First Principles Brief: 11 Real-World Steps to Building Better Leaders

 

In a recent conversation, I was asked what I enjoyed most about leading teams over the past 30 years. My answer was easy: developing world-class leaders.

Great leaders aren’t born — they’re built. It takes humility, strategy, accountability — and a genuine, relentless commitment to building people up and helping them believe they can do more than they ever thought possible. In Simon Sinek’s breakthrough book “Start With Why”, the author challenges his readers to start with Why, then How, then get to What. Building leaders has always been my personal Why. What follows is part of my How.

  1. Start with a humble look in the mirror. Know your own strengths and gaps.
  2. Surround yourself with complementary talent. Fill your bench with people whose strengths are your weaknesses.
  3. Take a candid inventory of your strategic needs. Develop for the future, not just today.
  4. Align leaders’ strengths to strategy. Right people, right challenges.
  5. Assign accountability & stretch goals. Growth happens at the edge of comfort.
  6. Build personalized growth plans. No one-size-fits-all.
  7. Coach — then coach some more. Weekly 1:1s, daily feedback.
  8. Allow room for failure. Smart risks fuel learning.
  9. Celebrate and reward success. Recognition drives momentum.
  10. Show a clear path to promotion. Ambition needs a runway.
  11. Show them you have their back. Trust and loyalty start here.

Growth happens at the edge of comfort. Growth happens in tough, crucial and sometimes unsettling conversations. Growth happens when you commit to being a teacher first, manager second. Growth happens when your leaders know you care and have their backs.

The Bottom Line: Leadership development isn’t just about skills. It’s about trust, challenge, support, and vision. Get this right and you’ll build an environment where people — and your business — thrive.

Contact

For questions on this First Principles Brief, or leadership development and program implementation, please contact:

Brent.Teiken@teikengramer.com
Phone: 701-306-5525

We’ve been through it. We’ll help you prepare for it.

 

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