intent doesn’t matter. impact does.

don’t give feedback when you feel pressure to do so; give it when your employee is ready to hear it.

trust your instincts and stay true to who you are, authentically; fight against the instinct to do only what other people want you to do.

don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with the people you manage.

leadership is a whole lot more about listening than it is about knowing it all. don’t be intimidated by a direct report that knows more than you.

reach out to leaders in other departments and collaborate with them. break down silos. you’re all facing similar problems and if you’re feeling disconnection between departments at a management level, your team members are definitely living the pain of it every day. it’s your job to build those bridges and create collaborative pathways for your team.

leave all of your biases at the door. seek to understand what motivates people to behave in certain ways; adapt and learn to communicate with all kinds of personalities.

it will take a lot of practice to learn when it’s time to make a quick decision, and when it’s time to take a more methodological approach.

believe in people. let them make mistakes and trust they’ll learn. know that mistakes aren’t always performance issues, and performance issues are often communication issues in disguise.

maintain your work-life balance, even when it’s tempting to come in early and stay late for months on end. the way you work says a lot to your direct reports about what you value and what you expect from them. they notice, and they’ll take your lead.

you’re going to feel like you’re failing and making mistakes. a lot. most of the time, that’s in your head. when it’s not in your head, take responsibility and do what you need to do to fix them.

more than ever, know your goals and the positive impact they will have on your workforce. prioritize the things that will help you meet those goals. the rest is only noise.