There are times when writing these blogs requires digging deep into the archives—lessons learned, stories from long ago. And then there are times when the lesson is right in front of you. Today is one of those days. I’m currently working with the CEO of a large, highly successful platform. He’s a seasoned, accomplished leader. As Chair of his board, I’m responsible for his evaluation, and we recently agreed to use a LeaderWork survey to gather feedback from his team. Without any prompting or delay, he sent the following message to his team—and I think it’s worth sharing.
Team,
If we expect our teams to grow, we as leaders must go first. That belief is what drove me to request a 360-degree leadership survey as I reached my six-month mark at our company. I didn’t offer much context at the time, but I’d like to do that now—not just to explain the “why,” but to highlight what it means for how we develop as a team.
The goal of the survey wasn’t to collect compliments or call out shortcomings. It was to ask a simple but important question: Am I providing the direction, support, and tools this team needs to succeed? It was, in essence, a leadership health check—an effort to understand whether the way I’m leading is truly helping others grow and thrive.
The feedback surfaced a few key themes—not as problems, but as development opportunities. As with any team committed to growth, the goal is not perfection. It’s progress.
1. Team: Development Through Shared Purpose
The most powerful teams don’t just execute—they develop together. That requires trust, mutual accountability, and clarity of purpose. To build that, I need to do more than share a vision—I need to connect each role directly to that vision and encourage ownership for team-level outcomes. Leadership is not about managing individuals. It’s about nurturing a culture of collective growth.
2. Measure: Growth Needs Visibility
Learning requires feedback. Improvement demands measurement. Right now, we don’t have enough of either. If we want to develop as individuals and as a team, we need clear benchmarks. Metrics are not just about performance—they’re learning tools. We’ll define success more clearly, track progress more consistently, and use that visibility to fuel better decisions and smarter development.
3. Organization: Structure that Supports Learning
People don’t grow in chaos. They grow in clarity. One of the themes that emerged was the need for stronger organizational support: clearer structure, better tools, faster decisions. That’s not about control—it’s about creating an environment where people can do their best work and learn while doing it. Development doesn’t happen to people. It happens through how we organize their work.
Taking Action
To put this into practice, I’m bringing new focus to our weekly Leadership Meeting. Each week, we’ll spotlight one of these areas—Team, Measure, and Organization—and ask the tough but productive questions that drive learning.
Leadership development isn’t a training module—it’s a mindset. And it starts at the top. I’m deeply grateful for the honest feedback you gave me. It’s helping me become a better leader, and it’s shaping how we build a culture that grows together. This isn’t just about me. It’s about us. And I couldn’t be more proud to keep building alongside you.
Two Simple Practices to Start Today:
- Ask, Don’t Assume – When an issue or problem comes up, ask in the next team huddle: “What did we learn yesterday?” It changes the conversation from blaming to building.
- Catch and Celebrate – When someone applies a new idea or solves a problem differently, don’t just say “good job.” Say, “Great learning. Let’s build on that.” That’s how you reinforce growth.