Team Leadership Preparation Essentials

One of the hardest balances to master as a leader is staying informed about your team’s work without crossing the line into micromanaging them. You want to support them, remove roadblocks, and guide outcomes without making them feel like you’re hovering. Here’s a framework I’ve found effective for maintaining that balance: 1. Set the Tone Early Make it clear that your intent is to support, not control. For example: “We’ll need regular updates to discuss progress and so I can effectively champion this work in other forums. My goal is to ensure you have what you need, to help where it’s most valuable, and help others see the value you’re delivering.” 2. Create a Cadence of Check-Ins Establish structured moments for updates to avoid constant interruptions. Weekly or biweekly check-ins with a clear agenda help: • Progress: What’s done? • Challenges: What’s blocking progress? • Next Steps: What’s coming up? This predictability builds trust while keeping everyone aligned. 3. Ask High-Leverage Questions Stay focused on outcomes by asking strategic questions like: • “What’s the biggest risk right now?” • “What decisions need my input?” • “What’s working that we can replicate?” This approach keeps the conversation productive and empowering. 4. Define Metrics and Milestones Collaborate with your team to define success metrics and use shared dashboards to track progress. This allows you to stay updated without manual reporting or extra meetings. 5. Empower Ownership Show your trust by encouraging problem-solving: “If you run into an issue, let me know your proposed solutions, and we’ll work through it together.” When the team owns their work, they’ll take greater pride in the results. 6. Leverage Technology Use tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello to centralize updates. Shared project platforms give you visibility while letting your team focus on execution. 7. Solicit Feedback Ask your team: “Am I giving you enough space, or would you prefer more or less input from me?” This not only fosters trust but also helps you refine your approach as a leader. Final Thought: Growing up playing sports, none of my coaches ever suited up and got in the game with the players on the field. As a leader, you should follow the same discipline. How do you stay informed without micromanaging? What would you add? #leadership #peoplemanagement #projectmanagement #leadershipdevelopment

Want to get into leadership? It's a VERY different job than you do now. I've promoted dozens of people into leadership and here are the 5️⃣ things I make sure they agree to before I offer them the job. 1️⃣ Acknowledge the jobs are different → what made you a successful rep or IC (individual contributor) will NOT make you a successful leader. 💡 A great headstart into leadership is to begin to explore what those differences are. How can you begin to develop leadership skills before you need them? 2️⃣ Reverse where you index → most people index on either relationship or process. Leaders need to be proficient in both. Process people can be rough and short. Those strong in relationships can lack the teachable "how to" process provides bc of their magic people skills. 💡 Identify where your strength is and begin to understand your weakness. Where can you lean into your weakness in your current role? If you need more process, study the ones you have and start to manage yourself in them first. If you lean to process already, how can you take that extra beat to build deeper relationships now? 3️⃣ Don't super rep → the most common mistake of new leaders is making their team admins that "bring their manager" on a call to do the real work. This leads to reps reliant on their manager to get results, rather than developing self-sufficiency. 💡 You can start to "manage" now by leveraging your current resources better, e.g. more effective syncs with your SDR, better prep for you SE, more guided responses for support pros. Be a leader with the team you already have as an IC! 4️⃣ Choose good ideas over "my" ideas → new leaders are ready to change the world...even if it means repeating mistakes unnecessarily. When your idea always wins or you have strong inner conflict accepting someone else's idea bc you are worried about getting credit, you kill the momentum of your new role. 💡 When's the last time you sought out feedback on an idea you had? I'm sure you are like "ALWAYS!," but when did you change what you were doing? Try that. Get used to choosing good ideas that aren't yours! 5️⃣ Be a learner → Just bc you are leader doesn't mean you know it all or are expected to have every answer. Instead, find your wells of knowledge and draw from them daily. 💡 The best way to learn is to teach. Find something the team you are on needs, go learn it, then give it as a gift to your teammates. There's nothing better than helping someone be successful - that's leadership...and something you can do right now.

Leading Your New Team: The Week 1 Game Plan How To Set Yourself Up for Success 📅 Day 0: Before You Start The best leaders don't wing it. Before you walk in: - Review existing plans, metrics, and key documents - Study the org chart and your team roster - Listen to company-wide meeting recordings Preparation creates the foundation for a strong first impression. 📅 Day 1: Make It Count 1. Leverage Your Introduction Let your hiring manager: - Set the context - Address potential concerns - Plant seeds of your success Remember: Third-party praise carries more weight than self-promotion. 2. Lead With Vulnerability Share your weaknesses early. Why? - It builds authentic trust - Neutralizes the power of past mistakes - Shows how you want the team to engage with you Want to build a culture of innovation?  Show them you understand the price of moving fast. 📅 Days 2-3: Build Personal Connections 3. Make It Personal You can't mass-produce personal connection.  - Even if your team is remote - Schedule individual 15-minute connects - Look each person in the eye Create space for real conversation. 4. Master the Name Game Learn every name before you need it. - Study faces and names in advance - Uncover one personal interest per team member - Reference these details in future interactions This isn't just courtesy—it's how trust is built. 📅 Days 4-5: Gather Intelligence 5. Ask These Three Critical Questions To every team member: - "What are we world-class at?" (Protect this) - "What's consistently broken?" (Find quick wins) - "Where should we invest next?" (Map the future) 6. Create a Small "Firedrill" Run a controlled exercise to observe: - How the team responds to pressure - Who knows their numbers naturally - Where the real expertise lies You're not judging—you're learning. 📅 End of Week: Set the Tone 7. Close With Clarity Send a Friday video update covering: - What excites you about the team - What you've learned - Your emerging questions - Next week's focus Let them see your enthusiasm and hear your commitment. 8. Lead From Behind Week 1 is about leaving your mark: - Connect before you direct - Listen more than you speak - Learn before you change Respect what they've built.  The time for your impact will come. Great leaders know:  Week 1 isn't about proving yourself.  It's about preparing yourself. Build trust, gather intelligence, and set the foundation for long-term success. Your future self will thank you for getting this right. Helpful? 🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more like it. ♻️ Repost to help others lead confidently from Day 1.

🚀 Mastering Team Leadership: How to Shield Yourself & Your Team from Challenges 🛡️ Leading a team is both a privilege and a challenge. Great leaders don’t just steer the ship—they prepare for storms before they hit. 🌪️ Here’s how you can protect yourself and your team from obstacles while fostering resilience and success: 1. Build a Foundation of Trust & Transparency. A strong team thrives on open communication. When trust is the baseline, challenges are met with collaboration, not conflict. Encourage feedback, own mistakes, and create a safe space for ideas. 2. Anticipate & Adapt. Proactive leaders don’t wait for problems—they foresee them. Regularly assess risks, stay updated on industry shifts, and pivot strategies before issues escalate. Agility is your armor. 3. Empower, Don’t Micromanage A self-sufficient team is a resilient one. Delegate wisely, provide autonomy, and trust your people to solve problems. This reduces bottlenecks and builds confidence. 4. Lead with Emotional Intelligence Challenges often trigger stress. A leader’s ability to stay composed, empathize, and guide with clarity can defuse tension and keep morale high. EQ > IQ in crisis moments. 5. Foster a Solution-Oriented Mindset. Instead of dwelling on problems, train your team (and yourself) to focus on solutions. A “we’ll figure it out” attitude turns obstacles into opportunities. 6. Protect Your Energy & Well-being You can’t lead effectively if you’re burned out. Set boundaries, prioritize self-care, and remember: a strong leader needs mental and emotional stamina. 7. Learn from Every Setback Every challenge is a lesson in disguise. Conduct retrospectives, refine processes, and turn failures into stepping stones for future success. . . . . #leader #leadership

Waiting for the feeling of motivation is like waiting at a bus station that’s no longer on the route. Becoming a great leader isn’t about just: ➡️ saying the right things ➡️ having a good attitude ➡️ trying to keep your emotions in check Many people just go through the appearance of leadership like they are performing the role of “leader” and their habits are like a costume they put on and take off. Becoming a great leader is like anything else you are building and maintaining. It is a goal that you have for yourself and your organization. It, therefore, requires GOOD SYSTEMS. When motivation fails you; when life flips the script on you; when it rains, pours, and floods the messiness of people working with people… You can’t muscle your way to good leadership (rely on your emotions alone). You need good systems to follow. PRIORITIZE ✅ Prioritize strategically vital roles on your team and spend a disproportionately high percentage of your time coaching and developing these people. ❌ Not all people get equal attention. Treat your coaching capacity like the finite resource that it is. 💡 Delegate some coaching relationships to others who are building their skills and leading mini or sub-team units. ORGANIZE ✅ Schedule your 1 on 1’s, have a consistent agenda, and protect this time at all costs. ❌ Impromptu and “as needed” check ins are nice as a supplement to organized and consistent 1 on 1’s - not as a replacement for them. 💡 If you are having problems keeping up with them, schedule important ones for the beginning of the day and meet off site. This helps me remove the excuse of “the day got crazy”. LEVEL UP ✅ Treat your leadership development like a work out regiment where you have to develop your leadership muscles. What you read, listen to and take in from your own mentors are all part of going to the “leadership gym.” ❌ When you are with your people, this isn’t the time you’re building skill. It is when you’re using your skill. Athletes have clearly delineated times of PRACTICE and GAME TIME. You have to go to leadership practice. The office is game time. 💡A 10 minute section of a podcast on your commute to work; a 10-page routine every night before going to bed… there’s many ways you can build the PRACTICE times for feeding your leadership muscles. You’re not an imposter. You’ve just been led to believe that leadership is a quality. It’s not. It’s a skill. You wouldn’t be a great musician if you only pulled out your violin during concerts. Anyone you have ever admired for their great performance (athlete, musician, etc.) has practiced thousands and thousands of hours for something you saw momentarily. Their excellence isn’t a product of their goals. Everyone and their neighbor Phil has a goal. Their excellence is proof of the quality of their SYSTEMS. 🤘🏼

When I work with "new" leaders, one of the questions they frequently ask is for a "roadmap" or template of how they can be most successful. Of course there are a of possible answers. Frequently, folks say just be yourself. Don't try to become someone else, etc. I'm not sure that's 100% solid advice. Over the years I have come up with list (seems like it's always being updated) of ideas to become a better leader. 1️⃣ Understand Your Leadership Style Reflect on your strengths and areas for growth. A bit of EQ is critical here. Seek feedback from others to identify blind spots. Ask them directly for feedback. Create an easy forum to receive it. 2️⃣ Build Relationships with Your Team Take the time to learn about each team member’s skills, goals, and challenges. Schedule one-on-one meetings to establish trust and open communication. One-on-ones are a great tool. Use them regularly! 3️⃣ Set Clear Expectations and Communicate Them. Define roles, responsibilities, and performance standards. Communicate team goals and how they align with the organization’s vision. 4️⃣ Develop Active Listening Skills Practice empathetic listening to understand team concerns and ideas. Create a safe space for open dialogue and encourage diverse perspectives. 5️⃣ Lead by Example Model the behaviors, work ethic, and attitudes you expect from your team. Be transparent, accountable, and consistent in your actions. 6️⃣ Learn to Delegate Effectively (this is a true skill to be worked on always). Trust your team to handle responsibilities and empower them to take ownership. Focus on coaching and guiding rather than micromanaging. Micromanaging will be your kiss of death! 7️⃣ Foster a Culture of Feedback Give constructive feedback regularly and ask for feedback on your leadership. Celebrate successes and recognize team contributions. 8️⃣ Adapt to Change Be open to learning and pivoting as challenges arise. Stay informed about industry trends and how they might impact your team. 9️⃣ Invest in Personal Development Commit to continuous learning through books, training, or mentorship. Reflect on your leadership journey to evolve and improve. Network now. Don't wait to build relationships. 🔟 Focus on Building a Vision Inspire your team with a compelling vision for the future. Collaboratively create a roadmap to achieve team and organizational goals.

The most efficient and effective teams have one thing in common: trust. Trust isn’t a given—it’s developed. Created in the small moments with each other. And it starts with leaders who possess the skills to foster it. At the core of trusted teams are leaders who excel in:   👉 Self-awareness: Understanding their emotions, triggers, and impact on others.   👉 Emotional regulation: Responding to challenges thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively.   👉 Boundaries: Prioritizing what matters most to create clarity and build respect.  These aren’t just fluffy personal development tools—they’re the building blocks of trust. Without them, even the best strategies fail.  Why does this matter? 🤷♀️    - Teams that trust one another are 50% more productive (Harvard Business Review).   - Employees with emotionally intelligent leaders report 70% higher engagement (TalentSmart).   - Organizations that prioritize leadership development see 25% higher profitability (Deloitte).  Coaching and training are the most effective ways to develop these skills. They empower nurse leaders to build trust within themselves and across their teams by:   ✔ Gaining clarity through self-awareness   ✔ Regulating emotions for stronger decision-making   ✔ Setting boundaries that promote collaboration   ✔ Inspiring confidence and communication that unite teams  At High Performance Nursing, the Nurse Leadership Mastery Program™ equips leaders with these essential skills. Coaching and training tailored to nurse leaders don’t just create better leaders—they build environments where trust is the foundation for effective collaboration and the best patient outcomes.  When organizations adopt this head + heart strategy, they move beyond efficiency to transformation. THIS is #LovingDisruption. How is your organization equipping its leaders with the tools to build trust in 2025? #LovingDisruption #nurses #team #Leadership #Coaching #Boundaries #Trust #HighPerformanceNursing #Collaboration  #relationships #communication

Many people believe that leadership is solely about making decisions... But that's not the case. It's about supporting and serving others. I’ve had the privilege of learning from some pretty great leaders over the past decade, and if they’re reading this - they know who they are 😊. Genuine service involves more than just the desire to help. It demands the cultivation of soft skills that truly make an impact. ✅ For you. ✅ For your team. ✅ For the organization. If you're ready to change the way you lead... Here are 10 essential soft skills to focus on: 1. Listening ↳ Stop formulating your response while others are speaking. ↳ Begin to understand what your team truly needs. 2. Empathy ↳ Prioritize comprehending your team's experiences over seeking to be understood. ↳ View challenges through their perspective first. 3. Adaptability ↳ Modify your approach to align with where your team currently is. ↳ Let your leadership style adjust to their strengths. 4. Dedication ↳ Be consistently present for your team. ↳ Your dependability forms their support system. 5. Ethics ↳ Make choices that safeguard your team's trust. ↳ Your integrity serves as their safety net. 6. Respect ↳ Treat everyone with equal dignity. ↳ Your way of honoring individuals shapes the team's culture. 7. Support ↳ Remove obstacles so others can thrive. ↳ Your role is to simplify their tasks. 8. Humility ↳ Acknowledge mistakes that affect your team. ↳ Demonstrate the vulnerability you wish to inspire. 9. Inclusion ↳ Ensure every voice is heard and valued. ↳ Diverse perspectives enhance team decision-making. 10. Patience ↳ Allow your team time to develop and learn. ↳ Encourage progress rather than striving for perfection. The most rewarding aspect of serving others? You don’t need a formal title to begin. Leadership can emerge from any position when you focus on how you present yourself.

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐨? Effective leadership goes beyond day-to-day operations. It’s about igniting innovation, empowering your team, and driving continuous growth. Here are 10 principles to guide you on the path to effective leadership: 🔑 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Empower your team by assigning meaningful tasks. 💬 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Build trust through transparency & honest dialogue. 🌟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:  Encourage and support new ideas without fear of failure. 💪 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞: Learn from mistakes to fuel growth & improvement. 🤝 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬: Collaborate to broaden perspectives and strategies. 📚 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Foster a culture of ongoing education and skill development. 🧠 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭: Bring in individuals who drive change and innovation. 💖 𝐁𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜: Integrate personal interests and values into your professional life. 🧘♂️ 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Regularly assess actions and decisions to enhance future performance. 📈 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡: Commit to ongoing development for yourself and your team. Strategic leaders are proactive, transparent, and always looking to improve. By implementing these principles, you can transform your leadership style and inspire your team. 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬: 1. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Reflect on your leadership by comparing them to these principles. Identify areas of strength and improvement. 2. 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬: Define measurable, actionable goals based on your self-assessment. 3. 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐚 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧: Outline steps to achieve your goals.. 4. 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 & 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: Engage with mentors, peers, and your team for feedback. 5. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬: Implement small changes to your leadership style. Monitor & adjust. 6. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Encourage team accountability for adhering to principles. 7. 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 & 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭: Regularly check progress. Reflect on what works and what doesn’t. 8. 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Commit to ongoing development. Attend workshops, read, and engage in discussions to stay inspired. Comment: 🔹 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭? 🔹 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲? + 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 #Leadership #Innovation #TeamBuilding #ContinuousImprovement #StrategicLeadership #GrowthMindset #LinkedInTopVoice #ProjectManagement #CareerDevelopment

Stepping into a leadership role is both exciting and challenging. Whether you're leading a new team or transitioning within your organization, one of the first and most critical steps is to earn your team's trust and establish your credibility as a leader. Here are some key strategies to help you succeed: ➡️ Communicate Clearly: Be transparent about your goals, expectations, and decisions. Effective communication fosters trust and helps team members understand your vision. ➡️ Demonstrate Competence: Show proficiency in your role by making well-informed decisions, seeking feedback, and continuously improving your skills. Competence instills confidence in your leadership abilities. ➡️ Build Relationships: Take the time to get to know your team members individually. Show genuine interest in their concerns, goals, and professional development. Building relationships fosters a sense of camaraderie and trust. ➡️ Lead by Example: Model the behavior you expect from your team. Demonstrate integrity, accountability, and a strong work ethic. Leading by example sets a positive tone and earns respect from others. ➡️ Be Authentic: Be true to yourself and your values. Authenticity builds credibility and helps establish a genuine connection with your team. ➡️ Seek Feedback and Input: Encourage open dialogue and welcome feedback from your team members. Actively listen to their concerns, ideas, and suggestions. Incorporating their input demonstrates that you value their perspectives and promotes a sense of ownership. ➡️ Stay Humble: Recognize that you don't have all the answers and be open to learning from others. Humility shows that you are approachable and receptive to different viewpoints. By implementing these strategies, you can build a strong foundation for effective leadership and foster a culture of trust and collaboration within your team. #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadWithCourage