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Leading a new team effectively is hard.

Your playbook to win Week 3 — and beyond:
No one has pictures of their kid's 11th day of school.

And no one remembers their third week leading a team.

Which is surprising,

Because this is when shit gets real.
1/ Run vs. Improve

You're flying the plane while fixing it. Tricky.

Run
-> The operations (flying): your core business.
-> This is the last thing to bobble or drop.
-> Add controls, so you don't crash.

Improve
-> The projects (fixes): need positive ROI.
-> Choose to...
2/ Get a Win

Survive today and go big later.

Right now, you want points on the board.

You ego: "Give me something big or new."

Don't fall for it:
-> Biggest issues are unsolved for a reason.
-> New opportunities sit in an invalidated pile.

Pick something real & doable.
3/ Contextualize Your Challenge

The state of the team suggests your strategy:

New -> Make something from nothing
Thriving -> Accelerate from good to better
Consolidation -> Build harmony in 2 becoming 1
Reboot -> Jumpstart both morale & results

But careful not to confuse...
4/ Level vs.Trajectory

The work:
-> Every team has problems
-> Add them up clearly to know the state

The people:
-> You need performance at your target level
-> Don't confuse "getting better" with "what's needed"

Judgment is the job.

So ask: will the gap close fast enough?
5/ Set a Cadence

Consider:
-> Natural rhythm of the work (sprints vs ongoing).
-> Current working norms of the team.
-> Corporate cycles.

Build the minimum you need to:
-> Develop your people
-> Support their work
-> Build the culture

Tip: Adjust based on your confidence
6/ Remote Possibility

Remote teams allow you to interact asynchronously with the increased chance of unintentionally sinking.

Habits you could smooth over with drop-bys and accidental kitchen chats don't happen online.

5x your intentionality if your team's remote.
7/ Delegate to Grow

Delegation ≠ Dumping

Be a matchmaker -> Match work to their superpower
Be an engineer -> Empower them to fix & automate
Be a coach -> Offer well-sized stretch projects

And...

Be their fan
-> Support them if they struggle
-> Believe in them before they do
8/ Delegate to Win

Delegation 101:
-> Push menial tasks to subordinates.
-> Have them do sufficient work your way.

Delegation 201:
-> Push menial tasks to computers.
-> Align them to do excellent work their way.

Tip: Important + Urgent signals that your system is too reactive.
Feel like we skipped a couple of steps?

Maybe you missed the first two weeks:

Week 1 Playbook (11,493 Likes):



Week 2 Playbook (3,865 Likes):

I'm building something for you:

-> 8 weeks of playbooks
-> Supported by Notion templates
-> With live problem-solving workshops

Want early access?

-> Please RT the first tweet
-> Subscribe to my MGMT newsletter - I'll announce early access there
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