- You were selected to lead. Just being a manager barely meets any job requirement.
- Leadership is service. You do all the crappy stuff so your team can do all the fun stuff.
- You are not a king. You do not sit on a throne and dictate to your subjects.
- Organization and structure beat rah-rah every day.
- Be the first in and the last to leave. Commitment is your first responsibility.
- You stand up for all of your staff, even when they screw up. People pay attention to what you do.
- If you break trust once you will never get it back.
- Never be two-faced. What you say to your boss will eventually leak back down to your staff.
- If there is a personal conflict on your team, you take responsibility for the solution.
- Don't shout. Only children shout, you are a grown-ass adult.
- Don't swear. It is just a sign that you have a limited vocabulary. Think of the right words to say.
- It is a balancing act. Your team dynamics will change every day.
- Favorites destroy morale, and morale is a fragile thing.
- There is no weak team member. There is a failure on your part to make them a cohesive part of the team.
- Be consistent. Be calm. You are not allowed to have dramatic mood swings.
- Forgive yourself for screwing up. Admit it, learn and move on. You don't need to double punish yourself.
- Love what you do and how you do it.
- Take pride in every accomplishment.
- Celebrate individual accomplishments as a team.
- Don't put any of your staff in a position to fail (e.g. push them off a cliff, throw them under the bus).
- The greatest satisfaction comes from elevating the most junior member.
- Greet everybody every morning. A breath of humanity inspires every team (and it is contagious).
