As a manager, my 1:1s were broken for years. I cancelled on my best people. Used the time as a live status report. Did most of the talking. I thought I was leading. I wasn't even managing. Here are 4 tests to know if your 1:1s are actually working... Test #1: The Ownership Test

Who sets the agenda and drives the meeting?

If it's you, they're not owning their role. You're still doing it and they're just a glorified helper.

The moment they own the agenda, they own their job.

That might feel risky, but that's leading.

As a manager, I spent years thinking my job was a juggling act. Keep a bunch of things moving along. What a waste. Hired people we didn't need. Built systems nobody used. There was only one problem worth solving: the bottleneck. Here's how to find yours... Step 1: Supply vs. Demand

Is your problem internal? (Can't produce enough.)
Or upstream? (Not enough work.)

These are two distinct problems. Opposite sides of the ledger. One needs you to build. One needs you to hunt.

Any effort to improve the other side is wasted.

Some leaders are superhuman. Deliver outsized results. Fastest to respond. Zoom in on the key detail everyone else missed. We used to just admire them. Now we can become them. Here are 10 short videos to become an AI-powered leader: 1. Your AI-Powered Management Diagnostic

• Diagnose your strengths and blind spots
• Turn diagnostic data into clear insights
• Build a 90-day improvement roadmap

maven.com/p/a8f4d9/leade…

If you struggle to take critical feedback, read this: The common advice on this topic is more suited for the playground than the boardroom:

-> Don't take it personally
-> Don't get emotional
-> Count to 10

WT(actual)F?

If you’re an accomplished professional trying to grow and deliver real impact, this is your roadmap.

Most people overcommunicate. They ramble. The dive into the weeds. They lose their audience. And in doing so, lose their credibility. Change how you think and you'll change what you say. And how you say it. Headlines. Punchlines. Here's my 5-step formula to find your voice: Step 1: Define Winning

Before anything else, answer this question:

"I win if [who] does [what]?"

Example: "I win if my VP approves additional headcount."

Without a target, you're shooting from the hip. With it, you're building a targeted case.

As a manager, one of my biggest regrets is losing top performers. They said they we're leaving for a "better opportunity." I figured they left for more money. Turns out, they left because I failed these 3 tests: Test #1: The Autonomy Test

Are they empowered to make decisions, including improving how the work gets done?

If No, they're micromanaged, not trusted.

Top performers don't want to execute your plan. They want to shape it. Give them co-ownership or watch them find it elsewhere.

Great teams don't just do the basics better. They obsess over timeless principles others ignore.

The 8 Habits of High-Performing Teams: 1. Contagious Improvement

They fix small cracks daily.
Before they become chasms.
Before they become catastrophes.

Excellence spreads.
Or excellence leaves.

It's allergic to deferred maintenance.

The new normal: Every people manager is an engineering manager now. Your new job? Decide what work belongs to humans, what to hand to AI, and how to build a system where both get better over time. Here's how: Delegate to AI when:

• The task is structured, repeatable, or data-heavy
• You can check the output before it ships
• You want speed and scale

AI is your leverage, not your replacement.

As a manager, my biggest regret is tolerating missed deadlines. I thought I was being understanding. I was actually teaching my team that commitments were optional. And whatever you tolerate becomes your new standard. Here are 3 tests to establish accountability: Test #1: The Clarity Test

Can they articulate exactly what's due, when it's due, and what "done" looks like?

If No, you have an expectations problem, not a performance problem.

Accountability requires alignment first. You can't hold people to standards you haven't defined.

Leadership doesn't require anyone's permission. All it requires is your initiative. It's about your actions and attitude. Your skills and systems. And anyone can step up. Here's how: Show Up
→ Presence matters.
Be there, especially when it's hard.

Set The Tone
→ Energy is contagious.
Make yours worth catching.

Do The Work
→ No shortcuts.
Set the standard through your actions.

Firing people sucks. The only thing worse is being fired. It is easiest to push the idea from your mind. Ignore it. But in each life, there are moments that matter 100x more than others. Those are worth being prepared for. This is one of those moments. Here's how to be ready: Watch the Radar

Layoffs rarely surprise.

Internal: Slowed spending? Frozen hiring? Leaders distracted by "secret" projects? Why? They stop the bleeding before cutting deeper.

External: Layoffs at competitors? Fundraising stalled? Ask: How different is your company?

Unclear expectations cause 95% of problems at work. The manager is frustrated. The employee is confused. Everyone loses. Here's my simple playbook for managers and employees to get on the same page fast: If you're the manager:

Setting expectations is your primary 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 trained 1400+ managers. They all struggle with delegation. The issue isn't assigning work. It's ensuring the work gets done well without micromanaging. Here's a simple 5-step system for helping your team succeed: 1. Create Clarity

Establish 5 parameters upfront:

• Outcome: What success looks like
• Quality: What signals done
• Method: Agree on how the work gets done
• Timeline: Set clear milestones and deadlines
• Risk: The boundaries for autonomy

Every manager wants their team to use AI.

But only 25% are using AI to manage their teams.

Here are 10 free, on-demand workshops to help you start leading with AI: 1. Build Your AI People Management Dashboard in 30 Minutes

• Create high-fidelity employee profiles
• Spot performance trends before they become problems
• Turn scattered data into actionable coaching

maven.com/p/0bcf61/let-s…

If I've learned one thing about leading teams the last 25 years, it's that you won't get anywhere without trust.

Here's how to build it (and keep it)🧵 There are 4 types of trust.

Each one build upon the previous:
• Character Trust (integrity)
• Capability Trust (skills)
• Consistency Trust (reliability)
• Connection Trust (relatability)

Skip one and your foundation is shaky at best.

Most managers have a fuzzy picture of their people.

They know job titles and recent projects. Maybe some surface-level preferences.

High-performing managers have high-fidelity pictures of every team member.

Here's how AI helps you build them: THE PICTURE YOU NEED

A complete view includes:
• Capabilities (what they can do)
• Preferences (how they work best)
• Character & Values (who they are)
• Expectations (what success looks like)
• Development goals (where they're headed)

Good feedback drives people to change.
Bad feedback drives them out the door.

A simple playbook to get it right 🧵 Clarity

Without clear expectations, all feedback feels like criticism.

- Define what excellence looks like upfront
- Use measurable language that eliminates interpretation
- Provide specific examples that illustrate the standard

Clear is kind. Ambiguity is future resentment.

17 leadership lessons I learned the hard way:

1. Leadership isn't getting your way.
Leadership is showing others the way. 2. Vulnerability is the surest sign of confidence.

3. No problem has ever been solved with worry.

4. Leadership is an identity, not a side hustle.

5. When in doubt, lead with the truth.

6. Indecision makes acute pain chronic.

If you want your team to trust you, copy this: Is it possible to restore broken trust? Yes!

- Acknowledge your mistake proactively
- Take full responsibility (no excuses)
- Make amends where possible
- Commit to specific behavior changes
- Ask for the chance to earn it back

You can't erase mistakes.
You can earn back trust.

I've trained 1200+ managers on delegation.

The top performers all follow the same 5-step oversight system that drives results without micromanaging their teams.

Here's exactly how they do it: 1. Create Clarity

Establish 5 parameters upfront:

• Outcome: What success looks like
• Quality: What signals done
• Method: Agree on how the work gets done
• Timeline: Set clear milestones and deadlines
• Risk: The boundaries for autonomy

Every company is just an algorithm.

Ignore it and everything suffers: Your team, your sanity and your career.

Embrace it and you make success inevitable.

Here's how: Most leaders make a critical mistake:

They optimize for their own metrics instead of amplifying the company's priorities.

Marketing: impressions >> revenue.
HR: time-to-hire >> quality talent.
IT: uptime >> innovation.

You can fix it fast: