Great leadership isn’t built solely in boardrooms, presenting at staff meetings, or by making important decisions. While these are key aspects of leadership, its true essence is often demonstrated in the small, daily interactions with team members. These micro-moments, whether a quick check-in with an employee, a calm response during a tense situation, or a genuine thank you, hold the power to shape how leaders build trust, influence their teams, and facilitate results.
In today’s fast-paced world, leadership has become more challenging than ever. Managers and executives are tasked not only with achieving results, but also with intentionally investing time in coaching and developing employees, delivering meaningful feedback, and fostering trust and cohesion within their teams. These demands require significant time, energy, and focus, and they are reflected in the leader’s consistent, intentional daily actions.
True leadership is reflected in the way you build trust, foster collaboration, and inspire growth through consistent, intentional efforts.
It’s the ability to connect with individuals on a human level, to listen, guide, and support them in meaningful ways. Leaders who focus on their actions rather than their status create environments where people feel valued, empowered, and motivated to give their best.
Exceptional leaders understand that true leadership is defined by implementing the important elements of leadership. Trust, cohesion, camaraderie, and growth are all cultivated through the consistent actions of great leaders.
Below are examples of ways managers and executives demonstrate true, impactful leadership with their teams:
- Actively listening during a conversation and being curious about the other person’s perspective.
- Offering encouragement during challenges.
- Leading by example by following through on commitments and modeling accountability.
- Expressing gratitude for a job well done. This could be in a team or individual meeting, in a handwritten card, by email, or text.
- Taking time to coach a team member through a problem.
- Delegating a project so an employee can build their skills.
- Prioritizing regular check in meetings to support an employee and ensure alignment around priorities.
- Stopping by to check in on an employee, or casually touching base with a remote employee just to see how they are doing.
- Asking about an employee’s weekend or family.
- Providing positive and constructive feedback so an employee knows where they stand. This can be two minutes of feedback on the spot, or during regular one-on-one meetings.
- Designating time to discuss an employee’s career goals and aspirations.
- Providing clarity to the team by sharing strategic goals and regularly revisiting them.
- Being intentional about the energy you bring to the team and understanding that your positive and negative energy transfers to others.
- Addressing issues promptly and not ignoring poor performance.
- Investing in each team member’s growth by sharing resources and knowledge, actively developing employees, and by providing growth opportunities.
- Encourage learning from mistakes.
These are just a few examples of what active leadership looks like. It’s in these small but powerful moments that trust, respect, and connection are built. Exceptional leaders master the art of showing up consistently, even in the smallest ways, to inspire and empower those around them.
Effective leadership is not about the title you hold but the impact you make through your everyday actions. It’s about consistently building trust, fostering collaboration, and inspiring growth within your team.
Leadership is a commitment to showing up with intention and creating an environment where others can thrive. When you lead with intention and focus on meaningful action, you embody what it truly means to be a great leader.
I really love and enjoy this reading. Reading this I learned that when you speak out clearly you thoughts and ideas people see you as winner, because you are not afraid to go straight to the point.
Great article.....And happy belated birthday! Welcome to my world, young lady!
Whenever I have a work project that I keep putting off - I think about delegating that project to someone else - which accomplishes 2 things- it gets the project done and frees us my brain space thinking about it.
Good morning. I loved this read. Thank you so much for sharing. Sincerely, Melissa :)
Thank you for this blog Laurie. I liked most part and specially "As organizations have become more complex, there is a tendency to require employees to do more with less. This is a slippery slope, and often can result in employees feeling overwhelmed and burnt out. One of the biggest contributors to this is not evaluating resources during the strategic planning process." I will use this practice "A best practice is to do what I call Priority Planning—putting important practices on your calendar ahead of time so they become a priority in your day. Examples of activities to Priority Plan include scheduling recurring coaching sessions with each team member, time for strategic thinking and planning, vacations, doctor appointments, important children’s events, and blocks of time for focused work on projects." To be more effective, I will get a good rest so I can have enough energy in the morning. I will read the blog again along with the other links on employee evaluation. Thank you so much Laurie. Best wishes to you and your family.
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I love the feedback on the more than 50 hours of work. AND filling time. So true. Unfortunately, showing that you work longer hours is still seen as being a "hard worker" - not sure how to change that though.
I enjoyed the read. I concur that transitioning from technical skills to delegating results was a task within itself. I did not realize I was almost trying to do the same thing from my previous position, and it was not working. However, I am seeing the results of how delegating daily tasks makes my job and workload easier. Thank you, Laurie.
Thank you for sharing information about your trip Laurie! All 3 things resonate with me - probably #1 being the biggest. I know when I'm gone for a week, I'm still thinking about work and need a vacation when I get back because I did not relax enough. I think your idea of a longer vacation is definitely in my future!!
Hey Laurie, My take on your list - 1 - everyone has a story - listen 2- social media causes interpersonal problems 5- generational differences create hurdles / earn it you aren't entitled / we should help them get there not give it to them 6 AMEN some leaders I would have followed thru Hell, some I wish - well, you know 7- true BUT be as good as your word and 14- Hopefully we leave some good from our efforts, I know the good leaders I have had have. Seen a lot in my career but it really comes down to treat others the way you want to be treated, fair, honest, and straight forward. Good read. Take care
I love this so much and thank you so much for sharing! I really just love realizing that enjoying the simple things sometimes is the best! Also recognizing that what is important and fun to you may not be everyone else's fun on the on the trip. “Do we get to keep these toiletries?” was my favorite!!!! :):) Glad you had a great time and got to spend it with your family!
I very much resonate with lesson no 3! Thank you Laurie
I think the part that you might have missed in their top 5 things, some of which were not "Italian" or even different from home, all of them happened with you, both of you. And i think that is what they will remember too. And you've got tons of photos that will remind them of what the Sistine Chapel looked like - then they might remember what it sounded like or smelled like. Oh- and i agree with you 100% about sleep!
LOTS of great take-aways from this post! Thank you for posting! I especially love "slow down to speed up". That's a keeper!
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the not getting enough rest to be at my best. definitely need to get more quality sleep and make that a priority
It really is hard to narrow down the 3 lessons into one because they are all so interconnected. You need to give your mind and body THE TIME to relax SO THAT you can enjoy the SIMPLE THINGS, including REST. I enjoyed that lesson as a whole. I will take that lesson with me on my next vacation (or staycation). As always, thank you Laurie for your candor and for sharing your own lessons with others so that we too can benefit.
Great information and reminders
Laurie, Thank you for sharing your trip and these nuggets. The lessons that resonate most with me are it does take time to relax and getting proper rest. When you devote 15 plus hours of your day for work, taking care of home and others; the 6-7 hours you lay down does not cut it! For me during this time I'm trying to unwind and find myself thinking fighting not to think about what I have to do tomorrow. Even after I create a to do list for the next day...I find things I need to add. Taking a day off here and there doesn't cut it as well because of all the plans you have for that day. I try to make sure my Mental Health Days remains just that.... time for me to laugh, cry, scream.... whatever I need to release the cares and stress!
Really enjoyed the article... and all very true!
Since I was already well aware of #1 (I'm in the same boat with taking a long time to relax), I think I'm resonating most with #3. I'm learning to prioritize sleep / rest and it's been wonderful. Love that you said "I love sleep.". :)
Welcome back from vacation. Well deserve! Action is the key to success. Shoulder to shoulder, coaching and delegating task to help other employees grow are very important. It is a sacrifice that one must do. Forget about yourself and be with your team day in and out to help them grow, is not always easy. On the long run, your team is stronger, and you can depend on them for the success of the organization. Thank you so much!
So many great tips here, thank you!
I am so impressed you're able to disconnect and these are great tips I'll be sure to try on my next trip!
Such a great post - so inspiring!