Most people think great leadership is about charisma.
It's not.
After working with hundreds of founders and leading Classy from 0 to $100M+, I've noticed something interesting...
The best leaders are actually obsessed with 3 very unsexy things.
You won't see these on inspirational posters.
You won't hear about them at leadership conferences.
But they're the difference between good and great.
1. Team focus
- Focus is a team's superpower
- But most leaders have way too many goals
- Great managers simplify goals to amplify team focus
- They prioritize goals so the team understands what's most important and what can wait
How to create more focus:
- Keep your company goals to a maximum of 3
- 80% of the company's time should go towards these goals
- Cut unnecessary meetings and reinforce goals during 1x1s
- Fewer distractions keep everyone aligned and purpose-driven
2. Team alignment
- Jim Collins nailed it when he said "Alignment is 99% of greatness."
- Great managers know the impact of teams rowing in different directions
- Every employee should understand the company's agenda
- Their daily activities should support the company's vision and top goals
How to create more alignment:
- Have everyone outline their personal goals
- Align those goals to the team's and company's before you give your blessing
- Use 1x1s to track progress for each goal
- Create public dashboards so everyone knows where they stand
3. Team chemistry
- Who you work with is just as important as what you work on
- Great managers understand this - that's why they obsess over optimizing team composition
- They ensure the skillsets of their team lineup with the company's growth phase
- If they don't, they're not afraid to have those tough conversations
How to keep your chemistry high:
- Create a rock-solid hiring philosophy (and don't break it)
- Be an A+ coach - balance praise with constructive feedback
- Don't be afraid to move people around as your business evolves
- The same goes for exiting those who can't evolve with it