LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY
I am actively pursuing leadership roles at this point in my career and to that effect here are my core principles : Enablement rather than enforcement. Bridge building rather than whip cracking. Autonomy & accountability rather than micromanagement and order taking.
Most would agree that the image of a boss yelling instructions at his team is not helpful nor effective leadership. However, I also believe that the image of the leader in the trenches at the front of their team is not the right one either. I've seen too many leaders try to demonstrate high quality work by attempting to be the team lead in addition to the manager. That mentality is the source of an incredible amount of problems, inefficiency, and turnover.
I prefer the mental model of a leader building and holding up a bridge for their team. A leader should inspire. They should set a clear vision. They should make connections for their team. They should clear obstacles. Most importantly, they should enable their team to do the best work of their lives. But the responsibility for doing the work belongs with the team, not the manager. Giving autonomy while requiring accountability is one of the hallmarks of great leaders.
The best way I've found to create a culture of innovation that is scalable is to push decision making & accountability as far down the chain as possible. This creates an entire team of leaders rather than followers.
MY COMMITMENTS:
We’ll have a weekly 1:1. I’ll prioritize these meetings and will never move them except on rare occasions. If you have an urgent need I can help with, please reach out. I’m here to help. Your success & well-being are my top priorities.
Topics for 1:1s will be in the meeting invite so we remember important topics, but you’re always free to use the time for whatever is on your mind. This is your time. If nothing more urgent comes up, we will spend our time together doing the following:Discuss progress toward goals. Give and receive feedback (2-way)Talk about career growth & life goals. Connect work to the larger mission, goals, & strategy of the company.
Your work gets done your way. My focus is on outcomes, not output. Once we’re clear on where we need to go, how to get there is up to you. If I ever find it necessary to suggest a specific approach, I will supply an example and explain the reason why.
I do not need to approve designs. I will give feedback, coach, & guide when appropriate, but I trust you and your partners to make decisions that are in the best interest of both the company and our associates. You are the ones that have the best information.
I value openness, transparency, and candor. I will both provide and seek feedback on a regular basis. You’ll get feedback from me when it is fresh. There will be no feedback in your performance review that you’re hearing about for the first time.
I will always welcome your thoughts, listen patiently, seek to understand first, and will never respond defensively.
I trust you to manage your own time. You don’t need to clear breaks or OOO time with me or provide justification. We all are humans first and employees second. Taking care of yourself, your family, and those close to you takes first priority.
I trust you to skip level and talk to my manager or other senior management about anything you feel is relevant at any time. You don’t need to clear it with me, and I’m not going to get weird about it if you do choose to tell me about the conversation.
I will attribute credit appropriately to you and your team. I will never exaggerate my own role or minimize your contribution. I’ll be especially certain to nail down attribution when senior management are hearing of our accomplishments.
I will invest in you and focus on helping you achieve your career goals. Work assignments will be mutually beneficial, and we will follow up on progress on a regular cadence
MY ASKS :
I want to hear your feedback, to know when you think I’m wrong, and to understand your ideas for how we (and I) can do better.
A balanced team is strongest when it’s collaborating & working together. I ask that we normalize presenting in-progress work for feedback and involve others (especially partners) early and often. How you involve them or bring them in is up to you.
A team achieves the best results when we seek to understand, learn, and value each other. I ask that we make a conscious effort view one another as people with wants/needs/desires as valid as our own, to seek to understand each other, and take care of each other.Please look around you to see who you can help, who you can understand better, and speak up when you need help. We’re all in this together.
The best experiences are delivered—and the best partner relationships are forged—when we explore multiple directions rather than running with the first idea we have.When presenting ideas, always show multiple options unless there is a clear business justification otherwise. (These situations should be the exception rather than the rule).
Always be learning. Never lose the desire to experiment with new methods, try a new way of working, challenge assumptions, and speak up when you have a question.
Learn to recognize similarity & confirmation bias. Include people, workflows, & circumstances in your research, iterations, & solutions that are different from how you experience the world. Accessibility, Equity, & Inclusion should be a mentality not a step in the process.
Empathize with, and seek to understand, partners just as much as you do with users. Understand what motivates them, what keeps them up at night, and how you can help.
Prioritize heads down work. I am completely supportive of blocking off time each week for heads down work. Uninterrupted time to think is vital to delivering great experiences.
Define & stick to non-negotiables (whatever that means to you). Set limits to which you are unwilling to make exceptions and stick with them. This helps promote mental health and avoid burnout.
Don’t leave business impact up to partners. We should all feel just as much accountability for impacting and growing the business as anyone we partner with. Learn how to pitch a business case for potential growth areas.