Tips for Improving IT Leadership Skills

When I was a leader, there was a time that I thought that improving my coaching skills meant giving better advice and moving quickly to solutions 😅. I was wrong. The first thing they teach in coaching certification is this: Coaches don't give advice. Instead, we believe that the coachee is the best person to solve their own problems as it helps them take ownership, builds creativity and fosters resilience. When I see leaders made this coaching mindset transformation, too, they get better growth, creativity and results in their teams. Here are three shifts you can make to improve your coaching skills as a leader: ➡️ SHIFT 1: Transform from hearing to intuitive listening. Intuitive listening is hearing a person fully beyond their words at face value. It is that little jolt, nudge or zinger you feel inside when you sense something is off, not lining up or maybe information is being withheld. You can ask questions like: ❔"I have a hunch there might be a deeper worry here, but tell me otherwise?" ❔“How long has this been a concern for you? Why is that?" ➡️ SHIFT 2: Move from problem solving to problem identifying. So much “coaching” is fruitless because leaders are too quick with advice or getting into action that we solve the wrong problem. Here are questions to help you get to the root of the issue so you solve the RIGHT problem. You can ask questions like: ❔“Why would it be so bad if XYZ happened?” (Points you towards the worry or belief holding them back) ❔“If you could make XYZ happen, what are you hoping that helps you avoid?” ➡️ SHIFT 3: Shift from telling to asking. Once the problem has been identified, it can be so tempting to unleash all of the brilliant advice that you've been holding back ;) However, great coaches know that asking the client/coachee how THEY'D solve the problem leads to better creativity, results and ownership. You can ask questions like: ❔What's been your current approach to solving this? ❔What else could you try? ❔What worked when solving another similar challenge? ❔How could this be happening FOR you? TRY THIS NEXT: In your next coaching conversation, ask one more question that you normally would before jumping into action. What coaching strategies have you tried to help you ask better questions and refrain from jumping in to solve the problem?

Leadership is About Becoming, Not Just Doing. Last week, I spoke with a leader who was feeling lost. “Why isn’t my team stepping up?” they asked. “I’ve given clear instructions, but nothing seems to work. So, we unpacked the situation. And here’s what we realized: Your team doesn’t follow what you say—they mirror what you do. Leadership isn’t just about managing tasks; it’s about inspiring trust, modeling behaviors, and creating a space where others thrive. Leadership starts within. Harsh truth? The greatest transformations don’t happen when you fix others but when you evolve yourself. Here's 10 Ways to Lead with Impact today: 📌 Clarify Your Leadership Why → Take 10 minutes today to write down why you’re leading and what legacy you want to leave. 📌 Align Your Actions to Your Values → Review your calendar. Are your daily priorities reflecting your values? Adjust one thing this week. 📌 Build Bridges Through Radical Empathy → Ask your team: What’s one thing I can do to better support you? Then act on their feedback. 📌 Model Accountability → Share a mistake you’ve made recently and how you’re working to improve. Let your team see your growth. 📌 Empower Others to Lead → Identify one strength in each team member this week and assign them a responsibility that amplifies it. 📌 Recognize Effort in Real-Time → Don’t wait for formal reviews. Send a personal message today acknowledging a specific contribution. 📌 Ask Transformative Questions → Instead of asking, “Why aren’t they performing?” ask, “How can I create the conditions for their success?” 📌 Commit to Small Daily Learning → Spend 10 minutes every morning reading, listening, or reflecting on leadership practices. Start with a podcast or book chapter. 📌 Celebrate Small Wins Weekly → At the end of the week, call out 2-3 team achievements during a meeting or in a team email. 📌 Lead Yourself First → Block time this week for self-care. Whether it’s exercise, mindfulness, or quiet reflection, prioritize your own energy. Leadership isn’t about control—it’s about connection. It’s not about telling—it’s about showing. The impact you leave is shaped by how you show up every day. What’s one way you’ll lead with impact today? ♻️ Share to start a leadership revolution 🔔 Follow me (Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC) for more tips like these.

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.

Each week, I coach leaders at Fortune 500 companies. Here are 9 underrated traits I see in successful ones: These leaders: 1. Integrate 2 opposing views with creativity and calm. 2. Ask others what they want before giving advice. 3. Learn with curiosity and teach with generosity. 4. Focus on what matters, not on being right. 5. Allow serendipity and embrace surprise. 6. Let go gracefully and pass the baton. 7. Story-listen, not only story-tell. 8. Reframe criticism as insight. 9. Lean into the discomfort. How do you put these into action? Here are some tips: 1. Integrate Opposing Inputs When faced with different viewpoints, think creatively. Find a way to blend these ideas into a new solution. 2. Ask Before Advising When someone shares a problem, ask what they need. Do they want advice, help, or just someone to listen? 3. Learn and Teach Regularly learn new things about your field. Then, share with your team to grow their skills too. 4. Focus on What Matters Don't get caught up in always being right. Finding a solution matters more than assigning blame. 5. Embrace Serendipity Be open to unplanned events or ideas. They can lead to valuable and unexpected outcomes. 6. Let Go Gracefully Know when to delegate tasks to others. Trust your team to take the lead. You both gain from it. 7. Story-Listen Pay attention to others' stories and experiences. Invite team members to share. Learn from each other. 8. Reframe Criticism View all feedback as an opportunity to learn. Ask for specific examples and how you can improve. 9. Lean into Discomfort Step out of your comfort zone. Embrace the new. This helps you grow and gain new perspectives. Great leaders are always learning. Embrace these traits to transform your leadership. It's about growing with your team, not just leading. In successful leaders, these traits aren't just habits. They're the foundation of impact and effectiveness. Keep learning, keep growing. __________ Find this helpful? Repost to share with your network ♻️. And follow Nihar Chhaya, MBA, MCC for more leadership tips. Thanks!

7 Things I Wish Every New Leader Would Stop Screwing Up. Getting promoted into leadership doesn’t mean you suddenly know how to lead. It means you’ve just started learning how not to mess it up. As a leadership coach for new leaders, I can tell you—these 7 habits separate the managers people tolerate… from the leaders they follow. 👇 1. Delegate. Don’t micromanage. If you’re still doing the job you hired someone to do, you’re not leading—you’re hoarding. Focus on outcomes, not tasks. Delegate with clarity, then get out of the way. 2. Have tough conversations early. What you avoid becomes your culture. One underperformer protected for too long becomes the standard. Address issues early. Be direct. Be kind. Be clear. Don't let problems rot in silence. 💥 3. Give timely, specific feedback. No one grows from “good job.” Be surgical. Be fast. Be honest. Replace annual reviews with weekly micro-feedback loops. 💥 4. Tailor your style to each person. Leadership is not one-size-fits-all. Some people need autonomy, others need coaching. Know the difference. Adjust accordingly. 💥 5. Listen more than you talk. If you walk into every meeting with all the answers, you’ll leave with zero buy-in. Ask more questions. Give space. The quieter you get, the more you hear what matters. 💥 6. Make time for big-picture thinking. You’re not just a doer anymore—you’re a direction-setter. Block weekly “CEO hours.” If you don’t make space to think, you’ll always be reacting. 💥 7. You’re human. Act like it. You’re going to screw up. You’ll overreact, under-communicate, or freeze. Own it. Learn. Move on. Great leadership is built in recovery, not perfection. Which one of these habits do you need to work on this quarter? 📩 Want to go from managing to leading? Book a session. Let’s turn your potential into power. #FirstTimeLeadership #LeadershipCoaching #LeadershipHabits #NewManagers #LeadershipTraining