Leaders, it’s time for some rapid-fire tough love.

• You CAN end meetings on time. Like I tell my teenager, if your curfew is midnight, aim to be home by 11:50 PM, and you’ll make it.
• Running late? Let someone know. It takes 10 seconds to drop a quick Teams or Slack message to the organizer. There’s no excuse for leaving people guessing.
• The rules apply to you, too. If you didn’t book your favorite conference room, don’t abuse your power by kicking out someone who did.
• Accountability is a two-way street. You can’t hold people accountable effectively unless you’re open to being held accountable yourself. (It’s almost—ALMOST—like accountability is defined by personal responsibility meeting mutual respect…)
• People can’t read minds. If you have an expectation, voice it. Even better, write it down and confirm everyone’s on the same page.
• People don’t know what you know unless you tell them. I’ve seen many leaders in my career who believe a problem is solved because they made a decision. But a decision is not a decision until it’s communicated. If you’re frustrated that people aren’t aligning to a decision they don’t know you made, where does the fault lie?
• Your position in the company does not exempt you from being courteous. While some have less authority than you do, everyone is worthy of respect.

(And for those who have worked for me and seen me violate every one of these statements… I’m sorry. I am a work in progress.)

Cover photo by Sarah Wolfe on Unsplash