It's not me. It's you.

Here's my step-by-step playbook for handling underperforming employees: A common mistake many leaders make:

Confusing progress with what's required to succeed.

Both A and B are showing progress:

- But A will soon be a star.
- While B will consistently disappoint.

Here's how to decide which one your managing:

If you want to become a better manager overnight,

I would teach you this one skill: Setting expectations.

Why?

It is the single highest leverage activity you can do.

And nearly everyone leading a team does it poorly.

Or not at all.

The 5 pillars of leadership:

Mission -> What's our Why?
Strategy -> How are we different?
Talent -> How do we find our A-players?
Operations -> How do we deliver effectively?
Improvement -> How do we consistently compound?

Here's how to answer each one: MISSION: What's our Why?

The best leaders don't sell destinations.
They sell becoming part of a movement.

Your team doesn't want another goal.
They want to be part of a story bigger than themselves.

Mission isn't what you do—it's why anyone should care.

Leading a high-performing team is hard but not complicated.

You only have 5 levers to drive meaningful impact.

Here are simple tips to maximize each one: 1. Clear Goal

Call it a mission, a purpose, or a goal.
It needs to be clear and compelling.
People want a purpose, not just a paycheck.

Tip: You cannot repeat this often enough. You team should know it word for word.

95% of problems at work come down to one thing:

Unclear expectations.

Use this playbook to keep managers and employees on the same page: If you're the manager:

Setting expectations is your only job.

If your team doesn't know what you expect, you're failing them. And despite great effort, chances are they're letting you down.

The vicious cycle of frustration builds.

I've interviewed 500+ candidates.

These 5 questions reveal more in 30 minutes than most companies learn in 3 rounds.

And exactly what I’m listening for in their answers 🧵 Question 1: "Who will follow you here?"

I uncover:

- How self-aware they are
- Their standing in the community
- Their willingness to recruit & close

I’m listening for how they speak of others, how they speak of their current company, and the specific rationale for why his team members would be motivated to follow.

Simon Sinek's TED Talk is the 3rd most-watched in history for good reason.

His approach transformed organizations like Apple and the US Marines.

Use his 3 Core Leadership principles to rethink your business: 1 - Start With Why

Great companies don't sell what they make—they sell why they make it.

Compare these messages:

• "We make great computers" (What)
• "We challenge the status quo by designing differently" (Why)

Your WHY activates the emotional decision-making center of your customers' and employees' brains.

When Apple says "Think Different," they're not describing features.

They're inviting you into a movement.

The 80/20 of Management:

6 pivotal moments, each requiring one skill ⬇️ MANAGING UP

Skill: Influence

• Connect team initiatives to company-wide priorities
• Build advocates outside your reporting line
• Present solutions, not just problems

Executives want outcomes, not just effort.

If I wanted to go from manager to leader, I'd lean into these 9 essential skills.

(You might want to bookmark this for later) 1. Establish Clear Employee Expectations

💡Key Lessons:
- Author together for ownership
- Align on How, not just What
- Amplify w/ clear feedback

Bonus: Free expectations template mgmt.beehiiv.com/p/setting-clea…

More new managers fail than succeed.

Here's how the wise ones win: Active Listening

Two ears, one mouth.
Keep that ratio.

Tip: Summarize their point. It forces you to listen rather than plan your response, and it makes them feel heard.

Great leaders don't give better answers.

They ask better questions.

Here are 20 questions that drive impact: EXECUTION (How Work Gets Done)

1. "How do you measure success?"
Listen for: Precision over platitudes
✅ Are metrics clear and mission-aligned?

2. "What does excellence look like?"
Listen for: Standards over statements
✅ Can they define the exceptional?

3. "What are our three critical priorities?"
Listen for: Focus over fragmentation
✅ Do they know what truly matters?

4. "Where do you get blocked?"
Listen for: Solutions over symptoms
✅ Can they diagnose root causes?

5. "Which processes feel unnecessary?"
Listen for: Efficiency over effort
✅ Will they challenge sacred cows?

Why 60% of managers fail in the first 18 months:

( and how not to be one of them ) Establish Clear Employee Expectations

Key Lessons:
- Author together for ownership
- Align on How, not just What
- Amplify w/ clear feedback

Bonus: Free Expectations Template
mgmt.beehiiv.com/p/setting-clea…

You finally delegated important work.

But how do you know it’s being done right?

5 steps to drive great outcomes w/o micromanaging 🧵 1. Set the expectation

Without agreement upfront, oversight will be random & unwelcomed:

-> Goal: What will be accomplished
-> Standards: Quality that signifies done
-> Process: How work will get done
-> Timing: When it will be done
-> Tolerance: How much risk you can handle

Let me fix your 1:1 meetings in 90 seconds.

It only requires two changes:

- It's their meeting, not yours
- Good questions >> Great directions

Here's how to do it: Make It Their Meeting

Delegate the meeting like any other work:
- Define what excellent looks like
- Hold them accountable
- Coach to success
- Don't step in

But how do I get what I need to lead? That's part 2...

My favorite interview questions for finding A-players: I often take heat for these questions:

"These don't focus on skills." Correct. I can train you to use Excel. I can't train you to value Excellence.

"I wouldn't work for someone who asked this." Good. I'm not trying to hire everyone. I'm trying to hire the right one.

75% of managers report being overwhelmed.

The other 25% rely on one skill: Delegation

Here's their playbook: 1. What should you delegate?

Everything. Not a joke.

You need to design yourself completely out of your old job. Set your sights lower and you'll delegate WAY less than you should.

But don't freak out: Responsibly delegating this way will take months.

7 Habits of High-Performing Teams

(and tips 🧵to build them) 1. Team Not Improving?

HABIT: Daily Feedback
- Let them self-critique first
- Start with "Did this meet expectations?"
- Reinforce winning behaviors

Tip: Make it a conversation, not a conviction.

Let me fix your 1:1 meetings in 90 seconds.

It only requires two changes:

- It's their meeting, not yours
- Good questions >> Great directions

Here's how to do it: Make It Their Meeting

Delegate the meeting like any other work:
- Define what excellent looks like
- Hold them accountable
- Coach to success
- Don't step in

But how do I get what I need to lead? That's part 2...

11 counterintuitive lessons for building a winning business:

1. Every additional hire increases complexity faster than productivity. 2. Want to deliver more value?
Raise your prices.

They have more skin in the game.
You focus more on most aligned customers.

7 Signs You're In A Toxic Team Culture

(And how to spot them) 1. Good People Leave

There's a saying in poker, "If you can't spot the sucker sitting at the table, it's you."

If the people you respect are leaving, that's a sign.

One is a data point. Two is a trend.

Follow the trends.

Here are 5 simple tips to earn what you deserve: 1. Make Yourself More Valuable🚀
• Take on problems no one else wants to solve
• Build skills your company needs but lacks
• Create revenue or reduce costs - and track it