Good Leadership Cheat Sheet

Behavior Expectations

Do’s

Attract, nurture, coach, and retain talent.
Communicate the next most important challenge the company or team is facing.
Set goals, not tasks.
Be the tiebreaker when your team can't reach a consensus.
Be the information hub. Know what everyone is working on and connect the dots that wouldn’t otherwise be linked.
Create a feedback-safe environment where people feel heard and where constructive feedback is celebrated. Lead by example.
Keep an eye on your team’s health and happiness.
Hire people who are well-matched to the team’s goals and align individual strengths with roles.
Provide your team with a clear path to career progression.
Enable your team first, and then deliver projects.
Model the behavior you expect from others.
Strive for efficiency without sacrificing quality or well-being.
Earn trust and authority by consistently making thoughtful decisions.
Determine the appropriate level of buy-in needed and delegate accordingly.
Make timely decisions. Avoid letting teams stall due to indecision.
When making decisions, clearly summarize all points of view so people say, “Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way.” List points of agreement and what you’ve learned—then decide.
Set the expectation that once a decision is made, the team aligns with it.
Reopen discussions only when there is significant new information.
Believe in yourself. You can’t inspire confidence in others unless you have confidence in yourself.
Collaboratively clarify expectations, including verifiable tasks and deadlines.

Don't

Micromanage your team’s day-to-day work. If constant supervision is needed, it may indicate a hiring or role alignment issue.
Publicly criticize or shame anyone—ever.
Encourage gossip or intra-team politics.
Make snap judgments. Instead, prioritize listening and consider diverse viewpoints before concluding.
Let people pressure you into decisions you don’t believe in—you’ll still be held accountable later.
Shut down ideas too quickly. Create a safe space where people can explore and share.
Take over decisions that can be made by the team. Empower autonomy where possible.

Etiquette

Help your team feel a sense of progress—it supports motivation.
Clearly explain the “why” behind work and let the team own the “how.”
Start with the end in mind—set clear metrics upfront.
Accept that not everything will go as planned. What matters is learning from it.
Raises or titles are not given based on ultimatums.
Celebrate and credit the work of your team—don’t take ownership for it.
Share bad news promptly and transparently to preserve trust.
Keep team size manageable (around 7 per manager) to ensure meaningful 1:1s and oversight.
Proactively remove barriers for your team.
Set clear goals to prevent misaligned expectations.
Approach differing perspectives through discussion, not argument.
Focus on outcomes, not just articulate responses.
Celebrate success loudly, give correction quietly and privately.
Be a voice of balance in good times and hope in challenging times.

People

People matter deeply; their success reflects your team’s impact.
Hire great people and default to trust. Let go of those who don’t uphold that trust.
You are responsible for all hiring and exit decisions in your team.
Trust your instincts if something feels off.
Avoid placing blame. Most people want to do good work. Start with a clearing conversation.
Recognize that emotions play a big role in decisions—including your own.
Create space for emotional expression—lead by example.
Have the courage to voice unspoken truths and uncover hidden cultural issues.
Don’t avoid necessary exits. If someone isn’t a good fit, take action with compassion and clarity.
Ask:
- Does this person raise the productivity average of the team?
- Do they act as a multiplier to others?
  If not, reconsider adding them to your team.

Conflict

Conflict arises when disagreements become personal or decisions are not accepted.
Most conflict is rooted in people not feeling heard or empowered.
Have intentional conversations. Ask how they feel—ask more than once. Listen. Reflect their perspective back.
If issues persist, hold a clearing conversation.

Clearing Conversations, AKA Hard Conversations

Clearing conversations is about getting through difficult situations successfully.

Run your clearing as soon as possible.
Try not to assume or jump to conclusions before the clearing.
Understand where you are in the drama triangle: Villain, Victim, Hero
Before starting, ask, "Am I above or below the line?"
Use the template — seriously. The formula works.
Have the courage to state how you feel and what you need. People are drawn to each other's vulnerability but repelled by their own. Vulnerability isn't a weakness.
Expect people to extend you the same courtesy. If someone makes you feel bad for stating your needs and feelings, then they don't belong at Axelerant.

Set Boundaries

Boundaries surprisingly enable greater freedom and innovation.

People will push and prod to discover your boundaries.
Occasionally, someone will push too far. When they do, you must show a rough edge, or you'll lose authority with your team.
A firm “That's not okay here” or "I'm not okay about that" is usually enough.
If you must firmly say "I'm not okokayith tokayt” too often to the same person, it's your job to let them go.
Don't laugh things off if you don't like laughing them off. Have the courage to show your genuine emotions.

Zone of Genius

Where are people most successful themselves? Being kind means pointing them in a direction that they might not actively consider.

People's performance consists of skills, strengths, and talents.
- A strength is anything that gives you energy.
- A talent is an innate ability that can't be taught.
- A skill is a competency that can be taught.
- When all three are aligned, we are in our zone of genius.
It's often apparent when talent isn't present. Strengths are less clear. Beware the zone of competence, where someone is good at doing a function but doesn't get energy from it — it will ultimately lead to burnout.
- Every person is unique.
- You can't turn weaknesses into strengths or create talent where there is none. (It's tough.)
- All you can teach is skills. Direct your feedback there.
- Focus on doubling down on someone's existing zone of genius.
- Align people's work with what they're already good at.
- There's no such thing as an A player in isolation. There is an A team, where each team member brings distinct value.
Ask yourself whether this person can do the work you want them to do if their life depended on it. Is it a question of motivation or a question of capability?
- If their life depended on it and they could do it, then it's on you as a leader to not provide the proper motivation.
- If, however, they would be unable to do it even if their life depended on it, then that is your mistake as a leader for expecting them to be able to.