Gelatos, Trust, and Credibility - Which one would you pick?

Hey friend,

I have been travelling for the past few weeks. I went to Brussels for a conference talk and then to Italy with my partner and it is fair to say that I had too many gelatos or not enough. 😉

Meanwhile, this newsletter has grown quite a bit so welcome to the new folks! 😊

Today, we will focus on Securing Early Leadership Wins 🎉.

One crucial element in the leadership journey is the ability to score those sweet early wins and how to leverage them to build credibility and trust.

Identifying Real Leadership Wins 🏆

Every accomplishment may feel like a leadership win, but that's not always the case. For instance, alienating people in the pursuit of a goal is not a win.

Similarly, if success requires behaviour that isn't in line with your values and authentic self, it doesn't qualify as a legitimate win.

👉 Moreover, triumphs that are perceived negatively by other departments or teams are detrimental and, therefore, not true wins.

So then, what is a leadership win? 🥇

Template for Building Credibility Quickly 💪

To build credibility, identify where your team needs the most help and volunteer your skills and expertise.

It’s a quick way to show value and make a positive impact.

For instance, if there are unrealistic deadlines looming over a project, as a leader, assist in negotiating new feasible timelines and provide alternative solutions for task completion.

This will build your credibility and reduce stress within the team, thus fostering trust.

Common Mistakes New Leaders Make ❌

Among the common pitfalls new leaders fall into, the following are most prevalent:

🏆 Leading with a lack of focus: Attempting to do too much can overwhelm both the leader and the team. Meanwhile, doing too little can lead to incompetence. Find the correct balance.
👉 Neglecting the ‘how': If the winning process alienates staff, then it's a failure. Ensuring staff wellbeing is as important as achieving goals.
😰 Fearing failure: Embrace the learner's mindset. In leadership, perfection isn't the goal, but continuous learning and improvement are.

Action items for you ✅

🔑 Ask yourself what good and bad examples of winning look like in your current team.
🤝 Understand where your team needs help and how you can be of assistance.
💼 Clearly define these tasks for yourself and start working on them.

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🧰 The Engineering Leader's Toolbox

Software Engineering Manager vs Tech Lead - Learn the difference so you know what leader you want to be.
📈 How can you make powerful progress in any arena, read more here ↗️
💕 Good Code is like writing a Love Letter, Addy Osmani shared a wonderful article.
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