Effective team advocacy is a crucial skill for leaders in today’s competitive business environment. This article presents real-world stories and outcomes, showcasing proven strategies from industry experts on how to successfully support and empower your team. From reframing advocacy around business outcomes to leveraging data for team proposals, these insights offer practical approaches to champion your team’s success and foster a more inclusive workplace.
- Reframe Advocacy Around Business Outcomes
- Champion Flexibility for Employee Well-Being
- Take Ownership to Protect Team Members
- Create Space for Diverse Voices
- Highlight Quiet Achievers with Data
- Use Mirror Narrative to Reshape Perceptions
- Affirm Team Members’ Unique Strengths
- Present Facts to Counter Unfair Criticism
- Empower Innovative Ideas from All Levels
- Leverage Data to Support Team Proposals
- Defend Team Integrity with Transparent Evidence
- Recognize Subdued Contributors’ Valuable Impact
- Stand Firm with Evidence in Supplier Disputes
- Demonstrate SEO Value for Resource Allocation
Reframe Advocacy Around Business Outcomes
After 30 years of executive coaching, I’ve learned that the most impactful advocacy occurs when you reframe the conversation around business outcomes rather than personal grievances.
I once worked with a Managing Director at a financial services firm whose team was being blamed for missed targets during a major market downturn. His manager was publicly criticizing the team’s performance and threatening budget cuts. Instead of defending their past performance, I coached him to present a forward-looking analysis showing how his team’s digital capabilities could actually accelerate the company’s recovery strategy by 25%.
The approach worked because we shifted from “protect my people” to “here’s how my people solve your biggest problem.” His manager not only stopped the public criticism but actually increased their budget allocation for the next quarter. The team went from being seen as underperformers to being recognized as a strategic asset.
Effective advocacy requires understanding what your organization needs most, then demonstrating how your team delivers exactly that. Data beats emotion every time in business settings.
Bill Berman
CEO, Berman Leadership
Champion Flexibility for Employee Well-Being
A few years ago, a junior attorney on our team disclosed that they were managing a chronic health condition and were struggling to keep up with court deadlines under our traditional in-office schedule. Instead of quietly letting it slide or expecting them to push through, I advocated internally to rework their responsibilities and shift them to a more flexible hybrid role. I knew from my legal practice how many employees suffer in silence because they’re afraid of stigma or retaliation, and I didn’t want that to be the culture at our firm.
I approached it by combining empathy with a legal framework, explaining the employee’s rights under the ADA, but also showing how flexibility could benefit the entire team’s efficiency. The leadership team was receptive, and the employee not only stayed but went on to exceed expectations. That experience reinforced my belief that advocacy isn’t just about compliance; it’s about modeling what respect and trust look like. When leaders step up in moments like that, they create a culture where people feel seen, valued, and more committed to doing their best work.
Ed Hones
Attorney at Law, Hones Law Employment Lawyers PLLC
Take Ownership to Protect Team Members
One of the most meaningful times I had to advocate for a team member was during a high-stakes client campaign when a junior strategist was unfairly blamed for a missed deliverable. The issue was actually due to shifting client priorities and a compressed timeline. Rather than allow her to take the fall or lose confidence, I stepped in and took ownership of the situation directly with the client. I reframed the narrative, explaining the actual chain of events, clarifying our process, and highlighting the contributions and extra hours my team member had put in to adapt under pressure.
My approach is always to lead with facts, transparency, and empathy — both internally and externally. I also made sure to talk with my team afterward, not just to clear the air but to reinforce our values: we’re accountable as a group, and mistakes (or miscommunications) are always opportunities to learn, not to blame.
The client appreciated the candor and ultimately respected our boundaries and process more. My team member stayed engaged and grew significantly in her role because she knew I had her back — not just when things were easy, but when it mattered. To me, real advocacy is about building a culture of trust and resilience, where everyone is empowered to take ownership of their work and speak up when something isn’t right.
Kristin Marquet
Founder & Creative Director, Marquet Media
Create Space for Diverse Voices
There was a senior member of our product team who kept getting ignored in cross-functional meetings a while ago. Their ideas were well thought out and frequently very strategic. But because they were a little shy and didn’t jump into conversations immediately, the more outspoken members got more attention for what they said. I saw that people would either dismiss what the senior member had said or bring it up again later in the conversation.
I chose to step in, not to speak for them, but to change how we made room for voices like theirs. I gave specific examples in a leadership meeting of how this team member’s suggestions had improved product outcomes, even though those ideas hadn’t been recognized at the time. I offered a tiny but important change: before the group discussion, each team lead should get a few minutes to convey what their employees have said or done that they think is important.
After we made this modification, this team member not only started to contribute more clearly, but the quality of our collaboration across teams also got better. More people from other departments felt free to share their ideas. It taught me something that I now keep in mind whenever I have to make a choice as a leader: support is more than just standing up for someone at the time. It’s about changing the way things work so that people don’t miss out on praise for a job well done.
Gianluca Ferruggia
General Manager, DesignRush
Highlight Quiet Achievers with Data
A few years ago, I had a junior SEO specialist on my team — super quiet, didn’t say much in meetings, but his work spoke volumes. He consistently found keyword opportunities we’d all missed and was behind some of our best-performing content at the time. However, during a cross-team evaluation with another department, he was rated as “average.” It didn’t sit right with me.
I took it personally, not in an emotional way, but as a leader who believes credit should go where it’s earned. I scheduled a one-on-one with the department head and came prepared with data. I showed exactly how much traffic this person’s work had brought in, the revenue tied to it, and even how his processes had been adopted by more senior team members.
But beyond the numbers, I also painted a picture of who he was: a builder, a thinker, someone who made others better without needing to be loud about it.
So what happened? He not only got a raise: he was offered a more strategic role and became a go-to for onboarding new hires. That moment became a turning point in our culture. We started looking deeper when evaluating people, not just who talks the most, but who quietly moves the needle.
John Talasi
Entrepreneur, John Talasi
Use Mirror Narrative to Reshape Perceptions
Once, a teammate was blamed for delays on a project because she was quiet in meetings and rarely corrected misconceptions. Instead of confronting leadership directly, I took what I call the “mirror narrative” approach: I gathered examples of her actual contributions and reframed the story people were telling, showing how her work had kept the project afloat when others missed deadlines. I shared this version casually in conversations, emails, and meetings, so it spread organically rather than feeling like a formal defense.
I didn’t want to create an us-versus-them dynamic, so I was careful to focus on FACTS. By retelling the events from a different angle, I helped people see her value without anyone losing face.
The outcome was that leadership assigned her to a higher-visibility role she truly deserved. She became more confident speaking up, and the team grew closer because the tension dissolved. For me, it reinforced that sometimes the best advocacy is quiet storytelling that changes how people perceive the same set of facts.
Brandon George
Director of Demand Generation & Content, Thrive Internet Marketing Agency
Affirm Team Members’ Unique Strengths
There was a time when a client chose not to move forward with us because she felt one of our designers had “too much personality.” What struck me was that this designer is actually one of our most universally loved team members — cheerful, attentive, and thoughtful. She’s the one who befriends the quietest person in the room and brings warmth to every space she walks into. So to hear that feedback felt a little jarring.
Instead of getting defensive, I listened carefully to the client’s concerns and reassigned the project, making sure she still felt supported. But behind the scenes, I had a heart-to-heart with my designer. Not to correct her — but to affirm her. I let her know I saw her. That her spirit is not only welcomed here, it’s needed. I reminded her that not every personality fits every client, and that’s not a flaw, it’s part of the work.
As a leader, advocating for your team isn’t always about pushing back; it’s about protecting their light, reinforcing their value, and helping them grow without dimming who they are. That experience taught me that leadership is also about knowing when to shield and when to strengthen.
That designer continues to thrive. She’s grown even more confident in how she shows up. And I’m proud to say our team knows that if you’re here, you’re celebrated, not just tolerated.
Melody Stevens
Owner, Design On A Dime Interiors
Present Facts to Counter Unfair Criticism
A valued team member received unfair criticism after a project setback that resulted from circumstances beyond their control, including last-minute client requirement changes and resource constraints that weren’t properly communicated to leadership. Without full context, leadership viewed the project delays as individual performance issues rather than systemic challenges that would have impacted any team member in that situation.
I immediately requested a meeting to provide complete context about the project challenges, including timeline documentation and evidence of how requirement changes had affected scope and deliverables. My approach involved presenting objective facts about project evolution while highlighting how the team member had actually prevented more significant problems through creative problem-solving and extra effort. I emphasized their consistent track record and explained how the current situation was an anomaly caused by external factors rather than performance deficiencies.
The outcome included formal recognition of the systemic issues, adjustment of project expectations, and public acknowledgment of the team member’s professional handling of difficult circumstances. Leadership implemented better communication protocols to prevent similar misunderstandings in future projects. This experience demonstrated that timely advocacy with factual context can prevent unfair performance evaluations while improving organizational processes that benefit everyone.
John Pennypacker
VP of Marketing & Sales, Deep Cognition
Empower Innovative Ideas from All Levels
One of my interns once pitched a campaign idea that was extremely innovative — something a more traditional client might have dismissed. However, I saw the potential in it. Instead of letting it be brushed off, I approached the client myself and reframed the idea in a way that aligned with their goals while preserving the intern’s original vision. Not only did the campaign end up performing above expectations, but the intern also walked away feeling recognized, empowered, and confident in their voice. For me, advocating for the team isn’t just about stepping in — it’s about creating space for them to assert themselves.
Trevor Perkins
Founder, PERK PR & Creative Agency
Leverage Data to Support Team Proposals
I once advocated for a team member, Jessie, who proposed adding a live chat feature to our website to better support grieving families. At first, the leadership had doubts, primarily because they were limited in funds and secondly, they were skeptical about whether it was necessary to have such a feature. I saw the value in Jessie’s idea, as our customer inquiries often required immediate, empathetic responses that email couldn’t always deliver.
To help make Jessie’s case, I gathered data showing that 70% of our website visitors abandoned their visit without making a purchase, likely because they had unanswered questions during emotional times. I made a presentation to leadership with a plan of how it could improve customer satisfaction and increase conversions by 15% (based on industry averages). I also presented first-person feedback from families who said they felt alone when making decisions, and positioned Jessie’s solution as a gift of care and support.
I took a collaborative approach, inviting Jessie to share her insights and ensuring she received credit. Leadership eventually approved a three-month trial, and within a few weeks, we noticed a 12% increase in completed purchases and glowing customer feedback. Jessie felt empowered, and our confidence in advocating for great ideas grew much stronger.
Allyson Dizon
Brand Marketing Manager, Affordable Urns
Defend Team Integrity with Transparent Evidence
During a major client project, a junior SEO specialist on my team was unfairly blamed for a rankings drop that stemmed from the client’s site migration errors. Rather than let it slide, I scheduled a direct meeting with the client, presented our internal audit logs, and demonstrated how the issue predated our involvement. I also highlighted the corrective actions my team members had already initiated. This not only cleared their name but re-established trust with the client.
The approach I took was grounded in transparency, data-backed evidence, and professional diplomacy. I made it clear we take accountability seriously while also defending our integrity. The outcome was twofold: the client apologized and extended our contract, and the team member who was initially discouraged came away more confident, respected, and motivated. Advocacy, when rooted in facts and delivered with composure, strengthens both internal morale and external partnerships.
Alejandro Meyerhans
CEO, Get Me Links
Recognize Subdued Contributors’ Valuable Impact
One instance that comes to mind is when I worked with a highly skilled developer. Their work constantly went above and beyond expectations, but leadership wasn’t fully appreciating their impact because they weren’t outspoken or very visible.
I had strong feelings about standing up for them. I collected specific examples of their contributions rather than just verbally thanking them for their work: code reviews that enhanced quality, features they had delivered before the deadline, and instances where their back-end work directly avoided significant project delays. To further support the value they were offering, I compiled metrics and peer reviews from our project tracking systems.
I presented the data and discussed the impact of this team member’s work in the upcoming leadership meeting, making a clear connection between it and our corporate objectives. As a result, they not only got the credit (and raise) they deserved, but it also spurred a larger discussion about how we assess more subdued contributors.
The greatest victory? We modified our internal review procedure to better represent team impact rather than just visibility.
Oleh Stupak
CEO & Co-Founder, Mgroup Shopify Agency
Stand Firm with Evidence in Supplier Disputes
A few years ago, a supplier accused our fulfillment team of sending out damaged surgical units. At that time, we were still a small but growing company. It would have been easier to accept the loss and avoid conflict. Instead, I decided to review the security footage and documents myself.
The footage and reports clearly showed that our team had followed every step correctly. I presented that evidence to the supplier and stood firm. They admitted their mistake and agreed to cover the full cost. That moment had a lasting impact on our team and shaped how we handle challenges today.
Ivan Rodimushkin
Founder, CEO, XS Supply
Demonstrate SEO Value for Resource Allocation
At my last company, leadership didn’t really value SEO. They were focused on paid ads because it felt like instant results. However, that kind of growth burns cash quickly and isn’t sustainable. Meanwhile, our marketing and customer service teams were putting in significant effort on content, support documentation, and SEO — but it was being overlooked.
So I compiled data showing how organic signups were growing and how the cost per signup from SEO was decreasing over time. I demonstrated which blog posts and help documents were driving conversions or reducing support tickets.
That helped shift the mindset. They started seeing SEO as a long-term engine instead of a side project. After that, we got proper buy-in and resources to invest more heavily in SEO.
Fredo Tan
Head of Growth, Supademo
