How to Develop Behavioural Leadership Skills for Managers

When I started leading a high-powered recruiting team, I had the traits of the TYRANT leaders I now call out. Here's why: Despite my degrees, certificates, and ongoing professional development, nothing prepared me to transition into leading. I still had an individual contributor (IC) mindset, which unintentionally led me to compete with my very capable team. At the time, I engaged in behaviors like: Taking over projects instead of developing my team. Working long hours, thinking it showed commitment. Making unilateral decisions vs collaborating. Giving orders instead of providing clarity and context. Hoarding information instead of communicating transparently. Prioritizing my metrics over team goals. A month in, my boss at the time sat down with me and told me to own my transition and to stop taking over work when someone asked for help. (she's one of the best Leader's I've ever had) To transform my mindset, I sought out a few internal sponsors and observed how they managed their teams. I also asked my team for feedback on where I could do better. Once I made the changes: mindset and action, I began demonstrating new leadership behaviors: Coaching my team and developing their problem-solving skills. ↳Created an authorization matrix to empower them to make decisions. Promoting work-life balance through prioritization and delegation. ↳I stopped working on vacation to set a better example. Making collaborative decisions to increase buy-in. ↳They worked on the reqs, so I asked for their ideas and where I could implement them. Painting a vision and equipping the team to get there themselves. ↳I translated the organization's vision down to how it affected our team goals. Openly communicating to build trust and transparency. ↳I promoted democratic decision-making and explained when it needed to be autocratic. Aligning on and championing team goals over my individual metrics. ↳I held weekly reviews where I celebrated their success because it was OUR success. Here's what I want you to take from this: 1. Develop your team's skills rather than trying to be the expert. 2. Delegate decisions to increase buy-in and leverage diverse perspectives. 3. Openly share information rather than hoarding knowledge and insight. 4. Recognize and elevate your team's contributions rather than taking individual credit. #aLITTLEadvice #leadership

This took me 5+ years to figure out... The power of compounding in leadership. Successful leaders build: • trust • collaboration • psychological safety • momentum Here's my story: When I first became a manager, I had no idea what I was doing. I had only a few skills to effectively lead the team. And I soon realized that I needed more. So I read books and articles. I asked questions. I took courses to expand my skills and knowledge. And I learned that it's not any one action or idea. Instead, successful leaders understand how to compound their results. → 1% better every day = 37x better in a year Each action builds on other actions. Here are 10 areas on which to focus: 1️⃣ Hold 1:1s 1:1s provide opportunities to set goals, motivate, and give feedback together. ↳ Don't cancel or reschedule. ↳ Do ask questions and listen. 2️⃣ Communicate Teams thrive when there is clear, frequent communication. ↳ Don't hide information. ↳ Do repeat info through several mediums. 3️⃣ Delegate Responsibility Employees are more engaged when given the trust and responsibility to complete tasks. ↳ Don't abdicate responsibility. ↳ Do consider task-relevant maturity. 4️⃣ Set Goals The team should clearly understand what they are working towards, and how they contribute. ↳ Don't dictate goals unilaterally. ↳ Do allow for personal and stretch goals. 5️⃣ Share Knowledge Teams work more efficiently and effectively when accessing collective knowledge. ↳ Don't try to do everything yourself. ↳ Do have the team share best practices. 6️⃣ Ask Questions Questions signal that the team's opinions and insights are valued, promoting collaboration. ↳ Don't ask questions but ignore answers. ↳ Do pose open questions for more insights. 7️⃣ Give Feedback Feedback motivates employees and reinforces the right actions aligned with goals. ↳ Don't use the feedback sandwich. ↳ Do give sincere praise and celebrate wins. 8️⃣ Create Vision and Values Clear vision and values align your team around shared goals and guide actions. ↳ Don't set and forget your MVVs. ↳ Do involve the team when developing. 9️⃣ Promote Continuous Learning Investing in continuous learning leads to high engagement and retention. ↳ Don't be afraid to coach and mentor. ↳ Do view failures as learning opportunities. 🔟 Foster Resilience Resilience helps teams effectively manage challenges, as well as recover from setbacks. ↳ Don't ignore the impact of stress. ↳ Do set an example by taking time off. Although we expect instant results these days, you need patience to build a high-performing team. When you do these actions consistently over time, you let compounding work its magic! PS. Which of these do you find most challenging? ***** 👋 I'm Chris Cotter. 🔔 Follow for more on leadership. ✳️ I help managers level up for success / happiness. DM me!

People with emotionally intelligent managers are 4X less likely to leave their jobs. But here's what nobody tells you: Most managers never learned these skills. I spent 10 years studying emotional intelligence. Here are the 7 elements that transform average managers into great leaders: 1. Being Self-Aware Understand your triggers and how they impact others. When you know your blind spots, you can work on them. 2. Recognizing Emotions Learn to read what's not being said. Your team speaks volumes through their actions and energy. 3. Pausing Before Reacting That difficult conversation or challenging email? Give yourself time to respond, not react. 4. Showing Empathy When someone on your team seems off, ask why. Sometimes the best leadership move is just listening. 5. Managing Stress Your calm during chaos matters more than your words. Teams mirror their leader's energy. 6. Motivating Yourself The voice in your head sets the tone for your team. Make it one that inspires growth, not fear. 7. Building Relationships Trust isn't built in big moments. It's built in small interactions, day after day. Here's what I've learned: Technical skills might get you the position, but EQ helps you keep your best people. The good news? These skills can be learned. They can be practiced. They can transform your leadership. I wish someone had taught me this 20 years ago. Your team deserves a leader who gets it. What skill do you think matters most? ♻️ Find this valuable? Repost to share it. 🔖 Follow Justin Wright for more on leadership. Want my 70 best cheat sheets? Get them free here: BrillianceBrief.com