
• Join a team that’s dealing with conflict
• Negotiate a new customer contract
• Take responsibility in resolving a team conflict
• Troubleshoot a performance issue
• Become a campus recruiter
• Interview customers and report back
• Work with a peer on a developmental opportunity
• Delegate 2 tasks to a peer and ask him/her to delegate 2 to you

Personal Effectiveness

These are oriented around competencies most closely related to your performance and personal development ( e.g., organizing, planning, intellectual acumen, creativity, composure, time management, work/life balance, decision quality, customer service )

• Help launch a new product or service
• Re-launch a product or service that previously failed
• Learn a new tool, process, or approach and give a presentation on it
• Work with someone from another department on a tough issue
• Handle a difficult negotiation with an internal or external client
• Take on a project that others have failed in
• Write a press release
• Teach a seminar on an unfamiliar topic
• Create a customer satisfaction survey
• Take on a task that you do not like to do
• Take on an employee’s tasks who is on vacation
• Conduct interviews with employees on their work/life balance experience & present findings

Note: This list is informed by research presented in Lombardo & Eichinger’s (1989) book entitled “Eighty-eight assignments for development in place,” and Yost & Plunkett’s (2009) book entitled “Real time leadership development.” I highly recommend both books as resources for any organization that currently applies stretch assignments or plans to in the future.

Going Forward…

Going forward, keep in mind that this is only a single piece in effective use of stretch assignments for developmental purposes. There are a number of mechanisms that are critical for actually translating experience into learning and development. Employees who will be given stretch assignments need the active support ant participation of their supervisor before, during, and after:

• Before – to meet with the employee and discuss what skills to develop, then chose a stretch assignment and identify learning goals
• During – to give immediate feedback, support and encouragement, and provide access to resources (e.g., time to participate in assignments, introductions to other people who can provide guidance)
• After – to reflect and debrief on what was learned during the assignment and how that can be applied to their current job or future development

Happy Development!

– Scontrino-Powell

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What are stretch assignments and why should you care.

March 20, 2024

Delta International

stretch, assignments, why?, how

• 1.1. Benefits of Stretch Assignments
• 2.1. Tips for Completing Stretch Assignments

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Stretch Assignments

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Stretch assignments are challenging tasks that are designed to help employees develop new skills and grow in their careers. They are often given to employees who are ready for a challenge and who have the potential to learn and grow from the experience.

Stretch assignments can benefit employees in a number of ways. They can help employees to develop new skills, increase their confidence, and take on more responsibility. They can also help employees to see their own potential and to set ambitious goals for themselves.

In this article, we will discuss what stretch assignments are, why they are important, and how to create and complete them successfully. We will also provide tips for avoiding common mistakes with stretch assignments.

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Stretch Assignments: What Are They?

Stretch assignments are challenging tasks that are designed to help employees develop new skills and grow in their careers. They are often given to employees who are ready for a new challenge or who are looking to take on more responsibility.

Stretch assignments can be used to improve employee performance, increase employee engagement, and help employees achieve their career goals. They can also be used to identify high-potential employees and develop them into future leaders.

When creating stretch assignments, it is important to consider the employee's skills, experience, and interests. The assignment should be challenging, but it should also be achievable. It should also be relevant to the employee's current role and future goals.

Stretch assignments can be given to employees in a variety of ways. They can be assigned as part of the employee's regular work duties, they can be given as part of a special project, or they can be offered as part of a formal development program.

Image Source:  ccl.org

Benefits of Stretch Assignments

Stretch assignments offer a number of benefits for employees, including:

• Increased skill development
• Improved job performance
• Greater job satisfaction
• Increased career opportunities
• Enhanced motivation
• Greater sense of accomplishment

When employees are given the opportunity to stretch themselves and take on new challenges, they are more likely to develop new skills and knowledge. This can lead to improved job performance and greater career opportunities. Additionally, stretch assignments can help employees to feel more challenged and engaged in their work, which can lead to greater job satisfaction.

It is important to note that stretch assignments should be challenging, but not impossible. If an assignment is too difficult, it can lead to frustration and burnout. However, if an assignment is too easy, it will not provide the same benefits. The key is to find the right balance of challenge and difficulty.

How to Create Stretch Assignments

Stretch assignments can be a valuable tool for employee development, but it's important to create them in a way that is challenging and rewarding. Here are a few tips for creating stretch assignments:

• Start with the end in mind. What do you want the employee to learn or achieve from the assignment?
• Make sure the assignment is challenging, but not impossible. The employee should be stretched, but not overwhelmed.
• Provide the employee with the resources they need to be successful. This may include training, mentorship, or access to experts.
• Set clear expectations and deadlines. The employee should know what is expected of them and when they need to complete the assignment.
• Provide feedback throughout the process. This will help the employee stay on track and make sure they are meeting the expectations of the assignment.

By following these tips, you can create stretch assignments that will help your employees grow and develop in their careers.

Tips for Completing Stretch Assignments

Here are some tips for completing stretch assignments successfully:

• Set realistic goals for yourself.
• Break down the assignment into smaller, more manageable steps.
• Seek out support from your manager or colleagues.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
• Stay focused and motivated.
• Celebrate your successes, big and small.

While stretch assignments can be a valuable tool for employee development, there are some common mistakes that can be made when creating or assigning them. Avoiding these mistakes can help ensure that stretch assignments are effective and beneficial for employees.

Here are six common mistakes to avoid with stretch assignments:

• Not providing enough support
• Setting unrealistic expectations
• Micromanaging
• Failing to provide feedback
• Not recognizing success
• Creating a culture of fear

By avoiding these mistakes, you can help ensure that stretch assignments are a positive and productive experience for employees.

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Stretch assignments can be a valuable tool for employee development and growth. By providing employees with challenging opportunities, stretch assignments can help them to learn new skills, take on new challenges, and grow in their careers. When used effectively, stretch assignments can benefit both employees and employers.

If you are an employer, consider offering stretch assignments to your employees as a way to help them develop their skills and grow in their careers. If you are an employee, be open to taking on stretch assignments as a way to challenge yourself and learn new things.

Stretch assignments can be a great way to achieve your goals and reach your full potential.

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Stretch Roles: Why They Benefit Your Career and Why Women Aren’t Taking Them.

Research from Catalyst suggests that on-the-job experiences account for 70 percent of the most valuable career development tools for employees, compared to networking and mentoring (20 percent) and formal programs (10 percent. These on-the-job experiences include stretch assignments, or challenging projects in which an employee must develop new skills and improve their capabilities in order to be successful. Stretch assignments not only prepare employees for future managerial roles, they highlight high potentials and put them on the map for leadership consideration. According to the Catalyst report “ Good Intentions, Imperfect Execution? ”, of the high potentials they questioned, 62 percent claimed that obtaining stretch assignments was most favoring to their careers above any other factor.

However, the most interesting finding of the report is that men were more likely to land high-profile assignments than women, were staffed with three times as many employees as women, on projects with budgets twice the size of women’s project budgets.

Sponsorship is a key factor in securing stretch assignments Lack of sponsorship is a crucial factor that could be preventing women from attaining high-profile assignments, and ultimately advancing to executive board positions, which stems from a societal fear of rumor and scandal. According to Sylvia Ann Hewett in an article published on the HBR Blog Network, “Women suffer a disproportionate amount of damage in the fallout from illicit relationships between a male boss and a female subordinate.” The fear of even be suspected of an improper relationship prevents 64 percent of executive men and 50 percent of junior females from seeking out private encounters, let alone a sponsorship relationship.

Unwillingness to ask for help could also be a culprit here. “Women fear rejection more than men in this area. They often feel it’s ‘pushy’ to ask [for help] as though they are saying I can’t do it myself ,” said Judith Glaser, CEO of Benchmark Communications, Inc. and Chairman of The Creating WE Institute. Understanding that gaining sponsorship attributes to 70 percent of your overall career advancement (by opening up opportunities for on-the-job experiences) may help alleviate some uneasiness of coming off vulnerable or incompetent. “Climbing alone is not an option anymore,” reminded Glaser.

Choosing the Right Sponsor to Elevate Your Potential When seeking out a sponsor, research is important. Identify leaders with credibility and influence, and don’t shy away from male sponsors. Present yourself as a talented, capable employee, and look for a sponsor who values the contributions you have made in your career thus far.

The best sponsor is a member of leadership who not only provides you with valuable information to increase your skills, but works as an advocate for your advancement in meetings and other situations where you are not present. According to the HBR Blog Network article “ The Real Benefit of Finding a Sponsor, ” a sponsor should do two or more of the following:

• Heighten your knowledge and skill level
• Foster connections (both inside and outside of the company)
• Boost your visibility
• Advocate on your behalf at meetings
• Direct you to opportunities (such as stretch assignments)

“Sponsors bring a telescopic view into what’s going on in the organization and they can spot places where you should get involved,” said Glaser. The perspective, support, and leeway that a sponsor provides is crucial to opening doors in the face of competition. Catalyst found that 44 percent of high potentials described the relationships they developed with important staff members as the number one reason for their success, and quite possibly their courage. According to the report, 43 percent of men and 36 percent of women will even ask for a stretch assignment without a sponsor, compared to 56 percent of men and 44 percent of women with sponsors.

Things to consider before asking for a stretch assignment The key to truly benefiting from a stretch role is to make sure it is the right assignment for your career aspirations. Establish your goals with your sponsor so they can help you identify the right path to get you there. A good sponsor will be able to help you pinpoint and land an assignment with the same risk, visibility, and need as the high profile assignments men are more likely to win.

Is there need? Before requesting an assignment, take a good long look at your company and find where its needs are. “Identify issues in the company needing special attention or extra effort. Spot a place where you see you can step up,” suggested Glaser. “Have a conversation with your boss and let them know you want to get involved in working on a challenging assignment,” she added. Don’t be afraid to pursue an assignment in a department that is not your home department. In fact, “stretching” yourself to work on assignments across departments is a great way to prove to management how serious you are about the company, how much you are capable of, and how useful you can be. “Show that you are open and want to help the company grow, or you want to put extra time into an important project where talent has not yet been assigned,” said Glaser

Does it have enough risk? According to areport article on HBR Blog Network, “ Positioning Yourself for a Stretch Assignment ,” the best assignments have a 50 percent to 70 percent chance of success. You should be prepared to work very hard while on this assignment. The real value of a stretch role comes from being forced to pick up new skills quickly and demonstrate your abilities in order to succeed.

Does it have enough visibility? Besides developing your skills and capabilities, stretch assignments are meant to put you on the spotlight in the eyes of leadership. Make sure that the project you are pursuing will get you noticed by the right people, otherwise it might not have as much of a positive impact on your career advancement as you initially hoped.

Warm-Up Stretch You may be able to start with a small or short-term stretch assignment without approval at first. Not only would this give you a better idea of whether you have what it takes to pursue a more challenging assignment, it will begin to spark interest from potential sponsors, if you don’t already have one. After all, a sponsor will only advocate for you if they can identify you as a high potential. Taking on smaller projects demonstrates initiative, passion, and a simultaneous attention to detail and the broader scope of your company’s long-term goals as well as your own.

“Push yourself to think ahead about what you want to accomplish and what you aspire toward,” said Glaser. “This primes your brain to stretch.”

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André Tourigny named Team Canada coach for men’s world championships

Hockey Canada named André Tourigny its coach for the upcoming IIHF World Championship in Czechia next month.

Tourigny accepted the assignment amid a chaotic and hectic stretch that saw him suddenly switch NHL cities. He had been coaching the Arizona Coyotes for the past three seasons, but earlier this month, the NHL’s board of governors approved a plan that would see all of Arizona’s hockey-related personnel move to Utah for the upcoming season.

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Tourigny will be joined by assistant coaches Dean Evason, Jay Woodcroft and Steve Ott for the tournament.

When asked by The Athletic if he considered passing on this opportunity given the tumultuous state of things on the NHL side, Tourigny said he simply jumped on the invitation from Team Canada without any hesitation.

“They asked me if I wanted to think about it. And my answer was, ‘I’ve thought about it. I’m in,'” Tourigny said. “It’s such a privilege and an honor to be the national coach of your team. Every time I have a chance to be in an environment where I have a chance to win, a chance to compete for a championship, you don’t pass on that.”

Mammoth? Yetis? Ranking 8 possible names for Utah NHL's team

The 49-year-old Tourigny guided Canada to a gold medal as the coach in last year’s event staged in Tampere, Finland. Team Canada captured gold with a 5-2 win over Germany, capping off a run in which they outscored their opposition 13-4 in the knockout stage.

“Last year was the proof for me that commitment is stronger than anything else,” Tourigny said. “We’re extremely proud of that team, extremely proud of the leadership and the way we played in that tournament. We want to build on that and carry on.”

Last year’s roster for Team Canada included a handful of solid NHL players such as Mackenzie Weegar, Tyler Toffoli and Scott Laughton , but did not include any legitimate superstar power. That is expected to change for this year’s tournament, considering it could be an opportunity for players to get on the radar for upcoming best-on-best tournaments such as the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics. Team USA’s initial roster of 15 players for next month’s IIHF event includes bigger names like Johnny Gaudreau , Dylan Larkin , Brady Tkachuk , Cole Caufield , Trevor Zegras and Zach Werenski .

It’s expected Team Canada’s roster could feature a handful of prominent young stars who are hoping to use the event to springboard their way into roles for those upcoming tournaments.

“For Canada, there’s a lot of good players and at some point, there will be a really tough decision to make for the 4 Nations and the Olympics ,” said Tourigny. “It’s not my job as coach to pick the team, but we believe that when a player has familiarity with the program, it helps down the road. It can help create a familiarity and that can be an advantage down the road.”

In his three seasons as head coach of the Coyotes, Tourigny has compiled an 89-131-36 record in 246 games for a .415 points percentage. But the club has improved its win total in each season under Tourigny’s guidance and finished the 2023-24 NHL campaign with 36 wins and a .470 points percentage.

Required reading

• André Tourigny’s lifetime of labour shines as Canada’s world junior coach

(Photo: Chris Gardner / Getty Images)

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Ian Mendes is a senior writer covering the NHL. Prior to joining The Athletic in 2021, he spent seven years as an afternoon talk show host for TSN 1200 in Ottawa and as a contributing writer for TSN.ca. He also worked as a television reporter and host with Rogers Sportsnet for 12 years and has served as a feature columnist for both The Ottawa Citizen and Today’s Parent magazine. Follow Ian on Twitter @ ian_mendes

Cubs sweep Astros at Wrigley Field while battling injury bug

Manager craig counsell and pitching coach tommy hottovy provided injury updates for seiya suzuki, justin steele and kyle hendricks this week..

Nico Hoerner #2, Pete Crow-Armstrong #52 and Nick Madrigal #1 of the Chicago Cubs celebrate after defeating the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field on April 25, 2024, in Chicago.

Michael Reaves/Getty

On deck: Cubs at Red Sox

• Friday: Shota Imanaga (3-0, 0.84) vs. Kutter Crawford (1-0, 0.66), 6:10, Marquee, 670-AM.
• Saturday: TBD vs. Josh Winckowski (1-1, 4.20), 3:10, Marquee, 670-AM.
• Sunday: Jordan Wicks (1-2, 4.70) vs. Tanner Houck (3-2, 1.65), 6:10, ESPN, 670-AM.

The Cubs have battled a rash of injuries early in the season, but they improved to 16-9 with a 3-1 victory Thursday against the cellar-dwelling Astros.

Even with two of their best hitters in Seiya Suzuki (strained right oblique) and Cody Bellinger (fractured right rib), two starting pitchers in Justin Steele (strained left hamstring) and Kyle Hendricks (strained lower back) and two reliable relievers in Julian Merryweather (rib stress fracture) and Drew Smyly (right hip impingement) sidelined for most or all of the three-game series, the Cubs swept the Astros to kick off a stretch of 16 games in as many days.

Several of those injured players have made good progress in their recoveries this week.

Suzuki went through agility drills before the game Thursday. Set up in the middle of a pattern of cones in left field, he drop-stepped and took off running, as if chasing down a fly ball.

“Seiya’s doing great,” manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday.

Suzuki continued to run through baseball activities this week, including hitting — which he started Monday — and throwing, Counsell said. He’ll keep ramping up in this stage of his rehab through the Cubs’ week-long trip to Boston and New York, which begins Friday.

• Cubs top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong hits go-ahead home run vs. Astros for first major-league hit

“We should be in a pretty good place once we get through that road trip in terms of starting to talk about going to play,” Counsell said.

Steele is still set to appear in extended-spring game action Friday in Arizona. He is scheduled to throw about three innings, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said.

“Hopefully, we’re starting his five-day rotation from this point on,” Hottovy said. “We obviously know we have some days where we can give him that flexibility, but it’ll be good to see him compete and start facing some hitters again, get into some game-type atmosphere.”

Hendricks is targeting this weekend in Boston to throw off a mound, testing his back with “high-intent” throws. If he comes out of that session OK, the Cubs will start to plan out when he’ll go on a minor-league rehab assignment, Hottovy said.

“We don’t want to rush anything,” Hottovy said. “But we also want to make sure we’re working on the things that he wants to work on, that we need to work on, to continue to help him progress as the season goes on.”

Chicago Cubs Get Positive Update On Ace With Rehab Assignment Looming

There isn't a return date set yet for the Chicago Cubs' ace, but they continue to get positive news as he works his way back.

• Author: Brad Wakai

In this story:

The Chicago Cubs are coming off a disappointing series split against the Miami Marlins over the weekend where they continued to have pitching issues. Yet, despite those problems, they hold a record of 13-9 and are two games back from the NL Central lead.

They'll need to figure out what is going on with their pitching staff soon, though, as they enter the toughest stretch of their schedule to date.

Even with Jameson Taillon back, who gave them a good start in his debut , there are some major question marks about the viability of others behind Shota Imanaga .

Losing Justin Steele on Opening Day didn't help things, and once he returns, the profile of this starting unit should be bolstered.

However, the question is when the Cubs might get their ace back.

They continue to get good news as the left-hander progresses through his rehab. He just cleared an important hurdle on Sunday when he threw a live batting practice session. Craig Counsell said that Steele will get his next action in a game-like-setting on April 26.

If everything goes well, then they will move him to a rehab assignment.

Based on this timeline, it's unlikely that Chicago will have their ace back before May.

Their upcoming schedule to close out April is facing the surprisingly poor Houston Astros with a 7-16 record, the 13-10 Boston Red Sox , and starting their four-game series against the surging New York Mets .

The Cubs are hoping that Steele will be back at some point against the Mets, but if not, they definitely need him back when they face their division rival Milwaukee Brewers for three games at home starting May 3.

Whenever their ace returns, Chicago will have plenty of questions that need answering regarding who should be getting spots in this rotation moving forward.

But for now, they're just hoping that the news surrounding Steele's recovery continues to be positive.

Latest Cubs News

Cubs Get Catcher in Latest Mock Draft

Cubs Have Interesting Advantage Over Other Teams

Cubs Manager Concerned With Third Baseman's Injury

Cubs Slugger In Danger of Missing Opening Day

Eduardo Rodriguez Removed From Start With Apparent Injury

• Cubs To Place Cody Bellinger On IL With Fractured Rib, Recall Pete Crow-Armstrong
• Giants Place Blake Snell On Injured List Due To Adductor Strain
• Cardinals Option Jordan Walker
• Triston Casas Facing Notable Absence Due To Rib Fracture

Report: Cubs To Designate Garrett Cooper For Assignment

• Orioles Promote Heston Kjerstad
• Hoops Rumors
• Pro Football Rumors
• Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

By Darragh McDonald | April 23, 2024 at 3:20pm CDT

The Cubs are going to designate first baseman Garrett Cooper for assignment, per Robert Murray of FanSided . It appears he will be the corresponding move for Matt Mervis , as Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports that Mervis is being called up.

The transaction comes as a surprise, since Cooper has generally been playing well. He signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in the offseason and made the Opening Day roster. Since then, he’s hit .270/.341/.432 for a wRC+ of 118.

Despite that strong surface-level production, there are also some concerning elements under the hood. Cooper has struck out at a 31.7% clip so far this year, a few ticks above his career rate, which was already a bit above average. He also has an unsustainable .391 batting average on balls in play, well above the .290 league average.

Beyond Cooper’s performance, it seems that Mervis may have just forced the club into making a move. He had huge amounts of helium in 2022, despite landing with the Cubs as an undrafted free agent. The pandemic led to the 2020 draft being shortened to just five rounds and Mervis wasn’t selected, leading to him signing with the Cubs afterwards.

Despite being somewhat overlooked at that time, he shot onto everyone’s radar in 2022, going from High-A to Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .309/.379/.605 that year. That led to his first taste of the majors last season, though he hit just .167/.242/.289 in his first 99 big league plate appearances. He still hit well in Triple-A last year and is off to a strong start here in 2024. He has five home runs in 82 plate appearances this year and is drawing walks at a 14.6% clip, leading to a line of .288/.402/.606 and a 151 wRC+.

Perhaps the club couldn’t ignore that performance any longer, but handedness may have also played a role. The Cubs as a team are hitting .284/.361/.506 against lefties for a 140 wRC+, second only to the Guardians. But against righties, their collective batting line is .236/.317/.381, which leads to a 97 wRC+ that’s 17th in the league.

Cooper hits from the right side and has been better against lefties in his career, but only modestly. He’s hit .285/.337/.475 against southpaws and .263/.337/.420 otherwise, leading to respective wRC+ counts of 119 and 108. Swapping in Mervis could perhaps give them a bump against right-handed pitchers since he hits from the left side.

The Cubs could have perhaps bumped someone else off the roster in favor of Mervis, such as Patrick Wisdom or Nick Madrigal , but those two offer a bit more defensively. Cooper is only really viable at first base, since his brief time in the outfield corners has yielded poor results. Madrigal and Wisdom can each play third while the latter has some outfield ability as well.

There will now be a week for the Cubs to line up a trade for Cooper or pass him through waivers. It seems fair to expect that there will be interest, based both on his performance so far this year and his track record. He hit .274/.350/.444 for the Marlins from 2019 to 2022, leading to a wRC+ of 117 in that stretch. He struggled to stay healthy in that time and then slumped last year, but he seems to be in good form so far this season.

The Red Sox are going to be without their primary first baseman for a while, as Triston Casas has been diagnosed with a fractured rib . The Astros are getting dismal production from José Abreu thus far. The same goes for the White Sox and Andrew Vaughn , the Twins and Carlos Santana and others. Given all of those different situations, the Cubs will likely be fielding calls about Cooper in the coming days.

81 Comments

Padres reunion?

Wouldn’t be the worst move the Pads could make as the offense needs help. But they just picked up Donovan Solano (who bats R) and if they’re planning to add another bat, likely to be a L. But then that would block Pauley. Probably not in the cards for a Pads reunion.

I had him on my early list to resign but I wouldn’t trade anything of any value for him. I’d give up a warm body or “cash considerations” and I’d sign him to league minimum but that is all.

Padres only 1/2 game back of Dodgers at this point in the season. – how bout that Tow!

Don’t think any of us would have thought that!

Exactly. I’m thinking PTBNL. I’d like so see him come in and get the majority of 1B/DH AB’s against lefties. Crone can start against righties, and move around the IF when guys need a rest. There are plenty of AB’s to go around

An opportunity for the Astros if they decide they’ve had enough of Abreu or Singleton

Cooper would be an automatic upgrade over both, but since the Astros won’t cut Abreu yet because of money owed, they need to cut Singleton immediately and sign Cooper.

Cooper and/or Belt are options. I don’t see them giving up on Abreu just yet.

774 OPS. Seems odd.

Cooper was growing on me too. Now the only RH 1B the cubs have is Patrick Wisdom 😐

I am not a fan of Wisdom, would rather keep Cooper even if his numbers aren’t sustainable. Wisdom is only good for a 40% strikeout rate these days…

Cooper struck out 31%, and Wisdom can hit homers while playing 1B or 3B.

wisdom sucks defensively, plus even his homers don’t make up for it…hes not good

Someone beat me to it, Astros need to sign Cooper and designate Singleton. Abreu being cut would be next.

Still productive. An interesting DFA. They’ll certainly find a trade market.

I’m guessing this is a vote of confidence for Canario.

With Suzuki on the IL and Happ on the sidelines, they need to keep Canario for the OF.

Except Happ isn’t on the sidelines anymore.

I mean..He was available to every team in the offseason, and didn’t sign till late. If by trade market, you mean you’d be expecting more than an A ball prospect, or a PTBNL, then I find that doubtful.

Good OBP. Hard to imagine he won’t get claimed. Odd decision by the Cubs.

Not really. Cooper’s role (1B against lefties, occasional corner OF or DH, bench bat) is one that can be covered well enough by Wisdom/Canario. And while his results have been fine, Cooper hasn’t looked great at the plate by the eye test lately.

They are also bringing up Mervis hoping for a boost to the offense and you can’t carry four guys whose primary position is 1B.

Except Wisdom is terrible. Just seems to be an odd move as an outsider, but it’s not like he’s mashing either.

Cooper is better than Wisdom

Should’ve cut Whiffdom.

What’s Carrett Gooper doing in the Impact Zone?!?!

Mervis getting called up again, perhaps? I liked Cooper, so this better be why.

That’s literally what’s happening. Nervis up, Cooper out

They have Bellinger, but he’s a lefty too. Wisdom is not terrible, Just awful.

Us Wisdom truthers will always have that magical first half of 2021

That magical first half of 2021 is looking rather distant these days, especially with how awful Wisdom has been now.

Hasn’t he just been in like 2 games this season?

Cooper was an upgrade over Wisdom. This is just bad roster management, But not completely unexpected. Wisdom is Hoyers illegitimate son. Maybe?

Not a huge Wisdom fan but he is serviceable at 1B, 3B and OF as well as DH.

As a RS fan, I’d be interested in acquiring Wisdom, depending on how long Casas is out for.

Some stale hot dog buns and warm six pack of Old Milwaukee Beer gets it done for me.

Leave your love life out of this

It’s Old Styles not Milwaukee…

No San Diego you’re wrong. There was a beer called Old Milwaukee which eventually became Milwaukees Best and then Red, White and Blue I believe. Then after they killed like 5 homeless guys I think they stopped making it. And it’s Old Style and Hamms were the beers of my youth. I remember thinking the definition of desperation was when I saw a guy come in and buy a 6 pack of Milwaukees Best and paid with a check. It was less than 2 bucks. I found out later from the clerk at the liquor store it bounced.

His 40%K rate will change your mind.

I think we can all agree that while much of the world is going the hell, beer selection and quality (especially microbrewed) has never been better than it is today. Cheers

Thanks for the nugget of knowledge! Imma gonna be the real smarta$$ Padres fan correcting Cubbie fans!

I loved the story! Bounced a $2 check for some Beast.

Wisdom should absolutely not be in the OF fir any reason. I’d rather see Travis Wood out in LF over Wisdom.

Wisdom generates a lot of wind speed at the plate

He could bring a breeze into Tropicana Field. Lol. Or Wrigley North or any stadium with a retractable roof.

Think better

Mervis in the service

These rhymes unnerve us.

Wisdom should be gone!

Cooper had more value, so I am puzzled!

Power numbers

No, Wisdom really has no value at all now.

This is a team that wants to win the division and Cooper offers a lot more than Wisdom.

Busch handles 1b, Mervis does the backup there.

Wisdom can pinch hit and play various positions unlike Cooper. That was likely the thought process

This is why Counsel will never win anything. He gets it in his head that he doesn’t like someone. He won’t give a player a fair shot. Got rid of Cooper when he was a Brewer too.

GIVE THIS MID-30s VET A FAIR SHOT!

That’s Benedict Counsell at his best! Enjoy the high priced mismanagement Cub fans, it’s going to be a long season.

Except for the fact that the Cubs are winning and they haven’t even really been playing well yet. Their overall defense has been less than stellar and their starting pitching has been horrible at best. Is Verdad? So get ready to see improvement and now that 2 of the weak pitching links are gone it will probably be sooner than later.

Keep drinking the Kool-Aid. Let me know if you are still a CC believer after his time ends in Chicago with zero titles to show for it.

Mets should get rid of Short and make room for Cooper, we have no true DH right now. DJ Stewart just isn’t cutting it but I’d like to keep him as a bat off the bench until Martinez is called up

The best part of this move is that it is an indicator that Mervis coming up (been online for the last 5 hours) is that it is probably NOT Happ going to the IL.

Now, the mystery of Wesneski being recalled remains out there. He can only be recalled due to injury so it is really Hendricks or is there a hidden injury to someone (Alzolay, Neris, Brewer, etc) that we don’t know about.

Red Sox to cover for Casas?

Cooper vs Wisdom

Wisdom can play more positions, has more pure power, but comes with low average and high K rate

Cooper plays 1b only and spotty OF, but can be counted on more to get bat on ball, but lacks power.

Cubs had too many 1Bs and should look to move Wisdom as well,

Except Wisdom plays four positions, not just first base.

I thought Cooper was doing fine – but I understand what they’re thinking. Cooper could be hitting cleanup for the Chisox. I hope they can get a nice lottery ticket for him. I’m so glad Mervis is getting another shot. If Morel continues to struggle offensively, Mervis bat could potentially pay dividends. I’m anxious to see how this plays out.

note I said: Cooper vs Wisdom

Wisdom can play more positions…which states more than 1 (more than cooper which was meant here)

The 1b comment at the end was about Cooper

If you properly structured your sentence, you could have avoided your entire response.

12 hours ago

seriously? I referenced cooper as a 1b not wisdom therefore referencing that last sentence to 1b was an obvious reference to cooper since I mentioned only him being a 1b.

Matt Mervis to replace Cooper on roster, Wisdom you next.

Ultimately it boils down to Cooper not having a future for the Cubs where Mervis potentially does. Whether or not Cooper is a better hitter than Wisdom is irrelevant, Cooper cannot play the positions Wisdom can. When the time comes for the Cubs to take a look at Vazquez, then Madrigal and Wisdom need to worry. Vazquez is a guy who can truly play the super utility role and I’m a little surprised he isn’t bouncing around the diamond in AAA right now.

More importantly Dras, the important time is when Matt Shaw solves the third base issue, making all of Madrigal, Wisdom and Morel irrelevant. Probably not quite quick enough, but I’m hoping.

You’re not wrong and Shaw has only played third base in AA. I could easily see him making the jump straight form the Smokies to Chicago if we don’t get more production out of third base.

I was just looking at role for role swaps, Vazquez can fill the Wisdom and/or Madrigal role as a guy who can play multiple positions and a guy who I think mostly projects as a utility/bench player. Madrigal, IMO, should always have a role as a bench player due to his contact skills.

I fully understand that Shaw is a good calendar year away and agree with you about Vazquez.

I just hope the hole at third base is addressed because I think this team can contend deep into the season.

And nice to see Busch bat ahead of Morel tonight.

And to see Hoerner at the top with Happ hitting second (and in the lineup)

Ans Swanson dropped down in the order. He’s been lost at the plate.

Only thing is, Shaw doesn’t have the arm to play 3rd. Yes, I know he was a shortstop. But scouts told me he had a fringy arm & would need to move to 2nd base. But due to Hoerner & Swanson, where else is he going to play? I do believe in the kid’s bat, though. He can really hit!

This doesn’t make much sense. It basically creates a “platoon” of first basemen who both bat from the left side. Not only that, but Cooper had been playing well, and he is a veteran. You’d think a vet would be preferred over someone with such a small amount of experience on a contending team..

Future Red Sox 1B

Come on A’s! Surprise us all and sign this obvious fit

I knew at some point a team that signed Carlos Santana to be their starting 1B would roll snake eyes, and it would appear that’s MIL. Things not looking so bleak these days for Brandon Belt, but buyer beware there as he’s got bad knees and is not an everyday option at this point.

You mean MIN.

MIL passed on Santana after renting him at the back end of last year. He was OK, and certainly better than Rowdy,but a good decision to move on.

Before anyone dumps on the Cubs for this move, you may want to wait to see how long before Cooper goes on the IL with his next team. The Cubs may know something.

I for one hope that the Marlins do not give Cooper a call once he passes through waivers. I kind of knew that his career would end soon after the Marlins brass stopped being the organzation that gave this guy job security for so many years.

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Atlas, a Humanoid Robot From Boston Dynamics, Is Leaping Into Retirement

It has been replaced by a new model, which will be used in automotive manufacturing. A farewell video featured the old machine running outdoors, performing back flips and awkwardly shimmying.

By Johnny Diaz

Atlas, the humanoid robot that dazzled followers for more than a decade with its outdoor running, awkward dancing and acrobatic back flips, has powered down. In other words, it is retiring.

On Wednesday, Boston Dynamics, the company that created it, announced the arrival of the next generation of humanoid robots — a fully electric robot (also named Atlas) for real-world commercial and industrial applications.

For anyone worried about what would happen to the hydraulic bipedal machine (a robot home? the junkyard? a window display?) that was created for research purposes, the company had an answer. A spokesman, Nikolas Noel, said that retirement would mean that the Atlas would move to its “robot retirement home,” which is to say that it would be “sitting in our office lobby museum” with other decommissioned robots.

The old Atlas was used to research full-body mobility and to explore what was possible in robotics, Mr. Noel said. It was not designed for commercial use and was first developed as part of a competition to further the use of robots “in future natural and man-made disasters,” according to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Pentagon.

“For almost a decade, Atlas has sparked our imagination, inspired the next generations of roboticists and leapt over technical barriers in the field,” Boston Dynamics said in a farewell video posted on social media on Tuesday.

“Now it’s time for our hydraulic Atlas robot to kick back and relax,” the company said.

The company’s farewell video captured the brawny 6-foot-2 machine in action over the years. That included taking a stroll in a grassy field, leaping on boxes (or picking up 10-pound ones), carefully walking on a rock bed and awkwardly shimmying.

But the video also featured some mishaps, including the robot’s frequent stumbles such as falling over on platforms, rolling down a hill and leaking hydraulic fluid from its leg inside a lab.

The new model has a big round head that spins completely around, is leaner and can nimbly rise from a horizontal position to a bipedal stance in seconds. Its hips appear to be reversible, so it might be better than us at some yoga poses.

The company’s commercial models include Spot, an agile four-legged robot, and Stretch, an elongated warehouse platform.

“The new Atlas builds on decades of research and furthers our commitment to delivering the most capable, useful mobile robots solving the toughest challenges in industry today: with Spot, with Stretch, and now with Atlas,” the company wrote in a video post introducing the new robot .

The new model will be used to build “the next generation of automotive manufacturing capabilities” with Hyundai Motor Company, which owns Boston Dynamics.

The original Atlas made its public debut in 2013 in Waltham, Mass., where Boston Dynamics is based, after it received initial funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The company was awarded a $10.8 million contract to work with the agency on developing Atlas for the D.A.R.P.A. Robotics Challenge.

There were seven updated Atlases, each of which was made from aircraft-grade aluminum and titanium and weighed 330 pounds. They were then used as base models by teams competing for a $2 million prize in the challenge. But the final challenge was won by a Korean team that built a robot that could kneel and roll around on wheels as it performed tasks.

During its training, researchers were tough on the Atlas, even hurling weights at it to see how well it responded and adapted to challenges inside and outside the lab.

Johnny Diaz is a general assignment reporter covering breaking news. He previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel and The Boston Globe. More about Johnny Diaz

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2024 NFL Draft: Best available players for Day 2

They didn't hear their names called Thursday night in Round 1 of the NFL Draft. For some, it was a disappointing surprise. For others, Friday evening's Rounds 2 and 3 is where they expected to land.

Here's a look at the best available players, grouped by position, based off of Nate Tice's Top 100 big board of draft prospects and analysis: Trey

Quarterback

Spencer rattler , south carolina.

A team with an established starter and a good offensive coach looking for a dart throw to find a replacement in the mid-future (say, the Rams) could be a good fit.

Wide receivers

Adonai mitchell , texas.

In the red zone Mitchell is so dangerous when paired with his ability to pick up speed and jump out of the gym (11-4 broad jump and a 4.34 40-yard dash at the combine).

Keon Coleman, Florida State

An outside wide receiver who may lack a few limbs on his route tree but makes up for it with his ability to finish alley-oops and adjust for throws all around his body.

Ladd McConkey , Georgia

He is another player with limitations to be a true No. 1, but McConkey has all the makings of a third-down target monster who can create explosive plays at the underneath and intermediate levels.

Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington

Polk might not have true No. 1 option upside, but he can carve out a role in a lot of different types of offenses as a No. 2 option and become a reliable target-eater no matter what’s asked of him.

Troy Franklin , Oregon

Franklin is a good route runner with long speed and will snatch throws from all angles that can help him in contested catch situations and in the red zone.

Jalen McMillan , Washington

McMillan won’t make a ton of defenders miss, but has some YAC ability as a defender splitter who can plant his foot and get upfield.

Roman Wilson , Michigan

Wilson has average size and might not be the best downfield threat, but he will be a nice secondary option in the intermediate and underneath areas.

Malachi Corley , Western Kentucky

Corley can create explosive plays with the ball in his hands and has good strength.

Johnny Wilson , Florida State

He can be frustrating, but I am bullish on Wilson’s 6-6 size and fluid athleticism, with flashes of feel for playing WR.

Running backs

Trey benson , florida state.

Ideally he’d be with another back to eat some touches, but Benson has good vision, footwork and big-play ability, and shows off good hands in his limited exposure as a pass catcher.

Audric Estime , Notre Dame

Estime is a bit of a finesse back in a bigger body, but still consistently runs through contact and shows off good feel and tempo for when to plant his foot and get north through the hole.

Jonathon Brooks , Texas

Brooks has adequate size and is coming off an ACL injury, but he is a smooth athlete with good vision, balance, hands and could be a strong part of a 1-2 punch at the next level.

Braelon Allen , Wisconsin

Allen does not have home run speed, but he's more than the Wisconsin stereotype of lumbering, oversized tailback.

Blake Corum , Michigan

Corum doesn’t have ideal height, but he has a stout build and is a strong runner between the tackles with tempo and vision that are best used in gap scheme runs.

Bucky Irving , Oregon

Irving is undersized and just an adequate athlete, but he knows how to set up his runs and keep hitting singles and doubles with his good vision and footwork.

MarShawn Lloyd , USC

Overall Lloyd looks like a solid three-down back who can contribute in different schemes.

Ray Davis, Kentucky

Davis is not explosive and is more of a singles hitter, which limits his upside, but he can be a nice member of a committee.

Offensive linemen

Kingsley suamataia , ot, byu.

Suamataia’s play is inconsistent, his footwork can get out of whack and he can be all over the place with his hands but he is a good athlete who can move like a much smaller player with plenty of pop to his hands when he strikes defenders, and he just turned 21 in January.

Jackson Powers-Johnson, C/G, Oregon

The 2023 season was Powers-Johnson’s first full-time experience at center (he also has starting experience at guard and even defensive tackle), and while there are still moments of rawness, he's explosive and powerful and plays with an infectious style.

Christian Haynes , OG, Connecticut

Haynes’ movement in the run game, intelligence and ability to hold up against better athletes as a pass protector make him a classy guard prospect.

Patrick Paul , OT, Houston

Paul can wallop defenders when he has everything working in the right direction and has real strength to go along with his long arms, but he is going to need consistent coaching and a plan at the next level to focus his ability and reach his high ceiling.

Zach Frazier , C, West Virginia

Longer defenders will give Frazier issues at the next level, but Frazier’s high-energy, polished and tenacious style will make for an exhausting day for whoever goes across him on Sundays.

Cooper Beebe , OG/C, Kansas State

Beebe is a strong interior lineman who consistently stays square to his blocking assignment because of his awareness, athleticism and quickness.

Dominick Puni , OG, Kansas

Puni has good size, solid length and is a better run blocker than pass blocker because of his lack of overwhelming athleticism.

Kiran Amegadjie , OT, Yale

Amegadjie is a complete mystery box of a player coming from the Ivy League, yet it is easy to see why he is so intriguing when you see his excellent combination of size and athleticism.

Christian Mahogany , OG, Boston College

Mahogany is a run-first guard who can wipe out a defensive tackle but is average as a pass protector.

Sedrick Van Pran , C, Georgia

Van Pran is a solid center-only prospect whose experience can help him start on Day 1; he is feisty with good technique and size, but has limited athleticism and length.

Blake Fisher , OT, Notre Dame

Fisher, who improved in the 2023 season, has a great frame, plenty of athleticism and foot quickness to hang at offensive tackle.

Roger Rosengarten , OT, Washington

Rosengarten needs to get stronger to take on a starting role, but his size, solid length and athleticism give him a chance.

Isaiah Adams , OG, Illinois

Adams plays with strength and smarts that can bury defenders if he latches his hands into them.

Zak Zinter , OG, Michigan

Zinter is coming back from a late-season leg injury and has just average strength, but Zinter’s film isn’t littered with many bad plays and he knows how to accomplish his task.

Theo Johnson , Penn State

Johnson has legitimate upside as an in-line tight end, but he can actually stretch the field as a pass catcher with how smooth of an athlete he is in such a large frame.

Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas

Sanders is a receiving tight end who will have to be moved around the formation to maximize him.

AJ Barner , Michigan

Barner is a good blocker with good technique, strength and ability to bend and stay on his blocks through the whistle, while also being a solid athlete with good hands.

Jared Wiley , TCU

Wiley plays like an oversized wide receiver but is a capable blocker who can scrap in the run game.

Cade Stover , Ohio State

Stover moved around positions in college and is a bit of a wild horse of a player at tight end, often rumbling on his routes and with the football through defenders after the catch.

Ben Sinnott , Kansas State

Sinnott is more of an old H-back than traditional tight end, but he can be a good role player in the right situation because of his ability to contribute as a secondary pass catcher and blocker on the move.

Defensive linemen

Jer’zhan newton, dt, illinois.

Newton isn’t a bendy athlete and lacks the bulk to hold the point consistently against double-teams, but he can jolt linemen in singled-up situations and provide instant-win explosive plays when he times up the snap.

T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas

There aren’t many giant defensive tackles — 360-plus pounds — who can sideswipe interior linemen like Sweat did.

Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State

It’s a bit of a risk because of his low snap count in college, but Hall has serious upside as a disruptive interior defender who can play every down.

Marshawn Kneeland , Edge, Western Michigan

Kneeland is built like a defensive end more than an outside linebacker, and plays with heavy hands and has a frame to grow into.

Brandon Dorlus , DL, Oregon

Dorlus is versatile and can move along the defensive front depending on the down and play call, which will intrigue certain defensive coaches.

Bralen Trice , Edge, Washington

Trice is a power-first defender who can consistently push the pocket and impact the run game.

Chris Braswell , Edge, Alabama

Braswell wins with more effort than high-end athleticism.

Kris Jenkins Jr., Michigan

Jenkins’ game is more flashes than fully formed, but he has the upside of a three-down defensive tackle with potential to be a disruptive pass rusher from the inside.

Austin Booker , Edge, Kansas

Booker was productive in his one year at Kansas, and that was despite no real plan as a pass rusher and lack of consistency with his game, often being a non-factor for long stretches.

Ruke Orhorhoro , DT, Clemson

Orhorhoro has a ton of talent and flashed his amazing traits at times in college, but never consistently put it together or impacted games during his time at Clemson.

Maason Smith , DT, LSU

Smith is a gamble of a player but his combination of size (6-5, 306 pounds, 35-inch arms), short-area quickness and ability to impact all three downs are going to be intriguing for teams at the next level.

Braden Fiske , DT, Florida State

Fiske tested like a monster at the scouting combine and can create explosive plays, but his short arms give him little room for error or ability to recover, and will often put him in a bad position if he is unable to win right after the snap.

Adisa Isaac , Edge, Penn State

Isaac will often take himself out of a play because of his lack of a plan and hands ending up all over the place, yet Isaac shows the ability to be a strong run defender and plenty to work with as a pass rusher.

Jonah Elliss , Edge, Utah

Elliss is a non-factor when defending the run because of his size (6-2, 243 pounds) and will likely start his career as a designated pass rusher-type, but with room to grow into a more every-down player.

Linebackers

Junior colson , michigan.

Colson is a smart player and an OK athlete, but can hold up in coverage because of his play recognition ability.

Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M

Cooper has real length (34-inch arm length) and speed, but lacks ideal size (only 230 pounds) and his play recognition can be up and down.

Cedric Gray , North Carolina

Gray is a run-and-hit type of linebacker, but in a weak class, he provides as good of a package as any in terms of size, length, athleticism and tackling ability.

Tommy Eichenberg , Ohio State

Eichenberg was not a net negative in coverage, although he can be overmatched against top-tier receiving tight ends and running backs.

Payton Wilson, North Carolina State

Wilson, a straight-line athlete who has battled injuries in his college career, plays with outstanding effort and will make some fun plays chasing down ball carriers with his speed.

Defensive backs

Cooper dejean , cb/db, iowa.

A top-shelf athlete who has Pro Bowl potential at outside cornerback, slot, safety or punt returner, DeJean is competitive, a strong tackler and loves to press receivers when working on the outside, with clean hands to avoid penalties and the coordination and speed to stay in lockstep.

Kool-Aid McKinstry , CB, Alabama

McKinstry is a crafty cornerback, one who wins with control and understanding of the position and using his length and intelligence.

Kamari Lassiter , CB, Georgia

Lassiter isn’t a great athlete and lacks ideal size, but he is a competitive and smart player who sees the game well and is constantly in the right position.

Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri

Rakestraw’s ability to hold his own against different types of wide receivers, with potential to play snaps in the slot, gives Rakestraw a path as a starter.

Malik Mustapha , S, Wake Forest

Mustapha is this year’s best tackling defensive back prospect.

Tyler Nubin , S, Minnesota

Nubin is a good athlete who can play in the box or from depth; he will be best in a quarters-based system with another like-bodied safety.

T.J. Tampa , CB, Iowa State

Tampa can match up with bigger receivers and also is a smart player when in zone coverages.

Cole Bishop , S, Utah

Bishop is versatile with two-way upside at safety, being able to play in coverage or fill the run with equal aplomb and doing so with long strides.

Calen Bullock , S, USC

Bullock has good size and tight footwork, and is a better overall coverage player.

Javon Bullard , S, Georgia

Bullard has a clear path to start at the next level because of his coverage ability and intelligence.

Mike Sainristil , CB, Michigan

Sainristil has below-average size but is a good athlete and smart player who could provide depth and be a possible starter at all five defensive backfield positions and also on special teams.

Max Melton , CB, Rutgers

Melton is a supreme athlete with solid size who is best right now playing in off coverage.

Kamren Kinchens , S, Miami

Kinchens is aggressive, productive and always on the hunts for big plays, but his below-average athleticism will often give him little chance to recover.

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12 jurors have been picked for Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Selection of alternates is ongoing

A jury of 12 people was seated Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s history-making hush money trial. (AP Production: Javier Arciga)

Two jurors in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial were dismissed Thursday, one after expressing doubt about her ability to be fair and impartial and the other over concerns that some of his answers in court may not have been accurate.

A jury of 12 people was seated Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s history-making hush money trial, propelling the proceedings closer to opening statements and the start of weeks of dramatic testimony.

Former President Donald Trump holds up news clippings as he speaks following his trial at Manhattan criminal court in New York on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/Pool Photo via AP)

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Former President Donald Trump speaks with the media while holding news clippings following his trial at Manhattan criminal court in New York on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Brendan McDermid/Pool Photo via AP)

Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings during jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, Thursday, April 18, 2024 in New York.(Brendan McDermid/Pool Photo via AP)

Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings during jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, Thursday, April 18, 2024 in New York.(Jeenah Moon/Pool Photo via AP)

Former President Donald Trump speaks alongside attorney Todd Blanche as they return from a lunch break in his trial at Manhattan criminal court in New York on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)

Former President Donald Trump gestures, while he returns to Manhattan criminal court in New York, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Brendan McDermid/Pool Photo via AP)

Former President Donald Trump walks out of the courtroom during a break at Manhattan criminal court in New York, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)

Former President Donald Trump, second from left, watches juror number d2 speak at the podium to Judge Juan Merchan in Manhattan criminal court regarding her desire to be excused from the jury after " sleeping on it” and having concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial, Thursday, April 18, 2024, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP, Pool)

Former President Donald Trump, seated far left, looks on with Judge Juan Merchan presiding as members of the jury panel answer questions from the jury questionnaire in Manhattan criminal court Thursday, April 18, 2024, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP, Pool)

Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings during jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, Thursday, April 18, 2024 in New York. (Brendan McDermid/Pool Photo via AP)

Former President Donald Trump holds up news clippings as he speaks following his trial at Manhattan criminal court in New York on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Attorney Todd Blanche listens at left. (Brendan McDermid/Pool Photo via AP)

Former President Donald Trump appears at Manhattan criminal court during jury selection in New York, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Brendan McDermid/Pool Photo via AP)

Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings during jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, Thursday, April 18, 2024 in New York. (Jeenah Moon/Pool Photo via AP)

Former President Donald Trump appears at Manhattan criminal court during jury selection in New York, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury of 12 people was seated Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s history-making hush money trial , propelling the proceedings closer to opening statements and the start of weeks of dramatic testimony.

The court quickly turned to selecting alternate jurors, with the process on track to wrap up by the end of the week. Prosecutors could begin presenting their case early next week.

What to know about Trump’s hush money trial:

• Trump trial live updates: Testimony set to resume
• Trump will be first ex-president on criminal trial. Here’s what to know about the hush money case.
• A jury of his peers: A look at how jury selection will work in Donald Trump’s first criminal trial .
• Trump is facing four criminal indictments, and a civil lawsuit. You can track all of the cases here.

The jury of Manhattanites includes a sales professional, a software engineer, a security engineer, a teacher, a speech therapist, multiple lawyers, an investment banker and a retired wealth manager.

The first-ever trial of a former American president is unfolding in New York during this year’s race for the White House, meaning the presumptive Republican nominee will spend his days in court confronted by salacious and unflattering testimony about his personal life while simultaneously campaigning to reclaim the office he held for four years.

He’s made clear his determination to use his legal jeopardy, already a central issue in the race against Democratic incumbent Joe Biden, to his advantage. After a full day of jury selection, he complained to reporters that he should have been out campaigning but was in court instead for what he said was a “very unfair trial.”

“Everybody’s outraged by it,” he said. “You know the whole world’s watching this New York scam.”

Jury selection proceeded at a plodding pace earlier Thursday when two jurors were dismissed, one after expressing doubt about her ability to be fair following disclosure of details about her identity and the other over concerns that some of his answers in court may have been inaccurate.

But lawyers who began the day with only five jurors settled on the remaining seven in quick succession, along with one alternate. Judge Juan Merchan has said his goal is to have six alternates.

The process of picking a jury is a critical phase in any criminal trial but especially so when the defendant is a former president and the presumptive Republican nominee. Prospective jurors have been grilled on their social media posts, personal lives and political views as the lawyers and judge search for any bias that would prevent them from being impartial.

Inside the court, there’s broad acknowledgment of the futility in trying to find jurors without knowledge of Trump. A prosecutor this week said lawyers were not looking for people who had been “living under a rock for the past eight years.”

Former president Donald Trump, comments after visiting a bodega, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, who’s owner was attacked last year in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

To that end, multiple jurors chosen for the panel acknowledged having personal opinions of Trump or his presidency.

One juror, a man who works in investment banking, earlier described himself as “ambivalent” about Trump, adding, “I might not like some of his policies, but there has been some good” for the country.

A woman picked for the jury said she thought Trump seemed “very selfish and self serving,” adding, “I don’t really appreciate that from any public servant.” Defense lawyers were out of peremptory strikes, which would allow them to dismiss a juror without giving a reason.

The trial centers on a $130,000 payment that Michael Cohen , Trump’s former lawyer and personal fixer, made to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public in the final days of the 2016 race.

Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.

Former President Donald Trump addresses the media following the second day of jury selection, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at Manhattan criminal court in New York. Trump is charged with falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal during his 2016 campaign. (Justin Lane/Pool Photo via AP)

Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could get up to four years in prison if convicted, though it’s not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.

Trump faces four criminal cases, but it’s not clear that any others will reach trial before the November election. Appeals and legal wrangling have caused delays in the other three cases charging Trump with plotting to overturn the 2020 election results and with illegally hoarding classified documents .

The jury selection process picked up momentum Tuesday with the selection of seven jurors. But on Thursday, Merchan revealed in court that one of the seven, a cancer nurse, had “conveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case.”

And though jurors’ names are being kept confidential, the woman told the judge and the lawyers that she had doubts after she said aspects of her identity had been made public.

“Yesterday alone I had friends, colleagues and family push things to my phone regarding questioning my identity as a juror,” she said. “I don’t believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect my decision making in the courtroom.”

A second seated juror was dismissed after prosecutors raised concerns that he may not have been honest in answering a jury selection question by saying that he had never been accused or convicted of a crime.

AP AUDIO: 2 jurors dismissed from Trump hush money trial as prosecutors seek to hold ex-president in contempt.

In an AP interview defense attorney Arthur Aidala says the lawyers make sure to check social media pages of potential jurors.

The IT professional was summoned to court to answer questions after prosecutors said they found an article about a person with the same name who had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down posters pertaining to the political right in suburban Westchester County.

A prosecutor also disclosed that a relative of the man may have been involved in a deferred prosecution agreement in the 1990s with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting Trump’s case.

Because the juror was questioned Thursday at the judge’s bench, off-microphone and out of earshot of reporters, it was not known whether the man confirmed or denied that either instance was connected to him.

After dismissing from the jury the nurse who had already been selected, Merchan ordered journalists in court not to report prospective jurors’ answers to questions about their current and former employers.

“We just lost, probably, what probably would have been a very good juror for this case, and the first thing that she said was she was afraid and intimidated by the press, all the press, and everything that had happened,” Merchan said.

In other developments, prosecutors asked for Trump to be held in contempt over a series of social media posts this week.

The district attorney’s office on Monday sought a $3,000 fine for Trump for three Truth Social posts they said violated the judge’s gag order limiting what he can say publicly about witnesses. Since then, prosecutors said Trump made seven additional posts that they believe violate the order.

Several of the posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer,” and one from Wednesday repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury, said prosecutor Christopher Conroy.

Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Cohen “has been attacking President Trump in public statements,” and Trump was just replying.

The judge already scheduled a hearing for next week on the prosecution’s request for contempt sanctions over Trump’s posts.

Tucker reported from Washington.