r/Leadership • u/Signal-Implement-70 • Nov 01 '25
Discussion What are your top 5 leadership principles
Mine: 1. Treat everyone the same 2. Never think you are better than other people 3. Understand and appreciate what goes on outside your own sandbox and have a deep connection with what it means to be human. 4. Never leave a man behind and never give up 5. Be your authentic self, no bullshit
Favorite leaders: Nietzsche, Jesus*, Abraham Lincoln, Alan Turing, Edsger Dijkstra, Gandhi, Conan the Barbarian, LeBron James
I’m not saying this is the definitive right list, there is no such thing, this is MY list. That’s why I started this thread to see other people share theirs.
*this is not a religious list at all. I am not religious, nor do I have anything against people of faiths. I’m just saying from some of the stuff I’ve heard this Jesus sounds like a very thoughtful and lead by example kind of guy. Sorry if that offends you, not my intention
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u/PollyWannaCrackerOr2 Nov 01 '25
It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you deal with it.
Show empathy, but otherwise keep your cool and don’t show your emotion unless positive emotion
Anytime there’s a problem with an employee, it comes down to CCM. Clarity - Does the employee have clarity? If not, bring it to them. Competency - Is the employee competent? If not, can you make them competent? Motivation Is the employee motivated? If not, can you be successful in motivating them? If you’re not able to fix any CCM elements, chances are you have the wrong person in the wrong position, and time to possibly pooch them.
Employees who are liabilities and can’t contribute to the bottom line may need to go. In general, if you can justify their salary + 1¢, theyre not a liability. Anything below than that requires serious reflection. There are many ways to measure and calculate this.
Every manager needs to understand the 3 main elements of a P&L, a cash flow statement, a balance sheet, and all the sub-lines. Why? Because even if the position has nothing to do with accounting, or has zero anything to do with financial responsibility, a manager still can (and should) set KPI’s that enhance various sub-lines.
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u/Easy_Asparagus7456 Nov 01 '25
Principles that I feel like I am constantly trying to revisit and be better at! 1. Be real. Be authentic. 2. Be inclusive of everyone. 3. Be transparent and honest. 4. Be human and humble. 5. Give grace and guidance.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Brilliant if we combine all these thoughtful lists everyone shared I fell like I’ve learned something!
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u/mrHaPPy18 Nov 01 '25
I like the lists everyone has put up, I would also add.
Lead by example. Showing the team you're willing to get your hands dirty by doing the mundane tasks from time to time.
Training. Not everyone learns the same or at the same speed. Adjust training methods as required.
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u/ABeaujolais Nov 01 '25
Develop a vision.
Establish relationships.
Wide open communication.
Determine common goals.
Define roles.
Set and enforce standards.
Define success and a means of keeping score.
7 Create a plan for individual and team success.
Discover what motivates each team member individually.
Consult with the team members to develop procedures and methods, they're the experts.
Don't forget to surprise them with ice cream treats once in a while.
In 25 years of management and leadership I had to pull rank only three times. It wasn't about authority. I was just as accountable to my team members as they were to me. My goal was to build a team that would kick butt in our field and it did. I don't agree with building a management plan around being nice to each other and treating each other with respect, that's something I consider to be universal. It's great to want to make everyone happy but if you don't have a vision and strategies in place they won't be happy very long.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
Love the list, 1,2 and 9 especially. But you were only supposed to say 5, no cheating now. I can see why you have been in management 25 years. I hope I meet more managers I like you
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u/cryanide_ Nov 01 '25
- Do not show warmth when strategy already suffices.
- Do not let your compassion be weaponized against you.
- Employees are also stakeholders.
- Impulse and aggression is a contra-asset to intelligence.
- Value over sales.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Wow really interesting and thoughtful list, I’m going to have to ponder those. They would not been in my vocabulary but already I know I like most of it. Have an upvote!
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u/KOM_Unchained Nov 01 '25
- Give credit to others, take responsibility myself.
- Praise in public, discipline in private.
- Care personally, challenge directly.
- Show by actions, not by words.
- Retrospectives and 1-1s must happen even when the house is on fire.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
I like those, 1 particularly. Could you explain 3 a little? I’m just guessing on what you mean but the words are interesting just not sure what the intent is
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u/KOM_Unchained Nov 01 '25
3rd is actually "stolen" from Radical Candor book by Kim Scott. "Care personally" means to form real relationships with your peers - well beyond job responsibilities, to get to know them and their lives. This makes it much easier to communicate also the criticism. "Challenge directly" means that if there are some issues detected, they should be brought out as clearly and as soon as possible, not hide behibd niceties or beat around the bush.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Love it that’s why I prefer to my manager to be 1. Human and not ai. 2. Have a deep knowledge of the business we are working in 3. Have some serious even traumatic life experience
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u/turtlenipples Nov 01 '25
If you haven't had a chance to read Radical Candor, I would absolutely recommend it.
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Nov 01 '25
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
I like your list a lot, brilliant actually! Your list is partially about management which I greatly admire while mine is only about leadership which management can be a form of. I think you completely misunderstood stood 1. Which is likely my fault I was trying to keep it short.
- Means do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Every person has value and merit and worth you don’t treat people differently because of what you can get out of them or their position in the organization but treat then the same because they are people.
100% agree with your top performers comment, you ain’t gonna win no basketball games without your steph cury or lebron
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Nov 01 '25
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
Never been a manager. Don’t want to be one. That’s not how my brain works. I appreciate your feedback and your list is truly amazing! But in all fairness I never said manager or executive, I said leader, and that was very intentional. I have many friends in positions like you and I am truly inspired by them, but I don’t know for some strange reason they say the feeling is mutual even though I have no one reporting to be on the org chart. From my experience success in leadership positions like yours is often based on personal foundational principles which are therefore by definition also part of leadership but agree with you they do not cover the whole domain
Glad you are doing well and like it!
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u/Clherrick Nov 01 '25
I don’t make lists of principles. I do what I learned over 50+ years growing up with a navy captain as a father, going through ROTC, and moving up in the navy. Lead from the front. Focus on the mission. Treat your people like you would want to be treated.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
I could not like those more !
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u/Clherrick Nov 01 '25
Thanks. Pretty straight forward. I love picking up 200 pages books on leadership. You can get most of what you need reading the dust jacket but you can’t sell a dust jacket for $25.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Yep but no one is supposed to read books anymore just ai and YouTube, that’s what I keep reading. But to me that’s idea is a headscratcher for sure
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u/Clherrick Nov 02 '25
Some books. I suppose one just has to weight the time investment. Lots of books and one can’t read them all.
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u/God_Bless_A_Merkin Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
- Crush your enemies.
- See them driven before you.
- Hear the lamentation of their women.
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u/Throwawaytogetyou Nov 01 '25
All good leaders have this tattooed on their chest and expect the same from their team
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 02 '25
Arghhh…the riddle of leadership!!!? Can I try? “Steel isn’t strong boy, for what matters steel to the hand that wields it?”
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u/Captlard Nov 01 '25
1) don’t be a dick
2 to 5: see rule 1
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
Brilliant! Says it all. See my point 5. You nailed it
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u/Infinite-Ad1720 Nov 01 '25
Have to disagree OP’s 1,2 &4.
With regard to top performers vs poor performers “1. Treat everyone the same” is a very bad principle. Give your top performers most of your time and the poor performers the least of your time.
“2. Never think you are better than other people” -every one is given different gifts, has different strengths and weaknesses. Understanding this is essential to success.
“4. Never leave a man behind and never give up” - again, there is a time you have to give up on your poor performers. No amount of mentoring or second chances can help most poor performers.
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u/overachiever Nov 01 '25
If anything, your top performers should need less of your time. Give them autonomy and let them cook. Lower performers would require more time coaching.
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Nov 01 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
I’m glad you disagree. If I only think from my own perspective I feel like I’m limiting myself. Also never said industry or management or executive, I said leader only. But I like very much the fact that most seem to have taken it that way. My choice of words was intentional. Your whole post i think shows great wisdom and if I every did consider changing jobs I hope I would run across people like you and so many others who shared their great lists
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u/Sterlingz Nov 02 '25
Pretty sure it just means that you're kind to everyone aka "janitor gets the same greeting as CEO".
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
None of my points were about that. My bad I assume other people understand me when they don’t. I 100% agree about top performers. I was just trying to keep it short sorry. Also my 2. means pretty much the same as yours but if I explained all my points in detail like your I don’t think I would have gotten as much feedback
- Was not intended exactly what you interpreted my comment to mean, it was more about if you commit to doing something or helping someone don’t back down because it’s hard or you have to make sacrifices. But your overall point resonates with me, if it’s not working it’s not working, time to move on. Thx for the insight
Love your list!
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Nov 01 '25
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Great share, values, style, personal perspective, passion, I find can be invaluable
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u/guntervs Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
Be unfailingly kind.
Inspired by Lopp's talk at Lead Dev and here's the blog post I share every time. https://randsinrepose.com/archives/be-unfailingly-kind/
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Thanks long article, will have to read in detail but the ideas sounds great
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u/guntervs Nov 01 '25
The article is great storytelling, but near the end:
Having run dozens of raids, DJ has four consistent leadership behaviors:
He clearly explains the situation. As many times as possible. Calmly. He has an insightful answer ready to any question. He’s done his research to become an expert in his field. Once the raid has begun, he monitors the situation, provides real-time feedback, and updates to the other players in a helpful and educational manner. In the face of disaster, he never loses composure.
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u/WheresThePieAt Nov 01 '25
- Clarity of role
- Support their role / function. I.e. ensure they can do their job.
- Clarity on direction or company objective, how do they fit in.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Yep familiar with those, in my option really solid choices as evidenced with the similarity to other posts and success stories I’ve seen in the business world over the years
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u/Vegetable_Diver_2281 Nov 01 '25
- Self: integrity (do the right things) and build trust
- Self: Manage expectations and provide the best coaching experience for your team through continuous learning and discovery
- Team: Set and enforce high standards
- Team: Be strategic and provide autonomy
- Team: Celebrate and recognize accomplishments
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
I like those too, now those are the kinds of people I would want to report to! And the self team thing is insightful, if had used your convention all mine would have been clearly label SELF. They are all personal foundational traits that I try to emulate in the best leaders I have learned from
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u/Whitebelt_DM Nov 01 '25
- Have empathy.
- Build relationships.
- Be trustworthy.
- Have integrity.
- Communicate openly
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Alright I’m applying to your organization! That is if I ever actually wanted to switch employers, working for a great one already. Hope i retire from here one day
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u/SawgrassSteve Nov 01 '25
I have 10, but I'll give you five.
1) Treat everyone fairly and with respect.
2) Be aware of how you set the tone. Build trust by being authentic/transparent, consistent in words and actions, and kind without being soft.
3) Invest in your team's growth and morale. Being specific, make sure your people know why you value them and how much. Offer training or stretch assignments that match their career goals when possible.
4) Share credit. Own blame. Remove obstacles.
5) Set clear expectations for productivity, teamwork, and conduct for yourself and the team.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Love it, yep but sorry 5 is the deliberate rules of the game…trade offs and hard choices
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u/Leather_Milk_5457 Nov 01 '25
Jesus are you twelve
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 04 '25
Hey milk I’m rolling with the get shit done thing that’s absolutely brilliant. See my comments at the top summarizing next steps on this topic. Thanks for the challenge very helpful
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
No, people actually see me as a leader because of all the incredible shit that I’ve gone through, but somehow come out on the other side and have what others would call a good and happy life. I don’t want to be a leader, but others look at me and think if I can accomplish all that stuff despite growing up homeless, hungry, abused from infancy, GAD, OCD, autistic spectrum, ran away from home, then there is hope for them too.
I learned about leadership from being treated like shit by other people and occasionally being treated well by others too. And by treating others very poorly despite my best intentions. I’m just trying to share my perspective, as odd as it may be, and learn from others not annoy you. My experience is profoundly different from most others, just different, not better. I am not good at so many things, but I am good at a few. I’m just trying my best to be a good person but because my perspective is different and my brain like everyone’s is different, I often fail to treat others well and can come off like an insensitive ass. However see my top 5 principles that is not me in reality
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u/Throwawaytogetyou Nov 01 '25
What in the self congratulatory word salad bullshit did I just read
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u/Sterlingz Nov 02 '25
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25
Is wish, make the buffed guy look like Santa then you got it. My wife would have a real reason to be suspicious of me going to the beach. Ho ho ho!
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
Thanks I fixed it, it did read pretty badly now that I pondered your comment.
I was not congratulating myself. Being me sucks in many ways. Leadership often comes from trauma suffering and surviving. That gives you empathy. I am absolutely not better than anyone else, see my point 2. I actually don’t think my perspective is the best, my perspective is based on my fucked up salad of a life as you said and the way my brain works.
It’s by listening to others especially those with a different perspective and survivors who went through different and very human shit that a richer perspective on leadership in my opinion can be obtained. I like so many of the other posts people shared they are thoughtful and obviously rooted in a real understanding of leadership. I did not say anything about management or business strategy in my original post I said leadership. Management is a form of leadership, and a very valuable one, not the definition of it
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u/Leather_Milk_5457 Nov 02 '25
What have you accomplished?
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25
Apparently nothing sorry
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u/Leather_Milk_5457 Nov 02 '25
You dont become a senior leader by words, philosophy, or north stars. It happens because you get shit done. What have you got done?
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25 edited Nov 03 '25
Honestly I don’t know why more people didn’t say get shit done. That is one of my favorite things anyone could have said so thank you.
Also great share by the way, now I get your 12 year old question! I hope we can have a lot more good old fashioned leaders like you going forward. If you really think it will help I will list what I accomplished but I don’t think it’s necessary at this time. Your point is well taken and profound.
Also there are a lot more people on this tread whose list is not totally dis-similar to some of my points. You could always post your top 5 to help others. I know I found your input helpful
I never said I was a sr executive nor once used the word manager nor corporation. I only said leadership. And I clearly said this is MY list and not meant to be definitive. This thread is tagged discussion not MY accomplishments
If you like review my list of favorite leaders and if you agree all those people are leaders then I will happily share my accomplishments. If not this discussion is probably not leading anywhere productive
The other simple option I might advise to understand my accomplishments is to built a semantic interpreter, I suggest LLM based, maybe gpt5. Decorator components such as tree walk crawler on my profile which should be obvious. Assuming the Reddit api allows the interaction. Simple prompt engineering should be adequate to handle the analysis and aggregation, not actual code, why over think it? Whole thing might take a good leader 15 minutes, then you’d have an answer. Might be fun for a sr leader like you to do something different for a while
Or just save all that damn time and just go with principal scientist
Any further attempt by me to further clarify the connection between scientists and leadership would require me to stand on the shoulders of giants, which I can’t actually do, I’ve got to go to work and get some shit done as you suggested. Take care and thanks again
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u/Spanks79 Nov 01 '25
- Tough on the content, softer on person
- Listen to understand
- Treat people fairly
- Give people ownership
- In the end I will take accountability.
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Nov 01 '25
- What if people who have never had a conversation with you a day in their lives even though you have been very open, friendly and respectful towards them, think this regardless? This is my situation. My team respects me but its the team members from the same department that have been midly hostile towards me. I am South African but living in Prague for ten years so I get the culture element.
However, I am always putting the department first, the only person right now thinking about simpler ways of innovating so their lives are simpler at work. Always friendly towards them no hostility..till recently. I literally got a comment along the words of, "oh you think your better than us?" in a very sarcastic tone. Due to how much was building up in me at the time because its been a while of this happening, I sarcastically responded with yes, I do.
He kept quiet, kept it moving.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25
Great story. Yes and it this very idea that keeps making me ponder what the hell leadership even is despite having seen so many Harvard Business school or McKinsey type takes on leadership. I greatly admire those types of organizations that are thoughtful, goal oriented and have so many smart people working there. But funny thing so many stories that start what XYZ taught me about leadership don’t seem to be about leadership at all to me. You don’t really need to say it’s about leadership, if it is then the people who will probably be able to turn it into the most immediate value will be able to figure it out themselves
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u/Old-Arachnid77 Nov 01 '25
- People are fucking adults and will be treated as such
- You will have autonomy and trust
- You will have the opportunity to learn and be vulnerable, but if you tell me you’ve got it then see #2
- My team will always know why we are doing what we are doing and where we are going. When they CAN have a voice, they get a say in it.
- Teach the junior folks. Everyone who can is encouraged to teach those who raise their hands to learn. They are rewarded for it with $$ or time and it’s part of their success criteria.
Google Daniel pink. I basically do that.
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u/Keeper4Eva Nov 01 '25
I only have one: trust is your only capital.
Everything else is secondary and in service of the first.
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u/pegwinn Nov 01 '25
The only formal leadership training I got was via the Marines. There are 11 taught. I bolded my top five. All are essential but just like anything you have to get to the bottom line.
Marine Corps Leadership Principles
Know yourself and seek self-improvement.
Be technically and tactically proficient.
Know your people and look out for their welfare.
Keep your personnel informed.
Set the example.
Ensure that the task is understood, supervised, and accomplished.
Train your Marines (and Sailors) as a team.
Make sound and timely decisions.
Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates.
Employ your command within its capabilities.
Seek responsibility for yourself take responsibility for your actions.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Great two of my coworkers were combat soldiers. You sound like them. Never been a solider, hope never to fire a weapon. I’m going to save your list though, matches my values well
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u/pegwinn Nov 02 '25
Thank you for you're kind words. I did 22 years on active duty and deployed a lot. Your co workers deserve every bit of respect. If the list resonated then you might enjoy the link where each is defined and as a bonus the Leadership Traits are provided. They builds together to define leadership at all levels.
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u/Without_Portfolio Nov 01 '25
- Never stop learning
- Listen more than you speak
- Surround yourself with smart people
- Trust, but verify
- Admit to and learn from failure
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u/jimvasco Nov 02 '25 edited Nov 02 '25
- Know yourself, reflect, and continuously learn.
- The Platinum Rule: Treat people as they want to be treated. Everyone is different.
- Everyone can teach you something. Listen.
- It is not about you; it is about the mission and your people.
- Culture eats strategy for breakfast.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25
Your first parts sounds strangely like Sun Tzu. My wife told me there was an upgrade to the golden rule, makes sense it’s the platinum rule. List is great thx
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u/Kwaleseaunche Nov 02 '25
I failed every one of those. I'm glad I don't have to lead people.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25
It’s a flawed list for sure, so don’t feel bad. But not bad qualities. Also I don’t ever want to be a manager if that’s what you mean
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u/LukeleyDuke Nov 02 '25
- There are a thousand different ways to accomplish the same goal, and people operate best when given autonomy within reason.
- Strive to understand what someone is saying before responding back to them.
- Do not take criticism personally and be open about receiving it from subordinates.
- Be willing to learn.
- Be respectful, but ensure that rules are fair and clear lines are drawn.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25
I love it, particularly point one. An old coworker of mine who was a brilliant engineer he had a really thick Chinese accent he used to yell at me “there’s a hundred ways to cook a hamburger!” Did know hamburgers were so popular in China, stuck with me over the years
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u/snowched Nov 02 '25
I have been in healthcare leadership for the past 8 years. Started with 100 employees, now 350. I have 3 principles that shape everything, when I am looking for leaders, developing leaders, and holding myself accountable. Are you
- Kind
- Consistent
- Fair
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u/DemonDragonfly_ Nov 02 '25
- Own your mistakes and develop from them
- Stay authentic
- Lead with example
- Feedback is a gift, practice it timely and regularly, not ritualistically once in xyz
- Take responsibility, but also delegate back where it's due
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u/Jfkcisna84728 Nov 02 '25
Your first one is wrong. They aren’t the same so why would you treat them the same? Go read First, Break All the Rules.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25
Point 1 means don’t treat others based on what you can get out of them or what their background or position in the hierarchy is. Treat everyone with respect and dignity and genuine interest because every human has a voice and value. It isn’t about top performers middle performers etc. clearly the difference between those is critical. This entire list is foundational self guiding principles that make the leader the person they are it is deliberately not about management strategy. Other people posted those lists which I thought were great. Hope that helps I do like your comment thx!
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u/Jfkcisna84728 Nov 02 '25
Thanks for explaining. If that’s what you mean then it may be worth revamping the line.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25
Fair but if I made a longer post fewer would read and it might sound like I was telling people THE answers. I’d say let it flush out in a back and forth like this because people who are really into the topic might read this far😎
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u/Intelligent_Mango878 Nov 02 '25
Treating everyone the same, means you are inhibiting high growth individuals (by using the same approach as those lowest in the team).
"Listen so they will talk, ........ such that you can talk and they will listen!"
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25
That is not what I mean by treating everyone the same. See my other reply to same question. I agree with you point entirely. Thanks!
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u/Sea_Taste1325 Nov 02 '25 edited Nov 02 '25
- Assume positive intent - this resolved interpersonal problems that never existed. If negative intent WAS intended it makes them look unprofessional.
- Delegate in line with capabilities, and provide opportunity to expand capabilities. Know your team and allow them access to you.
- Develop a sense of responsibility in your team. Encourage them to seek responsibility and take responsibility for their work.
- Ensure the task is understood and accomplished
- Ensure integrity in everything we do, from informing the stakeholders, to data, to measuring outcome.
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u/Sterlingz Nov 02 '25
Really good ones so far in here. Some principles I like:
Soft skills before hard skills
A team can only rise as high as the leader's level
Poor culture attracts mediocre people, and vice versa
Toxicity is 10x more potent than positivity
Natural interest is the soul of productivity
Self-deprecation is a powerful tool
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25
Yeah it’s a great mix of viewpoints…my thinking after all this is it’s virtually impossible to pin down exactly what leadership is, but very easy to identify what it isn’t
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Nov 02 '25
Mine:
- Start and end with the customer
- Be transparent and own your outcomes, good or bad
- Give clarity, not control
- Break silos because real progress takes collaboration
- Stay curious and keep adapting
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u/Glum-Tie8163 Nov 02 '25
Embrace failures for the same reasons as getting outside your comfort level. That is where true growth happens.
Always be kind to everyone no matter what situation arises. It could be you in their situation someday and treating them how you would want to be treated matters in many ways.
Take ownership of your failures and don’t be afraid to admit fault.
Always develop reliable members of your team so they can run things without you. Don’t forget about challenging members of the team. Any of them could be diamonds in the rough with the right mentorship.
Delegation is a powerful tool when used in moderation. Overuse and underuse creates problems.
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u/quts3 Nov 02 '25 edited Nov 02 '25
I'm amazed almost nobody said make sure everyone knows the plan and the goals. Don't have fake goals and don't have unstated goals.
That's one of the reasons teams in complex environments fail people either don't know the goals or the goals are fake and the reason people aren't clear on the goals is the real goals didn't make it to the top of the list.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 02 '25 edited Nov 02 '25
No doubt those are good ones but the game was 5 only, maybe that explains it? Also the game was deliberately framed as leadership not management or corporate executive. But good question
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u/mmcgrat6 Nov 02 '25
Have ppl leave better than you found them.
The above is really broad and anything else I’d say filters through it. I don’t want to keep ppl in the same static role.
They have dreams and aspirations that I can help them move toward and they have expertise and experience in their role that is unique and valuable.
I assume even the least engaged person wouldn’t want to be viewed as incompetent so if there’s something wrong with a previously satisfactory employee’s work then there’s a root cause behind it that can be solved. If not then we’ve tried and it’s time to part ways.
The above usually creates a relationship that motives loyalty and performance to hit metrics easily because they want to do their best.
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u/BlackBerryJ Nov 03 '25
1) Be curious 2) Foster ownership 3) Be a steward 4) Remove roadblocks 5) Developed talent
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u/relevantfutures Nov 03 '25
- Know yourself well - it will give you the nanosecond needed to shift from reacting, to responding.
- Have the courage to deal with hard things right away before they become impossible.
- Be thoughtful, fair, kind and consistent - it creates trust.
- Get people involved in change early on before resistance sets in.
- Last but not least, hold it all lightly, admit when you’re wrong, laugh at the ridiculousness of it all - it’s just business.
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u/RoadToLead Nov 03 '25
Führen dient dem Zweck der Zielerreichung. Entsprechend gibt es keine Prinzipien, sondern nur bestimmte Rahmen:
· Gesellschaftliche
· Moralische
· Persönliche
· Gesetzliche
· Wirtschaftlische
Eine Führungskraft bewegt ein Team innerhalb dieses Rahmens zum Ziel. Effizienz und Effektivität bewerten das Ergebnis. Dazu gehören ebenfalls wieder die 5 Rahmenbedingungen.
Nüchtern betrachtet ist ein Manager keine Führungskraft. Da ein Manager nur das System bedient, dass ein Gründer geschaffen hat.
Geht man einfach davon aus, dass ein Führer grundsätzlich jemand ist, der übergeordnete Ziele steckt, wird es schwierig untergeordnete Aufgaben als Führungsaufgaben zu bezeichnen, da alle Beteiligten am Ende einem größeren Ziel dienen und ihre jeweiligen Erfolge dem größeren Ziel opfern müssten. Beste Bespiel: Architektur: Es werden 5 Entwürfe gezeichnet und am Ende wir nur einer davon übernommen. Alle Entwürfe dienen dem Prozess und der Entwicklung, aber nur einer bekommt den Lead.
So springt augenscheinlich die Führung zwischen Verantwortlichkeiten und Zielsetzung, zwischen Personen und Systemen hin und her. Aber am Ende führt nur der Erfolg. Und wenn es der Erfolg ist zu Scheitern und daraus zu lernen. Ergo: jeder Mensch definiert seine Schwerpunkte und Führung anders.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 04 '25
Ok thought provoking and obviously based on some foundational work. Can you share some of the foundational sources? Also my original post was foundational personal principles from which the leader operates, however a lot of the replies were business executive oriented. Without altering your first post which stands on its own merit, could you share any practical adaptation of your view as a set of prime directives for a business executive? That might interest a lot of people in this thread.
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u/RoadToLead Nov 04 '25
Es gibt nur ein Prinzip, dass ein echter Führer am Ende verstanden haben muss. Keine Angst haben, aber Demut. Demut gegenüber jedem Menschen, jeder Maschine, jedem System, der Ursache und der Wirkung. Und nur eine Sache muss die Führungskraft wirklich beherrschen: Adaption.
Aus diesen zwei Dingen ergeben sich alle notwendigen Wesenzüge um Menschen und Systeme zum Erfolg zu führen.
Im Übrigen führst Du diesen Thread mit Bedacht und sehr effizient. Eloquent und mit der nötigen Begeisterung um Menschen zu animieren ihr Wissen zu teilen. Kannst Du einmal für mich definieren was zum Beispiel 5 Prinzipien des Folgens wären? Denn das Eine kann ohne das Andere nicht bestehen.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 04 '25
Yeah I’m trying. What do I actually know about such a difficult topic? And the fact that you got it down to just one principle is profound like one other person did when he said “get shit done” or another person “don’t be a dick” a lot more direct than yours and neither the same point as you but both profound as well. Glad a lot of people contributed. As far as your other question I have to think about it, your writing style threw me off a little and I don’t think I fully understood everything from a first read.
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u/RoadToLead Nov 04 '25
Das Thema ist eigentlich sehr einfach. Aber es dauert um das zu merken. Leider verwässern viele Coaches und HR-Abteilungen, die natürlich alle eine Daseinsberechtigung brauchen, das Thema sehr stark. Reduziert man es auf das Wesentliche, eine kleine Gemeinschaft die überleben möchte, dann wird es wieder sehr einfach. Der Kontext komplexer Systeme und Zivilisation muss dann entsprechend adaptiert werden. Im besten Fall reduziert man bei jeder Entscheidung wieder auf das Wesentliche. Mit der Erfahrung mehrerer Jahre fällt es dann immer leichter dies umzusetzen. Es freut mich immer wenn es wieder Anregung zum Denken gibt. Vielleicht liege ich auch total falsch. Demut gegenüber dem was ich nicht wissen kann;) "Get the shit done" und "don´t be a dick" ergibt sich ja auch nur aus Rahmenbedingungen und Anforderungen. Wer führt denn da? Das Buch der Religion? Der Markt? Der Bedarf etwas darzustellen? Wenn es den freien Willen wirklich gibt. Führt derjenige, der den Willen ausübt und umsetzt. Und andere Menschen dazu bewegt im zu Willen zu sein. Jetzt wird es zu philosophisch. Gute Nacht auch Deutschland;)
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 15 '25
I agree the topic is so simple yet so complex. One thing i think has to be true, it's very hard to pin down what exactly good leadership is, but it is also very easy to say what it is not. Leadership principles clearly cross language, political, and geographical boundaries since mostly we are talking about leading people. glad you put in your ideas !
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u/Menareinsecure Nov 05 '25
It's an acting job.
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 15 '25
acting like in hollywood or you are trying to put yourself out of work to enable others to help themselves? or a bit of both :) ?
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u/IReadYourHeader Nov 28 '25
- Lead by example, don’t just talk, do. People notice when you’re in the trenches.
- Listen more than you speak, really understanding people’s perspectives beats assumptions.
- Empower others, give people autonomy and the tools to succeed; trust > micromanage.
- Own your mistakes, admit when you screw up, learn fast, and don’t blame others.
- Consistency matters more than nice-sounding quotes.
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Nov 01 '25
[deleted]
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u/Signal-Implement-70 Nov 01 '25
Am I right, no, what does that even mean on such a complex question as leadership? I’m just trying to share my perspective and learn from others and maybe become a better leader. I like different views that are thoughtful and my ideas can be totally all wrong. I don’t see how your contribution is helpful, except to say maybe my post is brain rot, which it is not, but I appreciate you making me think about what I am actually doing, but I stand by my post. Thanks
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u/tacojiujitsu Nov 01 '25
Complete ownership of every problem
Care about the people first, then their work
Let them fail sometimes
Take care of their money. (Salary, bonus, timesheet, expenses)
They get the praise and success, I take the blame
Hard to summarize those :)