Six areas worth being deliberate about instead of leaving to instinct. Fill in the specific action for each, a vague goal like "build relationships" doesn't actually get scheduled.
01: Build real relationships
Goal: Establish a genuine connection with each person on my team by [specific action].
· Schedule regular 1:1s and protect them.
· Use active listening instead of waiting for your turn to talk.
· Ask about their goals, not just their current tasks.
· Schedule regular 1:1s and protect them.
· Use active listening instead of waiting for your turn to talk.
· Ask about their goals, not just their current tasks.
02: Understand team dynamics
Goal: Improve team cohesion by [specific action].
· Watch how the team actually interacts, not just what gets said in meetings.
· Name friction directly instead of hoping it resolves on its own.
· Create space for open discussion when something's off.
· Watch how the team actually interacts, not just what gets said in meetings.
· Name friction directly instead of hoping it resolves on its own.
· Create space for open discussion when something's off.
03: Set clear expectations
Goal: Align the team on what "good" looks like by [specific action].
· Define real performance expectations per role.
· Be explicit about communication norms and accountability.
· Connect team goals to the actual business objective.
· Define real performance expectations per role.
· Be explicit about communication norms and accountability.
· Connect team goals to the actual business objective.
04: Define your own leadership style
Goal: Lead in a way that's authentically mine, characterized by [specific trait].
· Get honest about your own values and strengths.
· Look for real chances to practice the trait you want to be known for.
· Ask your team directly whether your style is actually landing.
· Get honest about your own values and strengths.
· Look for real chances to practice the trait you want to be known for.
· Ask your team directly whether your style is actually landing.
05: Support real growth
Goal: Help each person develop toward [specific outcome].
· Identify where each person actually wants to grow, not where you assume.
· Pair people up for informal mentorship.
· Make real space and time for it, not just encouragement.
· Identify where each person actually wants to grow, not where you assume.
· Pair people up for informal mentorship.
· Make real space and time for it, not just encouragement.
06: Build open communication
Goal: Make feedback a normal, two-way habit by [specific action].
· Create an actual channel for it, not just an open-door policy nobody uses.
· Run it on a schedule, not just when something's wrong.
· Respond to what you hear, visibly.
· Create an actual channel for it, not just an open-door policy nobody uses.
· Run it on a schedule, not just when something's wrong.
· Respond to what you hear, visibly.