Table of Contents

• Dear New Leader

• 1% Solutions

• Put On Your Radar: Non-Competes

• Things I’m Reading

• Current Offerings

The fall makes me think of the start of the new school year, which, in turn, gets me thinking about being a school leader. I’m further reminded of this time as I peruse LinkedIn and get to like and congratulate all those folks stepping into a leadership role- some for the first time, and some stepping into a more senior leadership role. I think of myself stepping into that role, and how hard it initially was (for many reasons, some of which out of my control). Luckily, I had a great coach who helped me really learn my job and had my back. She was like the big sister I never had. And it made all of the difference.

Things didn’t have to be as hard as they were for me ( along story best told over an adult beverage). And so I’ve tried to make things a bit easier for others. It’s what fueled Leader U, a leadership development program that I remain deeply proud of. And it’s what fuels me to write this newsletter and my LinkedIn newsletter. Not as some sage omniscient being, but as your big sister in the work who is going to give you tools and help you see around the corner.

So with that big sister energy in mind, I’ve penned this letter to all of the new leaders out there- part pep talk, part things to do.

Dear New Leader

Dear New Leader,

You may be excited, scared, nervous— likely all of the above. You were chosen for a reason. You have so many talents that will no doubt have impact. And also, you are going to make a lot of mistakes. A lot. This year will be hard—but the hard will make you great.

I know we all think we are unique, and we are- but you are not the first first leader to make mistakes. I wish we shared this more openly so you don’t feel alone or crazy this year. So, in the interest of saving you some time so you can work on implementing (and possibly making a whole bunch of different mistakes), below are my tips for you in this first year.

• Find colleagues doing your role in a different organization. If you’re in an industry in which sharing information is frowned upon or even banned, simply find leader friends. They will be a safe space to vent, share ideas, think big and help to depersonalize the inevitable challenges. Leadership is only as lonely as you let it be.

• Every week, build in time to reflect on the past week. Analyze wins and challenges. Commit to doing something differently tomorrow. or the next week. 1% solutions make a big difference (Bonus if you can do this while walking, as you’re possibly not taking care of yourself).

• Thank people often. Put it on your calendar to do so. It will build trust and remind you of all of the good things that are happening.

• Read. A lot. Memoirs of leaders, org psych, even novels. Anytime you read you learn new ideas or get insight into someone’s decision making.

• Find a coach. Even if you have a great boss. Your boss can not be everything to you and you need someone who is squarely and solely in your corner.

• Find a mentor. Don’t just ask them about the things they did. Ask them how they came to that decision, what might they have done differently or when might that tactic not work. Every leadership move is a tool- and not all tools work in all situations.

• If you can’t find a coach or mentor, identify a few leaders you admire. Study them, identify their leader moves and the contexts in which they used them. Apply accordingly.

• You do not have to do it all. Your team wants to be part of the problem solving and solution. Just be clear on decision making rights and levels of input.

• If you can, order pre-cooked meals. You need to eat and potato chips or the kids' snacks is not a suitable lunch. You will feel better (and if you’re in the tri-state area, may I suggest Eat Clean Bro. Horrible name, great product)

• Take care of yourself. No really. Schedule time for the gym, seeing friends or whatever fills your bucket. Treat these events like a doctor’s appointment.

You’ve got this. Maybe not immediately. But it will happen.

1% Solutions

• Actively build connection every day- If you are looking for team building activities, this article outlines a few ideas (note: some of the ideas involve a bigger time investment)

• Create guidelines for AI usage for interviewees- Telling someone to not use AI is akin to telling folks not to google. Instead of banning or hoping for the best, articulate how you expect interviewees to use AI. I personally love Canva’s guidelines (scroll all the way down to the last question on the FAQ) and Greenhouse’s.

Put On Your Radar: Non-Competes

Just as the FTC ban non-competes was about to go into effect, a federal court blocked the measure. So what should you be doing? This is clearly not over, though an appeal will take a long time. I found this article to share some helpful advice on ways to prep for the future regardless.

Things I’m Reading

• Too Opinionated, Too Abrasive, Too Nice: Here’s Why Empty Feedback Doesn’t Help High-Performing Women- This article from Chief describes how women often receive personality-driven and/or empty, positive feedback. The problem with this is that it fails to support women’s growth. Read more about why this is and what we can do about it.

• The Strengths, Weaknesses and Blind Spots of Managers- This recent Gallup report notes what managers are doing well, where they know they need support and-most interestingly- where managers overestimate how well they are doing something. An interesting read- it would be great to read this with your leadership team as well, and do a self-assessment.

Current Offerings

I have limited availability on November and December for shorter term engagement. This includes:

• One day strategy mini-consulting sessions

• Half or full day leadership development trainings (Effective feedback, Leading effective performance reviews, Equitable Hiring, Growing Your Team, Improving Retention)

• Biweekly coaching

My calendar opens up again more broadly in mid-January.

Want to talk? Let’s find time here.