100 Tips on Leadership & Communication for Managers

Drawing on a wide range of resources, this article pulls together some of the best "quick tips" on leadership and communication for managers.

1. Think of leadership as a privilege, not a right (see Servant Leadership)
2. Think of your #1 job as turning people into leaders (see Transformational Leadership)
3. Leading is not about you; it’s about others and the organisation (see Level 5 Leadership)
4. Have a balanced concern for people and results (see Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid)
5. Adjust your focus/style to their skill/readiness level (see Situational Leadership)
6. Minimise weaknesses. Focus on strengths (see Strengths-Based Leadership)
7. Be Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete, Courteous (see the  7 C's of Communication)
8. Understand people’s basic communication preferences (see DISC Model)
9. Be a coach. Don’t tell; help them solve their own problems (see GROW Model)
10. Get employees in the habit of thinking through solutions or options, instead of saying “there’s a problem—what should I do?” (See 7 Levels of Initiative)
11. Assume noble intent (See Hanlon’s Razor)
12. Understand people’s intrinsic motivations (see Motivators Model)
13. Be the leader you always wanted to work for
14. Imagine people are unpaid volunteers. How would you treat them differently? (Peter Drucker)
15. How much you care usually matters far more to people than how much you can do
16. What you say is often less important than how you say it
17. Put your ego aside
18. Nobody is faultless or infallible; don’t pretend to be
19. Admit your mistakes fast
20. If you don’t know, don’t bluff
21. Remember, a leader’s mood is contagious
22. Be present and mindful (see Mindfulness)
23. Don’t try to be interesting; be interested (Dale Carnegie)
24. Don’t “talk” about having integrity; demonstrate it
25. Don’t blame
26. Don’t micromanage
27. Never yell
28. Get to know your team members as people
29. Understand that non-financial rewards can have a more lasting impact on engagement than financial rewards, e.g., a sincere “I appreciate you” can have more impact than a $500 bonus
30. Imagine everyone is wearing a large sign saying “MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT” (Mary Kay Ash)
31. Keep a record of small personal details (e.g., when someone mentions their grandmother has a birthday in 6 months)
32. Avoid management speak or excessive jargon
33. Don’t use “big words” to impress
34. Don’t raise your voice or lose your cool, even if others do
35. Don’t assume people are mostly rational creatures
36. Don’t change your mind without explanation
37. Encourage development by sharing learning resources (e.g., articles, videos, online courses)
38. Don’t be afraid to surround yourself with people smarter than you
39. Place more emphasis on the results than following a particular path
40. Communicate an “open door policy”
41. Post regular updates on your intranet site
42. Create a “team highlights” newsletter recognising milestones/contributions
43. Redesign your office space to make it more warm/inviting
44. Give an extra hour for lunch
45. Have a “suggestions box” (or portal)
46. Facilitate group interactions
47. Schedule an outdoor meeting
48. Schedule an offsite retreat
49. Attend a conference as a team
50. Allow for fun, playtime, laughter, socialising, etc
51. Self-deprecating humour builds bridges
52. Avoid sarcastic comments and put downs
53. You don’t need to decide everything immediately (e.g., “My initial thoughts are… but I will think about what you said and provide a more concrete answer tomorrow”)
54. Your candor level should match your employees’ trust level (candor without trust can feel brutal)
55. Seek first to understand (Stephen Covey)
56. Be an active, attentive listener (see Active Listening)
57. Don’t judge
58. Don’t interrupt
59. Criticise ideas, not people
60. Give constructive feedback (considerate, task specific, shifting focus away from the individual)
61. Balance positive and negative feedback
62. Criticise in private, praise in public
63. “Please” and “thank you” go a long way
64. Feedback should be ongoing; not every 6 months or 12 months
65. As a general rule, don’t allow more than 7 days to give recognition or praise
66. Have one-on-ones; not just group meetings
67. Ask yourself: could this meeting be an email?
68. Give meetings constraints/time limits to focus discussion
69. Don’t have meetings for meetings sake
70. Show that you’re willing to “jump in” and get your hands dirty
71. Look for common ground
72. Check for understanding. Don’t just explain the task and move on
73. Connect daily work to strategic goals
74. Explain why the task is important or meaningful
75. Explain how the work connects to a larger goal
76. Explain why the company mission or purpose matters
77. Even if you won’t always agree, ensure people know their opinions will be heard
78. Create a safe environment for dissenting opinions
79. Ask for feedback to improve
80. Be transparent
81. Never take credit for others’ work
82. Don’t kill the messenger of bad news
83. Don’t sacrifice teamwork for competition
84. Assume that every email you write will be read in public one day
85. Email should be avoided for difficult/sensitive conversations
86. Remember, the buck stops with you
87. Don't speak to fill the silence
88. Don’t punish the whole group with a new policy every time someone does something wrong
89. Don’t gossip about others
90. Don’t disclose confidential information about others
91. Give people the right tools and get out of their way
92. Don’t create an artificial sense of urgency
93. “Because I’m the boss” is a poor rationale
94. “Because I say so” is a poor rationale
95. “Because I pay you” is a poor rationale
96. Be a champion; challenge the status quo on your people’s behalf
97. Ensure goals, roles, responsibilities are crystal clear
98. Set stretch goals
99. Give examples of the results you want
100. Don’t expect people to read your mind