Why the Doubt Hits After a Promotion (It’s Missing Structure)
I know some of you reading this right now are questioning whether you should stay in management.Â
You were crushing it as an individual contributor. You’re thinking maybe you should go back to an IC role.Â
Maybe you've been leading a t...
The 5-Minute Debrief That Teaches Them On The Job
Ever wish you had a do-over at work?Â
Like the customer QBR that went OK, but there were a couple of key moments that you know you and your team would handle differently if you had the chance to do it over again.Â
What you do immediately after an ...
The 30-Second Habit That Works
You just inherited a new team. Now, your new boss tells you they need to share some feedback with you.Â
How are you feeling? What's your immediate reaction?Â
Worried?Â
Stressed?Â
Defensive?
You might be scratching your head trying to figure out where you went wrong,...
Build a shared vision of what success looks like.
If you've just inherited a new team, one of the first things you must do is to create a shared vision of success with the team.Â
You need to get the whole team rowing in the same direction.Â
You may already be feeling the effects of not having thi...
The solution is in your hands.Â
A manager said something to me recently that stuck.
“It feels like I’m the only one thinking.”
Every decision came to them. Every next step. It felt like literally nothing would get done without them telling someone to do it.Â
The team was capable. Smart people. St...
5 Questions to Align With Your Boss
Imagine this.
You’re in your first 90 days managing a new team. You’re sitting in a one-on-one with your boss, walking them through an update you feel great about. You and your team have been working hard. You’ve been putting in long hours. You’ve made what fee...
A simple 3-step method to take ownership without losing trust
There’s a moment every manager dreads. You realize you messed something up.
Maybe something slipped. Maybe it was a decision you made. Maybe your team missed and you didn’t catch it in time.Â
Whatever it is, you feel it immediately. An...
You might be teaching your team to depend on you.
A manager told me recently, “I don’t understand why everything comes to me.”Â
Every decision, every approval, every little judgment call. Nothing seemed to get done unless he was involved. He was frustrated, and honestly, a little confused...
Sometimes the problem isn’t motivation. It’s how often the direction keeps changing.
A manager on our clinic call this week described something that will sound familiar to a lot of leaders. He described what was happening to his team as “chasing squirrels.”
Their senior leader kept spotting new o...
Most managers explain the strategy once. That’s not enough.
A manager gathers their team and explains the strategy.
Everyone nods. The plan seems clear. The priorities sound reasonable. The meeting ends on a positive note.
Two weeks later, something strange happens.
The team is busy and the work ...
What I would actually do if I inherited a new team tomorrow
Last week I wrote about the moment many managers experience after stepping into a bigger role. It’s the point where confidence dips, uncertainty rises, and the job suddenly feels harder than expected.Â
Self-doubt doesn’t disappear with r...
What’s really happening when your new leadership role suddenly feels overwhelming.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve spoken with dozens of tech industry managers who had just taken on new teams.
The beginning of their story is almost always the same.
They were excited. Proud. Energi...
