Step Into Your First Leadership Role
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A 10-13 weeks development journey
You were promoted based on your own excellent results and now guide other people's. This learning path builds the management skills in the order you will use them. Set expectations people can act on, then observe what each person does before you judge it. Coach from what you observed, and repeat all three in a regular 1:1.
Your Development Roadmap
Set Expectations People Can Act On
A clear expectation is one your team member can repeat back in their own words. Before you coach or correct anyone, make sure each person knows what good looks like and why it matters.
- Define what good looks like in observable, specific terms
- Connect each expectation to priorities and purpose
- Ask each person to repeat the expectation back in their own words
Observe Behavior Before You Judge It
Development starts with an accurate record of what each person did. Observe behavior as it happens and record what the person did, apart from what you assume it means.
- Record behavior at the time you observe it
- Separate what you saw from what you concluded
- Score consistently against the standards you set in milestone one
Coach From What You Observed
With expectations set and behavior recorded, coach each person on what you observed. Give feedback that names the behavior, and recognize progress as soon as you see it.
- Give feedback that names the behavior and the change you want
- Run coaching conversations grounded in observed behavior
- Hold people to their commitments and keep your own
Run Regular 1:1s
The first three milestones need a standing meeting to happen in, and that meeting is the 1:1. Hold one with each team member every week or two. Run it on their agenda and end with commitments you will check at the next one.
- Hold every 1:1 as scheduled, including in busy weeks
- Run the conversation on your team member's agenda, not a status recap
- Capture commitments with owners and dates, and follow through
The Journey
Expectations come first because observation needs a standard to compare against. Observation comes second because coaching needs a record of what the person did. Coaching comes third because it uses both. The 1:1 comes last because it is where the first three repeat, with each team member, on a schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
I was promoted because I was good at the work. Why do I need a management path?
Producing great work and developing people who produce great work are different jobs. You learned the first by doing it. This path builds the second in four milestones, each one a skill you use directly with your team.
My team is small. Is this still worth the time?
Yes. On a small team each expectation you set and each piece of feedback you give affects a larger share of the work. The habits stay useful as the team grows and are easier to start while it is small.
How is this different from a leadership course?
Courses teach concepts. This path builds habits, and Admire tracks them through what you do with your team, not what you completed.
Do I have to follow the milestones in order?
Yes. Each milestone uses what the one before it produced: a standard, then a record, then a coaching habit. If you already set clear expectations, milestone one will go quickly. Do it anyway and confirm each person can repeat their expectations back in their own words.
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