Chapter: The Three Management Non-Negotiables

 In my 20 years of leading teams, I've learned that three key principles are non-negotiable when it comes to effective management. These principles have consistently proven to be the foundation of high-performing teams and successful outcomes.

  1. Clear Expectations:

    • The What: Clearly define what success looks like. Outline the goals, objectives, and key results that need to be achieved.
    • The How: Establish the expected behaviors, values, and principles that guide how work should be done. This ensures alignment and consistency across the team.

    No one can meet your secret expectations. It's crucial to communicate openly and transparently to avoid misunderstandings and frustrations.

  2. Weekly 1:1 Meetings:

    • Impact: Help team members understand the impact of their work on the larger goals and objectives of the organization.
    • Development: Provide opportunities for growth and improvement. Identify areas where team members can develop their skills and capabilities.
    • Support: Offer assistance and guidance to help team members overcome challenges and obstacles.

    These meetings are a powerful tool for building engagement and alignment within the team. Done well, you can address key issues and provide meaningful support in just 30 minutes a week.

  3. Consistent Feedback:

    • Self-Image: Help team members develop a more accurate self-awareness. Encourage the self-critic to recognize their achievements and the over-confident to identify their blind spots.
    • Continuous Improvement: Provide regular, constructive feedback to help team members improve their performance over time. Small, consistent corrections can lead to significant improvements.
    • Trust: Build trust by providing honest and timely feedback. Withholding feedback can lead to mistrust and hinder team performance.

    Feedback is a critical tool for growth and development. It's important to address issues as they arise and provide guidance for improvement.

In conclusion, these three principles are essential for effective management. They lay the groundwork for high performance and ensure that teams are aligned, engaged, and continuously improving. Investing in these principles upfront can prevent issues down the line and lead to long-term success. --------------------------------- The original write up by

My 3 management non-negotiables:

- Clear expectations
- Weekly 1:1 meetings
- Consistent feedback
Looking back on 20 years of leading teams,
I can track 90% of issues back to skipping one of these.

📌 Clear Expectations
Everyone wants to win. They need to know:
- How you're keeping score (the What)
- What rules they're expected to follow (the How)

No one can meet your secret expectations.

📌 One-on-Meetings
Highly engaged stars need three things:
- Impact (Does my work matter?)
- Development (How can I get better?)
- Support (Can you get me unstuck?)

Done well, you can hit all three in 30 minutes a week.

📌 Consistent Feedback
We all have distorted self-images.
- You need to help the self-critic catch themselves winning
- You need to help the over-confident uncover their blind spots

Minor corrections compound into major improvements.
Withheld feedback grows into mistrust like cancer.
-----
The harsh truth is you pay the same price whether you do these or not.
Skip them, and you pay the cost of cleaning up messes at the end.
Do them, and you invest upfront in high performance.

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