Part 1: Building better systems and habits
1. Weekly reflection sessions are non-negotiable
One executive I spoke with put it simply: structured weekly reviews changed everything. What went right. What went wrong. How to improve next week.
Sounds basic. Most people skip it anyway.
The compound effect of consistent self-assessment is brutal in how well it works.
2. The power of the morning walk
Fifteen minutes of clear thinking before diving into work. Not checking email. Not mentally rehearsing your first meeting. Just walking.
The question to carry with you: What’s one thing that, if I do it today, will make everything else easier?
One leader told me they take 10-minute walks at 11am, after lunch, and around 3pm. Thirty minutes total. About 1.5 miles of steps. The term is bilateral stimulation, and it’s proven science for processing thoughts and reducing stress.
When you come back, you have a fresh mindset. That mental reset is especially powerful in the afternoon when your team is mentally exhausted. Your attitude is contagious as a leader. Exude the energy you want to see.
3. Use AI tools strategically (but safely)
ChatGPT for learning new concepts quickly. Meeting note tools for documentation. Task management tools for personal organization.
The caveat nobody wants to hear: Consumer-grade AI products have no data protection for company info. One CTO called it “exactly the kind of thing a C-suite who’s completely disconnected from security would say.”
Use the tools. Just don’t feed them your company’s secrets.
4. Casual employee interactions matter
Walking past employees and having brief, genuine conversations. The investment feels small.
The trust it builds is not.
Part 2: Team building and delegation
5. Sometimes you need to replace, not fix
One leader told me they replaced nearly their entire team this year. Not because they wanted to. Because they were spending 70% of their time doing work three levels below them since there was no one else to do it.
After the rebuild, they could finally breathe. Start doing the actual leadership work they were hired to do.
Rebuilding neglected companies takes effort and time. Managing both upwards and downwards. Most people underestimate how hard the “upwards” part is.
6. Ask: “What’s one thing slowing you down?”
Fixing team blockers has a compounding effect.
Alternative framing that works even better: “What’s the bit that annoys you the most right now?”
People don’t always recognize something as a “blocker.” But they know what annoys them. And that’s where the gold is.
7. Promote and mentor junior leaders
Your job gets easier when you develop the next generation. One leader’s advice for junior leaders:
Do shit, worry later. Don’t break production.
Another approach: Focus on strengths. Bring out the beast.
8. Master the art of delegation
Having two experienced direct reports who anticipate your needs is a game-changer. The formula is training plus relationship building equals trust to delegate.
One leader put it this way: Not many leaders can get there. But when you do, everything shifts.
9. Decrease span of control (for your team leaders)
Leaders were overloaded with too many direct reports. By giving them fewer reports, they got more focus, which meant better results.
The key: Frame it as support, not punishment. Make it clear you’re not being punitive. You’re giving them the time they need to actually lead.
Once they see you mean it, the insecurity fades.
Part 3: Leading with emotional intelligence
10. Listen to understand, not to contradict
You don’t need to automatically do everything your team says. But you need to listen.
Very often, their input is incredibly valuable. The art is processing feedback without automatic defensiveness.
11. Trust your team or change something
If you can’t trust your team, you either have the wrong team or you need to work on yourself.
There’s no quicker way to inefficiency and micromanaging than not trusting your team. And there’s no quicker way to have a team give up and have their passion die.
Your role: Remove roadblocks. Provide information and guidance. That’s it.
12. Recognize individual strengths and weaknesses
Use people where they’re strong. Develop them where they have potential.
Not everyone fits the same mold. Stop pretending they do.
13. Be the boss you wish you had
- Pass praise down
- Take responsibility for mistakes
- Cover your team when things go wrong
- Have their backs
Simple list. Hard to execute. Worth it.
14. The “tracker” system for employee development
One leader developed a system to track:
- Estimated promotion timelines
- Opportunities for growth (specialized training, leadership programs)
- Recognition moments
- Administrative details that get forgotten when things get busy
The insight: Pay attention to middle performers, not just stars and strugglers. Watch for employees you haven’t recognized in a while who’ve been doing good work.
It also lets you ask hard questions. Why hasn’t employee A been recommended for promotion? What can we do to fix it? Are we not providing opportunities for growth?
Part 4: Strategic leadership shifts
15. Stop doing work above your pay grade (if it’s not rewarded)
One leader had their promotion blocked on a vague “gut feeling” the CTO couldn’t explain. So they stopped doing the work of someone a level above their current role.
Result: Less on their plate. More time. Same pay. Life’s better.
Know when to pull back.
16. Make risky personnel decisions
Sometimes “painful exits” are necessary. Get involved in replacement hires personally. Philosophical alignment matters more than most people think.
One leader told me they fought year after year for increased budget for individual contributors. This year they focused on management instead. Decreased span of control for their leaders while increasing their own.
Created an environment where delegation is more effective.
17. Ruthless prioritization plus delegation
The two-pronged approach to sanity.
Say no to good things to say yes to great things.
18. Focus on strategy, not just execution
Trust your team with execution so you can think bigger. More ON the business, not IN the business.
One leader is shedding part of their organization in the name of better corporate alignment. Typically they would have viewed this as a threat. Now they’re supporting it for their own sanity.
The goal: Create a better environment that enables more thoughtful leadership.
19. Walking around still works
Good old fashioned walking around. Traveling if need be. Engaging with people on a personal level. Caring about them.
Note things in your journal. Especially for people one to three levels down.
It feels like both sides are wasting time.
Trust me: They’ll move mountains for you after the connection.
Part 5: Managing yourself and reality
20. Manage up AND down
Rebuilding neglected companies requires both directions. One leader told me managing up was 10,000x harder than managing down.
Sometimes things are just too neglected to be saved. And you won’t find yourself in that position again once you’ve learned the lesson.
21. Temper unrealistic expectations from above
Executives want things FAST. Reality takes time.
One leader put it perfectly: Building a skyscraper on a foundation of playing cards is not something I’m going to be part of.
Sometimes you have to say: “Go away, I have this.” More often than you’re used to.
22. Take ownership culture seriously
Push teams to take ownership and not fear failure. Establish routine meetings and open forums to talk about work issues, leadership issues, and mentorship.
Once they were given freedom and encouragement to take ownership of their work, one leader saw a lot more engagement, innovation, and improvement to morale.
23. Communication must be simple, clear, and concise
Use Teams, texts, and modern tools effectively. Ensure directives and project parameters are crystal clear.
Over-communicate if necessary.
24. Surround yourself with winners
Being surrounded by winner people in life. Straight up.
One leader hasn’t had someone willfully leave their team in seven years. Fourteen people under them, all adults from 28 to 55.
They must be doing something right.
Part 6: The ultimate lesson
25. Know when to walk away
Some leaders found their answer in leaving.
One told me getting laid off was way easier than the toxic org-political nightmare they were subjected to day in, day out. Blood pressure: back to normal. No longer prediabetic. Down 36 pounds.
Another simply said: “Having retired.”
Sometimes the best career move is an exit.
Your 2026 game plan
These aren’t tips from a blog post someone wrote to hit their content calendar. They’re battle-tested strategies from leaders in the trenches.
Pick three to five that resonate with your situation. Small changes compound over time.
One question to answer before January: What’s the ONE thing you’ll implement?
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Header photo by Johannes Plenio