Everyone Deserves a Great Manager

Everyone Deserves a Great Manager Plot Summary

Introduction

The journey from being an individual contributor to becoming a leader is one of the most challenging career transitions. Suddenly, you're no longer measured solely by your personal output, but by the success of your entire team. This seismic shift requires not just new skills, but an entirely new mindset. Many newly promoted managers find themselves unprepared, with little formal training on how to effectively lead others. Yet becoming a great manager isn't just about mastering techniques—it's about truly understanding what your team needs and deserves from you. The practices in this book provide a roadmap for this transformation, helping you navigate the complex terrain of leadership with confidence and purpose. Whether you're leading your first team or looking to sharpen your existing leadership skills, these practices will help you create an environment where engagement flourishes, team members grow, and results exceed expectations.

Chapter 1: Develop a Leader's Mindset

The transition from individual contributor to leader requires a fundamental shift in how you see your role. Where once your success was measured by your personal achievements, now your success is determined by how well your team performs. This shift from "I achieve results on my own" to "I achieve results with and through others" is the cornerstone of effective leadership. This mindset shift is often illustrated by the story of Carolyn, a record-setting salesperson who was promoted to sales manager. Having excelled at closing deals herself, she approached leadership by jumping in to save the day whenever her salespeople struggled during client meetings. While her intentions were good—she wanted to ensure the sale was made—her actions prevented team members from developing their own skills. They couldn't learn from mistakes or build confidence because Carolyn wouldn't let them try, fail, and recover on their own. She was so focused on getting the immediate result that she missed her true role: developing her team's capabilities for long-term success. The challenge Carolyn faced is common. When we're promoted because of our stellar individual performance, it's tempting to continue relying on those same skills. After all, they got us the promotion! But effective leadership requires a different approach. As Todd Davis, one of the authors, shares from his experience with a hospitality executive: "I've worked here for more than twenty years and had a phenomenal run. I've been lucky to earn our President's Club Award many times. But now I have all the crystal trophies I could ever need. I want my team to earn President's Club and more, and then I want them to pass that same vision on to the people they lead. That's what I want my legacy to be." To adopt this leadership mindset, you must first acknowledge that your work is no longer just about you—it's about them. This means letting go of past successes and focusing on your team's development. It means celebrating when they shine, even if you're in the background. It means resisting the urge to jump in and fix problems yourself, instead coaching your team through challenges so they build capability. Sometimes this transition requires a symbolic gesture. Victoria, another author, suggests holding a "funeral for your old job"—literally boxing up your trophies, awards, and certificates as a way of acknowledging that your role has fundamentally changed. This ritual helps you mentally transition to your new identity as a leader whose primary responsibility is developing others. Remember that as a leader, your people are your results. Your first job isn't to get results alone, but to ensure that your team members hit their targets while growing into leaders themselves. When you truly embrace this mindset, you'll find that your influence expands, your team's capacity grows, and together you'll achieve far more than you ever could individually.

Chapter 2: Hold Regular 1-on-1s

One-on-one meetings (1-on-1s) are one of the most powerful tools in a leader's toolkit, yet they're often underutilized or misunderstood. Many managers view these meetings merely as status updates: "What did you work on last week? What are you working on this week? Great. Next!" This approach misses the true potential of 1-on-1s to drive engagement and development. Todd shares a telling story about Joanna, a superstar project manager who worked remotely and led a team of junior project managers. Despite hitting goals quarter after quarter and performing extremely well financially, Joanna handed in her two weeks' notice. When Todd, as chief people officer, met with her to understand why, Joanna explained that her manager's 1-on-1s consisted solely of brief project updates with no personal connection. "He's a good guy," she said. "But when we talk, it's just long enough for him to run through my projects. He acknowledges that they're always on time and on budget, but then the meeting is over. Never a question about the challenges of working remotely or what I'm interested in doing next." Her manager insisted he didn't have time for more in-depth conversations. As a last effort, Todd convinced Joanna to move to another team with a new leader who focused on fundamentals like regular, meaningful 1-on-1s. This leader listened, remembered employees were whole people with lives beyond work, and made efforts to draw in remote employees. Joanna flourished under this leadership approach and remained a valuable contributor to the organization. The difference between these two managers highlights the shift from monitoring to coaching. Instead of just checking boxes, effective 1-on-1s create space for open-ended questions and empathic listening. They allow you to uncover challenges, head off problems, test new ideas, celebrate successes, and encourage growth. When you ask, "What's your biggest challenge right now?" or "What do you think is keeping you from reaching your full potential?" you create opportunities for meaningful conversation and connection. To hold effective 1-on-1s, schedule them as recurring calendar appointments, preferably at the same time each week. Reserve at least 30 minutes, because meaningful conversations take time. Prepare an agenda beforehand and ask your team member to do the same. During the meeting, practice empathic listening—listening with the intent to understand, not just respond. As Dr. Stephen R. Covey taught, "The deepest need of the human heart is to feel understood." Victoria shares a personal insight about being present during these meetings: "During a particularly stressful time at work and home, I still took pride in keeping my commitment of holding 1-on-1s with my team members. But to be honest, while I was physically there, I wasn't mentally present." When her team members gave feedback that she seemed preoccupied, Victoria realized she needed to be fully engaged. Now she takes ten minutes before each 1-on-1 to review previous meeting notes, turn off email notifications, and silence her phone. Remember to end each 1-on-1 by reviewing commitments. What did your team member commit to last week, and did they follow through? What are their next steps? And equally important, what did you commit to do to support them, and did you keep that promise? This accountability creates momentum and trust, ensuring that your 1-on-1s drive both engagement and results.

Chapter 3: Set Up Your Team to Get Results

The most common pitfall for new managers is trying to achieve results by telling team members exactly what to do and how to do it—or worse, doing it themselves when things aren't going perfectly. Victoria illustrates this through a story about a luxury hotel in Paris where the staff would meticulously set tables for VIP guests, only to have three levels of management come by and make minor adjustments. Eventually, the staff stopped putting in effort because they knew management would redo their work anyway. This micromanagement approach often stems from a leader's comfort with their previous role as an individual contributor. Scott Miller, another author, candidly shares how as a chief marketing officer, he caught himself overseeing the selection of ribbon for a mail piece—a task far beneath his strategic responsibilities. This hands-on tendency was so pronounced that an employee actually believed Scott kept ribbon in his pocket! The message was clear: if the CMO is managing ribbon inventory, there's a serious delegation problem. The effective leadership mindset focuses on helping team members understand the "why" behind the "what" and supporting them in the "how," rather than dictating every detail. This approach creates ownership and engagement. Victoria describes a franchisee of a fast-food chain who faced difficult decisions after tax reforms in Sweden. Rather than making unilateral cuts, he brought his entire staff together, explained the challenge, and collaborated on goals and behaviors to address the situation. The results skyrocketed because the team understood the purpose behind the changes and contributed to the solution. To set up your team for success, first align goals to organizational priorities. Ensure your team's objectives support what your boss and organization are trying to accomplish. Then limit your focus to the most important goals—ideally no more than three at a time. These goals should be specific and measurable, with clear starting points, finish lines, and deadlines (from X to Y by When). Create a simple, visible scoreboard that shows progress toward these goals, and update it frequently to maintain momentum. Effective delegation is crucial for team success. When delegating, define the project clearly, decide whether it should be delegated, carefully select the right team member, and set clear expectations. Explain why the project matters, what success looks like, and how progress will be measured. Then provide appropriate support without micromanaging. As Scott's former leader demonstrated with a "pre-forgiveness culture," giving team members latitude to make decisions (and occasional mistakes) builds trust and empowers them to grow. Finally, remember to celebrate successes, both big and small. Scott shares a memorable story of unveiling thirty-seven million pieces of confetti (representing the number of people impacted by their program) at a company conference. While not everyone can stage such elaborate celebrations, the principle remains: acknowledging achievements reinforces what matters and energizes your team for future challenges. When you've worked hard to achieve a goal together, take time to celebrate—you cannot celebrate enough.

Chapter 4: Create a Culture of Feedback

Feedback is one of the most powerful tools for developing your team, yet it's often the most challenging leadership responsibility. As Scott Miller candidly shares, he learned this lesson while working as a waiter at the Sunset Grill during college. He developed a system for delivering the fastest service, memorizing orders without notes and racing ahead of other waiters. His customers loved him, but he created chaos in the kitchen. When a fellow waiter was promoted to manager, his first action was to confront Scott's behavior, writing his feedback on an index card: "I need to see a marked improvement in your teamwork." This experience highlights the discomfort of both giving and receiving feedback. Many leaders fall into one of two extremes: too much courage with little consideration, potentially crushing someone's confidence; or too much consideration with no courage, unintentionally abandoning their team by withholding necessary feedback. The effective mindset balances both, giving and seeking feedback to elevate the entire team. Reinforcing feedback acknowledges specific behaviors that should continue. It's more than just saying "Great job!"—it clarifies exactly what the person did well and why it matters. For example, instead of generic praise, you might say, "When you reorganized the data-gathering process, you simplified a confusing and frustrating system. Let me know if you see other opportunities to do that." This specificity helps team members understand what success looks like. When giving redirecting feedback (what was traditionally called "negative" feedback), preparation is key. Identify the specific behavior you've observed and its impact, leaving aside judgments about character. Begin the conversation by stating your positive intent, then describe the behavior using neutral language: "I noticed you raised your voice with the client on the call and interrupted her while she was talking. I'm concerned you will diminish your personal credibility and that we'll lose her business." Todd shares a valuable insight from his experience: "When someone feels defensive, hostile, or embarrassed, they have a hard time hearing anything you're saying. Before the conversation begins, I do anything I can to reduce defensiveness." He might share how he recently received helpful feedback himself, normalizing the experience and creating psychological safety. After delivering feedback, listen carefully to the response. People may justify their behavior or explain circumstances. While understanding context is important, the focus should remain on changing the behavior. Work together to develop an action plan, preferably with solutions coming from the team member rather than imposed by you. Equally important is seeking feedback about your own leadership. As Scott notes, "We become numb to our own weaknesses, foibles, stumbling blocks, and habits. We need other people to point them out." Victoria illustrates this with a story about a team drawing exercise that revealed her leadership style as chaotic and frantic—a powerful if uncomfortable insight that allowed her to address issues with her team. To get honest feedback, prepare people in advance, ask for specific input, listen empathically without becoming defensive, acknowledge what you've heard, evaluate the feedback thoughtfully, and commit to action. This cycle of giving and receiving feedback creates a culture where everyone continues to grow and improve together.

Chapter 5: Lead Your Team Through Change

Change is inevitable in today's rapidly evolving business environment. As entrepreneur Seth Godin notes, "In today's world, betting on chaos is the safest bet of all." While most people think change is good when it's their idea, they often resist changes imposed by others. Your ability to lead your team through change will significantly impact both their performance and your credibility as a leader. Todd shares an instructive story about Paul, a first-level leader who struggled with a new onboarding process implemented by his company. Rather than quietly resisting or complaining to colleagues, Paul respectfully approached the CEO at a sales conference. He said, "I want my team to know I'm completely supportive of the new onboarding process, but to be honest with you, I'm not. I'm sure I can get there with a better understanding of why we are doing it this way." This conversation gave Paul insights into the reasoning behind the change, helping him implement it more effectively and influence other skeptical leaders. The FranklinCovey Change Model provides a framework for understanding how people emotionally respond to change through four zones. The first is the Zone of Status Quo, where everything is comfortable and predictable. The second is the Zone of Disruption, where emotions run high and results suffer as people react to the news. The third is the Zone of Adoption, where resistance turns to acceptance as people learn new ways of working. The fourth is the Zone of Better Performance, where the change has been implemented and results improve. Victoria shares a powerful personal experience of leading through change during a financial crisis when her organization needed to cut costs dramatically. She brought her team together and said, "Listen, I don't know what's going to happen. Yes, we might need to let someone go from our team. But just as we feel panicked, everyone in the organization is feeling the same way." She was transparent about what she knew while acknowledging uncertainty, helping her team focus on what they could control. When leading change, preparation is essential. Before announcing a change, ensure you understand the reasoning behind it, how it will be measured, and its expected timeline. Communicate clearly and directly, using "we" and "us" language rather than distancing yourself with "they" and "them." Explain how the change will affect your team and why it's happening, acknowledging people's feelings along the way. During the disruption phase, continue communicating comprehensively and frequently. Check in with each team member individually, addressing concerns and quelling rumors with accurate information. Walk your talk by modeling the behavior you want to see, and address cynicism by encouraging open discussion while maintaining forward momentum. As your team adapts to the change, reset expectations, focus on what matters most, use scoreboards to track progress, and create early wins to build momentum. Learn from mistakes, viewing them as opportunities for growth rather than failures. Throughout the process, hold regular conversations about the change, both in team meetings and one-on-ones, creating space for questions and concerns. Remember that leading through change isn't just about implementing new processes—it's about guiding people through emotional transitions with empathy, clarity, and confidence. As Victoria notes, "By demonstrating that you can thrive during uncertainty, you'll likely accelerate your own leadership trajectory as well."

Chapter 6: Manage Your Time and Energy

The demands on leaders have never been greater, with research showing that about two-thirds of the workforce struggles with professional burnout. Victoria shares a personal story of taking on a high-pressure role to turn around a department, starting work earlier and earlier until she found herself logging in at 5:23 in the morning. Despite her ambitious goals, this approach led to physical illness and, ironically, delayed progress on her objectives. The effective mindset recognizes that managing your time and energy isn't selfish—it's essential for your leadership effectiveness. As Victoria learned, "Neglecting my health was certainly not leading to better, faster results." She decided to work smarter rather than harder, focusing on what she could reasonably accomplish during normal working hours while still making time for her family and health. Understanding your natural energy patterns is the first step. Daniel Pink's research on timing shows that people have natural peaks, troughs, and recovery periods throughout the day. Pay attention to when you're naturally most alert and creative, and schedule your most important work during those times. Also consider your team members' energy patterns—someone who has their one-on-one at 9 a.m. might be getting a better meeting than someone scheduled at 3 p.m. during your energy trough. The 5 Energy Drivers provide a framework for maintaining your vitality: Sleep (getting consistent, quality rest); Relax (developing effective stress-management strategies); Connect (nurturing important relationships); Move (incorporating physical activity throughout your day); and Eat (choosing foods that provide sustained energy). Todd notes that many people confuse relaxation with numbness—TV binges or gaming marathons might actually drain rather than renew your energy. Effective time management in today's environment is less about eliminating time-wasters and more about "decision management"—choosing between competing priorities that are all important. Start by defining the leader you want to be and your key priorities, then use weekly planning to schedule your "Big Rocks" (highest-priority activities) before filling in the "gravel" (smaller tasks). Many leaders only schedule meetings on their calendar, creating the illusion of available time. Instead, block time for strategic thinking, preparation, and even travel between appointments. As a leader, you must also help your team manage their time and energy. Todd shares a cautionary tale of a talented employee who calculated sales commissions along with many other responsibilities. "While I continually made sure she knew how much we appreciated her with my words, I'm embarrassed to share that I noticed her working very long, unrealistic hours week after week... and did nothing." Eventually, she burned out and resigned, a tremendous loss to the company. Leaders must model healthy boundaries and be mindful of when their teams need breaks to recharge. Victoria reminds us that it's often the most engaged team members who risk burnout—those passionate employees who can't stop themselves from taking on too much. Help these team members prioritize by discussing during one-on-ones: "Of all these great things you could do, which are most important? Which are your Big Rocks and what do you need to cut out—at least for now?" This prevents them from hitting the wall while channeling their enthusiasm toward what matters most.

Summary

The journey to becoming the manager your team deserves is one of the most significant transformations you'll make in your professional life. It requires shifting from achieving results on your own to achieving them through others, from monitoring progress to coaching for growth, from telling people what to do to helping them understand why it matters. As Todd Davis powerfully observes, "The power of someone sincerely believing in you can change the course of your career." Your leadership matters more than you may realize. Through regular one-on-ones, clear goal-setting, thoughtful feedback, confident change leadership, and mindful energy management, you create the conditions for your team to thrive. Start today by choosing just one practice to implement—perhaps scheduling consistent one-on-one meetings or defining your team's top three priorities. Remember that becoming a great leader takes time and practice, but as Scott Miller assures us, "It's a journey, and we can tell you: it's worth it."

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Scott Jeffrey Miller

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