Ali Merchant

All-In Manager

👉🏼 My mission is to help ambitious managers become better leaders. 

I can help your managers in three ways:

1️⃣  Leadership workshops: 60-90 minute monthly workshops depending on your company's needs. Popular workshops include: 

1. Remote productivity, performance, and resilience
2. Building Psychological safety in a remote world
3. Delivering, asking, and receiving feedback virtually
4. Learning to become an effective coach.


👉🏼  "This is the best feedback training I have attended on this topic. I really like Ali's style and how he goes thru examples and breaks it down" - Sales leader


2️⃣ First-time manager training: A 5-week virtual program designed to get your first-time managers up and running. Topics include:

1. Understanding the role of leader
2. Building one on one connections 
3. Building Psychological safety
4. Delegate or DIY
5. Understanding feedback mechanics
6. Learning to become a coach.


👉🏼 “With becoming a manager recently, these sessions have really helped” - Engineering manager


3️⃣ Director and VP level coaching: Your leaders want someone who's a coach + consultant + mentor. Having coached for a decade, I know when to play each role.


👉🏼 "Ali's dedicated his career to developing leaders and it shows in his ability to effectively coach me." - Customer support leader.

Founder

Digestive Health Foundation

Board Member

Everwise

Advisor and Mentor to Managers in Saas organizations

Mentor

Marin Software

Head of Learning and Development

Forbes Coaches Council

Contributing Writer 

Gap Inc.

Senior Manager, Learning & Development, Supply Chain

iProspect

Director, Training and Development North America

Client Services Manager

Training and Innovation Manager

Training and Innovation Specialist

Search Marketing Specialist

Microstrategy

Production Consultant

WebMD

Software Engineer

I help managers become leaders in 12 weeks or less.

There are 1 of 2 reasons you're reading my profile.


Reason 1: You're a manager who wants to become a better leader.

OR

Reason 2: You're a senior leader looking for leadership training for your managers.


If you're looking to become a better leader. I offer training and coaching services:
▪️ Training: https://www.allinmanager.com/Lead-confidently-in-six-weeks
▪️ Coaching: https://www.allinmanager.com/leadership-coaching


If you're a senior leader looking to bring me in to train your teams. This page will help:
▪️ Training: https://www.allinmanager.com/corporate_cohort


Two more things:

1. I write about leadership daily. (500+ posts with 44,000+ followers). You can hit follow, and I'll show up in your feed.

2. I also write a weekly newsletter that goes to 10,000+ leaders. You can subscribe here: https://www.allinmanager.com/leadership-newsletter. 

If you're wondering who's this guy?

I'm the founder of All-In Manager: https://www.allinmanager.com/

We're a boutique leadership development company.

I started AIM for one reason — To help ambitious managers become leaders. We do that through training, coaching, and content.

Before starting AIM, I spent 16 years running Learning & Development departments for public companies, iconic technology brands in Silicon Valley, and the biggest Ad agencies on the planet.

Feel free to DM me and say 👋.

Navigation Works LLC

Build the confidence, skills, and tactics you need to be an impactful leader in just 90 days.

As the Owner and Leadership Coach at Navigation Works, I empower new and emerging leaders to develop the skills they need to be confident and successful. I draw on my expertise in career development, networking, and coaching to provide clients with practical tools and strategies they can implement, not just theorize about. My focus is on helping leaders strengthen communication, set clear expectations, and foster positive work environments.

My mission is to transform new and emerging leaders into confident, successful professionals who can drive impact within their organizations. With 20+ years of leadership experience spanning Fortune 500 companies and startups, I possess a unique ability to provide tailored coaching that delivers measurable results.

Owner and Leadership Coach

Harvard Business Review

I am part of a research community of professionals who provide insights to help shape the content of the Harvard Business Review (HBR) and add a perspective on the world of management and leadership.

Advisory Council Member

Minnesota Department of Administration

As a Project Director, I led high-performing, cross-functional teams to deliver critical projects on time and within budget. By providing clear direction, promoting collaboration, and empowering my team, I remained focused on fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

One of my proudest accomplishments was overseeing the migration of a crucial business website to Microsoft Azure, supporting $3 billion in annual spending. By implementing Agile project management methodologies, I empowered my team to make decisions and reduced the website build time by 50%. This demonstrated our ability to improve project efficiency and deliver impactful results.

Website: https://mn.gov/admin/osp/

Project Director

As Director at the Minnesota Department of Administration, I spearheaded a comprehensive operational transformation across 24 agencies. I championed a culture of continuous improvement, implementing performance metrics, optimizing processes, and enhancing employee training. My initiatives drove strategic improvements in operational efficiency, service delivery, and employee development, earning national recognition for the agency's sustainability governance program.

One of my proudest achievements was the enterprise-wide sustainability governance initiative I led, which was recognized by NASCA.org and highlighted as a case study in leadership at Harvard's Kennedy School. By fostering a collaborative and learning-oriented environment, I empowered teams to achieve significant operational improvements and gain national recognition.

Director

Minnesota Department of Health

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I played a pivotal role as a Senior Program Manager, ensuring the effective delivery of critical public health services. I drove operational improvements like a 75% reduction in project emails through Microsoft Teams adoption and faster customer response times. By leveraging my leadership and collaboration skills, I contributed to the department's successful pandemic response.

Additionally, I collaborated with finance and testing teams to implement cost-saving measures, resulting in a 20% reduction in administrative expenses on a $167 million CDC grant. This effective resource management allowed the department to focus on its core mission of protecting public health during a challenging time.

Senior Program Manager

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development

As Continuous Improvement Director, I spearheaded re-establishing enterprise-wide performance improvement initiatives. I provided strategic direction, managed problem-solving projects, and equipped staff with the skills to drive operational enhancements. 

One of my notable achievements was leading the successful implementation of an online business expense reporting system. This streamlined processes and improved department efficiency. By empowering teams to address challenges and adopt a continuous improvement mindset, I made a lasting impact on the agency's operations.

Continuous Improvement Director

Self Employed

As a freelance consultant, I partnered with organizations to implement impactful improvements. I focused on fostering a culture of efficiency, boosting client engagement, and cultivating leadership potential. My work delivered sustainable results, such as a 25% increase in website traffic and stabilized volunteer availability, by combining strategic consulting with a people-centric approach.

Consultant

Target Community Relations

As a Group Manager at Target, I fostered a collaborative environment and provided leadership development opportunities to empower my team. I spearheaded the creation of a new performance management system and led strategic planning initiatives. My team's insights and recommendations informed $150 million in annual giving, ensuring Target's corporate social responsibility efforts had a significant impact. I also directed a three-month strategic planning process, guiding the team to develop a $209 million giving strategy and budget.

Group Manager

Saint Paul Public Schools

As Deputy Chief Operations Officer, I oversaw a 400-person team and fostered a culture of continuous improvement and employee development. I led by example, setting the standard for operational excellence. My achievements included $5 million in annual savings through facility lease renegotiations and $33 million in capital investments informed by my assessments, demonstrating my commitment to fiscal responsibility and strategic execution.

Additionally, I served as the public face of the district's operations, fostering trust and confidence through positive media engagement (TV and print). By empowering my team and driving strategic initiatives, I made a lasting impact on the district's operations and public perception.

Deputy Chief Operations Officer

Leadership Coach | I help new and emerging leaders accelerate their leadership skills. Click on the link below for a free guide.👇

Most leaders are expected to manage change, but few are actually equipped to lead through it.

In my years leading teams through reorgs, culture shifts, and complex implementations, I kept seeing the same pattern. The smartest strategies collapsed when people couldn’t adapt. Change didn’t fail because the plan was bad. It failed because leaders weren’t supported.

Now I coach change-ready leaders who are navigating fast, high-stakes transformation. Together, we build clarity, adaptability, and alignment so their teams stay engaged and productive even when the ground is shifting.

📌 Clients I’ve worked with:
• Launched critical initiatives mid-restructure with full team buy-in
• Increased team resilience scores by 30% in under six months
• Reduced attrition during a global digital transformation effort

My approach blends strategy and coaching to help you lead real change without the chaos, confusion, or burnout.

If you’re facing a wave of change and want your team to be steady, focused, and moving forward, let’s talk. DM me Leader and I'll send you the details.

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀:
▶️ Led teams from 2 to 300+ across corporate, small business, and government
▶️ 85% of direct reports promoted while under my leadership
▶️ Coached 50+ leaders for promotion into confident, respected leadership roles
▶️ Created leadership programs adopted across multiple organizations
▶️ Featured speaker on operational excellence and leadership development

Joe Raasch 🧭

𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲, "𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘁𝗮 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗲."



My prospect asked for an honest take on their messaging.

I softened it a little and sanded out the rough edges.

I told them that the message “could use a little clarity” instead of what I actually thought.

They hired someone else.

By choosing to be polite, I was choosing to keep everyone comfortable.

I won't make that mistake again.

Joe Raasch

Executive Communications Specialist | Internal Messaging | Leadership Communications | Ghostwriting

Graphic of a chalk board with the words "Lesson learned" written in chalk in a cursive style.

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁?  𝗠𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼.



This one said everything I needed to say. It was the clear, honest truth.

And I deleted it.

It wasn’t the timing or the tone. I know how to write!

I deleted it because I was afraid.

Afraid of how my words might be received if I were too direct, too "real." 

That unsent message still says more than the one I did send. 
 
Sometimes holding back brings clarity.
Sometimes it’s just hiding from the truth.

What’s sitting in your draft folder right now?

Image of a soccer field with empty player bench.  Text overlay says, "Drafted. Never played."

𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲.



Eight words.

I didn't add any warm-up or preamble.

It wasn’t my usual writing style. But it was what I'd say if we were in the same room.

It felt almost uncomfortable to hit send.

I got a reply in ten minutes. It was clear, direct, and helpful.

No drama and no guessing. I loved it!

That’s when I realized sometimes the “short” messages work better than the ones you turn into a Shakespearean tragedy.

What’s the shortest message you’ve ever sent that still got the job done?

Image of a door opening with a bright light shining through. Text overlay says, "The las man on Earth sat alone in a room.  There was a knock on the door." Fredric Brown

𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸, 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲. 
If you need a friend, get a dog. (Right Gordon?).  


You will ruin a great point by adding extra to it.

I watched someone turn a simple message into a five-paragraph tour of nothing.

It started strong. 

Then came the “quick background,” and the “extra context,” then the part no one asked for.

By the time we got to the point, nobody cared.

Overexplaining doesn’t make you sound smarter. It makes you sound unsure.

What’s one thing you always write more about than you need to?

Executive Writing and Corporate Communications that People Understand the First Time

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The Battle

Ali Merchant

Joe Raasch 🧭

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The Battle

Ali Merchant

Joe Raasch 🧭

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Posts

Engagements

Likes

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