Dave Kline

Become the Leader You’d Follow | Founder @ MGMT | Coach | Advisor | Speaker | Trusted by 250K+ leaders.

Hey, I’m Dave Kline.

I teach leaders how to build All-Star teams and level up their careers.

After decades of leading in pretty intense environments, from Bridgewater Associates to Moody’s Analytics, I know what it takes to be the manager your team remembers (for the right reasons).

Why I can help you is simple:

I’ve been through it.

And to prove it, here’s my background (by the numbers) ⤵️

2: Decades leading high-impact teams in asset management (Bridgewater), consulting (PwC), & financial services (Moody’s Analytics).

4: Years as an entrepreneur. My portfolio includes Skillscouter (an online course & career site), and MGMT Accelerator (a cohort-based management training course).

14: Cohorts of early-career leaders that I’ve taught at multiple companies.

100: Managers I recruited, onboarded & mentored at Bridgewater Associates.

1,000: Performance evaluations with grace and respect for stars and terminations alike.

205,000+: My community across LinkedIn & Twitter interested in management tactics & leadership lessons

385,000,000: My team’s top revenue year at Moody’s.

Now that we’ve covered the why, here’s the how:

- The MGMT Accelerator – an intensive management training course for both new and senior leaders
- MGMT Fundamentals – a course that covers all the need-to-know management basics for rookie leaders
- The MGMT Playbook – a weekly newsletter that gives practical management insights

Through our MGMT courses, my wife Marsden and I have played the assist with over 1,100 leaders so far, who’ve now learned how to:

- Practically tackle the most common leadership challenges
- Build their Management OS’s CODE (Coach, Operate, Delegate, Engage)
- Refine their individual leadership Decision-Making System

With our 30+ years of combined experience, you won’t just get our knowledge.

You’ll get to ask us questions directly and get access to coaching that’s more tailored to your own experience.

We always say – if we could do it like a dinner party, we would.

If you’re interested in leadership advice (that doesn’t just sound nice but actually works), drop me a follow – I post daily.

And if you like what you see, our MGMT courses could be just what you need to level up.

DM me if you’re interested.

Co-Founder

We created the MGMT Accelerator to help managers rapidly develop into trusted leaders by combining the art & science of management. 

This 4-week program consistents of eight 90-minute modules where I share the tactics I learned leading high-performing teams for 25 years. During each session, we tailor those insights together to build your personalized management system together. 

You'll learn alongside ~50 peers and become part of an expert community of more than 300 alums.

9 Signs Your Team Might Be Toxic

(And it's costing you more than you think)

No team is perfect.

But there's a critical difference between:
Temporary Discomfort and Permanent Dysfunction.

The ❌'s reveal the hidden damage.
The ✅'s show you what excellence looks like.

The more signs you recognize,
The faster you need to move.

Good People Leave
❌ Your best talent quits, replaced by whoever applies
✅ A-players recruit and develop other A-players

Mediocre People Stay
❌ Average becomes the accepted norm
✅ Excellence is supplied, recognized, and multiplied

Conflict Never Gets Fully Resolved
❌ Tension builds privately until it erupts publicly
✅ Problems are surfaced, discussed, and solved

The War Inside Our Walls
❌ Departments compete instead of collaborating
✅ Everyone focuses on beating external competition

Decisions Get Made and Unmade
❌ Choices get revisited endlessly, killing momentum
✅ Decisions are made, with clear owners and follow-through

Questions Are Met With Silence
❌ Information is hoarded for leverage and protection
✅ Knowledge is shared openly to strengthen everyone

Feedback is Nonexistent
❌ People guess at their performance without clarity
✅ Consistent, direct feedback accelerates growth

Tomorrow Never Comes
❌ Promises are made but never kept
✅ Commitments today become results tomorrow

Success Is Accidental
❌ Wins are downplayed, high standards feel threatening
✅ Success is analyzed, replicated, and built into systems

The opposite of a toxic environment is a high-performing one. 

Building one requires:  
✅ the right people, 
✅ the right systems, 
✅ and the right leader. 

Our MGMT Accelerator will help you become one faster. 

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eFwuqzh3

See why 1,400+ leaders said it was worth 25x what they paid.

Remember:
If you're quietly tolerating a toxic team,
You're slowly becoming part of the problem.

You either shape your environment or it shapes you.
Choose to be the catalyst, not the casualty.

♻️ Please repost to help others.
✅ And follow Dave Kline for more.

9 Signs You Might Have a Toxic Team

One choice hurts more managers than any other:

The 'More People' Paradox.

Here's what it is and how to avoid it...

Most teams fall into this pattern:

❌ Problem →
❌ Add People →
❌ More Complexity →
❌ Bigger Problems →
❌ Add Even More People

In an effort to add capacity,
They drown themselves in complexity.

Here's the trap: 

Capacity grows linearly. 
Complexity grows exponentially. 

High-performing teams know this. 
They choose a different path: 

❌ Problem →
✅ Diagnose →
✅ Delete, Simplify, or Automate →
✅ Refocus & Execute →
✅ Scale

Why does this order change things? 
Pruning is required for healthy growth.

They fix the model to scale. 
They don't hope scale fixes the model. 

Ask these 3 questions before you hire:

1️⃣ What could we stop doing?
• Nice-to-have projects
• Low-impact meetings
• Redundant reports

2️⃣ What are we overcomplicating?
• Communication channels
• Project workflows
• Decision making

3️⃣ What are we avoiding?
• Technology improvements
• Difficult conversations
• Priority decisions

BONUS: What could AI handle?
• Document processing
• Standard responses
• Data aggregation
• Routine analysis

✅ Remember:
Our optimal path to greater success...
Doing half as much, twice as well.

If this post resonated with you...
🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more
♻️ Share to help others go big by thinking small

PS - We have another free AI-Enhanced Leader workshop coming up. 
"Build Your AI-Powered Leadership Coach in 30 Minutes"
Join 352 leaders already signed up: https://lnkd.in/guyyAMdN

Managing up doesn't require sucking up.

If you know how to do it right.

Managing up isn't about:
• Power
• Politics
• Persuasion

It's about building a relationship with your boss.
And making them successful while you do it.

And that starts by knowing who your manager is.

Here are 3 common manager archetypes
(and how to speak their language):

The Relentless Micromanager
• Needs to control every detail
• Constantly checks in for updates
• Language: High-velocity details before they ask

The Volatile Visionary
• Focuses on big ideas and long-term goals
• Everything is extreme: failure or excellence
• Language: Contrarian insights tied to their vision

The Disconnected Diva
• Out of touch with day-to-day operations
• Doesn't understand frontline challenges
• Language: Repeatable stories that connect dots

Once you know who you're talking to,
You can apply a range of practical tactics. 

The carousel below has one proven tactic
To overcome 10 common objections to managing up.

Swipe through and give one a try.

Make your boss's goals your goals, and three things happen:
• You get more support for your team
• You get more opportunities for growth
• You get more autonomy in your decisions

This isn't politics. 
This is partnership.

Want help applying this skill?

Join MGMT Fundamentals starting next Tuesday.

"Managing Up" is one of the 6 core skills we teach.

• One hour a day over two weeks.
• Critical Skills + Proven Systems. 
• Group coaching to unlock your challenge.

Enrollment closes in 3 days: https://lnkd.in/ewTRApB5

Join 33 leaders looking to level up.

♻️ Share this to help a new manager.

🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more leadership insights.

How to Manage Up (and get what you deserve)

Most new managers fail (nearly 60%). 

Not because they aren't capable. 

It's because they focus on the wrong things. 

Here's what I wish someone had told me:

1. Define a Clear Mission

Average teams execute tasks.
High-performing teams drive outcomes.

Your team needs to know:
• Why their work matters
• How it impacts the company
• What winning looks like

Test: Can each person explain the mission in one sentence?

2. Hire Slowly, Fire Fast

High performers want to work with high performers.

Never compromise on:
• Proven ability to deliver
• Self-direction and ownership
• Character over credentials

One A-player is worth three B-players.
One C-player destroys team standards.

3. Give Earned Autonomy

Top talent doesn't need micromanagement.

Define the outcome, not the process.

Let them:
• Set their schedule
• Choose their methods
• Make meaningful decisions

Your job: Remove obstacles, not create them.

4. Protect Their Time

Meetings are overhead, not output.

Only meet to:
• Align on priorities
• Solve blocking problems
• Make decisions

Default to async communication.
Protect their time to create value.

5. Kill Bureaucracy

High performers hate administrative waste.

Cut ruthlessly:
• Unnecessary approvals
• Redundant reporting
• Meeting theater

Ask: "Does this help us win or just look busy?"

6. Guard Their Focus

Concentration beats distraction.

Say no to:
• Random committees
• Shiny object syndrome
• Everything that's not the main thing

The best teams do half as much twice as well.

7. Track Outcomes, Not Activities

Set clear expectations.
Measure results, not hours.

Focus on:
• Results delivered
• Quality standards met
• Timeline commitments kept

Outputs matter more than inputs.

8. Remove Friction Daily

High performers solve problems relentlessly.

Will it be customer problems?
Or the ones you create?

Daily question: "What's slowing my team down?"

Then fix it immediately.

New managers succeed when talented people have:
• Clear direction
• High autonomy
• Zero friction

Want to start strong as a manager?

Get the training 85% of managers never receive.

MGMT Fundamentals starts January 27th.
10 hours over two weeks. The 80/20 skills and systems to lead effectively.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ewTRApB5

85% of managers get reimbursed by their company. Just ask.
Bonus: Bring a colleague and you both save 20%.

Come learn how to become a leader you'd follow.

♻️ Share this to help a new manager.

🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more practical management insights.

 Quick Tips for New Managers

Success isn't determined by what you know.

It's determined by how fast you move.

And how quickly you adjust based on what you learn.

But before every action, there's a decision.
And before every decision, there's indecision. 

Those who win work from data: 
• Data from experience. 
• Data from customers. 
• Data from doing.

And they know: 

The faster you decide, the faster you learn.

Here are 7 simple tips to make better decisions:

Empty Your Mind
• Write down every swirling thought
• Focus only on your top 3 factors

Flip a Coin
• Not for the result, but for your reaction
• Your gut reveals the right answer

Find a Partner
• Direct partner shares the journey with you
• Trusted advisor shows the path ahead of you

Sell Then Build
• Get one real customer to pay first
• Let revenue validate your next step

Price Your Indecision
• Calculate what waiting costs you
• Compare it to the cost of choosing wrong

Only Commit to Today
• Skip the 10-year questions
• Answer one question today

Burn the Ships
• Make a call you can't reverse
• This meeting ends with a decision

Remember:

The faster you decide, the sooner you learn.

Indecision only creates one thing: anxiety.

Stop waiting for clarity.
Start creating it.

You can almost always go back.
But not without moving forward first.

Helpful?

✅ Follow Dave Kline for more.

♻️ Share to help others get unstuck.

7 Simple Ways to Make Better Decisions 

Everyone wants accountability.

No one wants to be held accountable.

This guide makes accountability the default mode.

Accountability is not something you do.
It's the outcome of doing things the right way.

Most leaders think accountability is about confrontation:
• Creating consequences for failure
• Calling people out in meetings
• Tracking every detail

That's not accountability.
That's micromanagement.

Real accountability happens when your people want to win. 
And your systems make it hard to fail.

Here are the 5 systems that make accountability automatic:

1. Crystal Clear Outcomes
Define success before you start. Vague goals create average results. Specific targets create clear accountability.

2. Visible Progress Tracking
Make progress public. When everyone can see the scoreboard, people naturally step up their game.

3. Regular Check-In Rhythms
Weekly reviews, not quarterly surprises. Frequent small course corrections beat big dramatic overhauls.

4. Ownership Assignment
One person owns each outcome. Shared ownership means no one is responsible.

5. Outcome Clarity
Know what happens when you hit the target and what happens when you miss. No surprises, no excuses.

The result?

Teams that hold themselves accountable.
Leaders who coach instead of complain.
Results that speak for themselves.

What's your biggest accountability challenge?

Getting people to own their results?
Having the hard conversations?
Making progress visible?

Steal my step-by-step playbook from the carousel below 👇

And make Mutual Accountability your team's default mode.

And if you found this playbook helpful: 

♻️ Share to help others build success through accountability
🔔 Follow Dave Kline & Marsden Kline for more leadership systems

PS - We've got our first free Lightning Lesson for 2026 on Thursday. 
"AI-Powered Planning: Get Buy-In, Stay Agile, and Win 2026"
Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gGGcRKMp

 Build a Culture of Accountability

Geoffrey M. Roche

Son Of A Nurse || Future Of Work & Education || Top Leadership Voice || DEIB Advocate || Transforming Health Equity || Podcast Host || Heart Leader || Connection is my Super Power

Interested in learning a bit about me and how I became the “Heart Leader.” Pull up a seat…

I inspire and equip leaders in the Eds and Meds to come together to solve the most pressing issues such as leadership, education, culture, and workforce transformation.

My recipe? As a heart leader, I champion transformative leadership through empathy and
strategic innovation. 'Empowering Collaboration Through Empathy' embodies my mission to unite diverse perspectives for ground-breaking solutions. Join me in leading with purpose and heart.

In a world craving genuine connection and purposeful change, I stand as a beacon of transformation. My mission is to lead with heart, blending empathy with innovation to navigate the challenges of tomorrow. Join me in crafting solutions that not only innovate but resonate deeply within our communities.

I lead organizations towards unprecedented growth by embedding a culture of empathy, resilience, and purpose-driven transformation that transcends traditional boundaries. Together, let’s achieve milestones with a visionary approach and pave the way for sustainable success.

I am always seeking conversation and professional collaboration with trend-setters, disrupters, and executives open to embracing change and systemic solutions in healthcare. Check out my thought leadership and my daily content on LinkedIn.

Above all else in my life, I am a dedicated father to my three amazing sons. Thanks for checking out my profile and I look forward to connecting.

Contact Me:
610-442-7889 | groche@core.edu |

Podcast Host - Holistic Leadership: The Future of Work & Education in Healthcare

https://marketscale.com/shows/holistic-leadership-the-future-of-work-education-in-healthcare/

I recently had a meaningful conversation with Jason Raitz on his Speak with People show about what it really means to lead with empathy and still drive results, especially in complex systems like healthcare, education, and workforce transformation. 

It wasn’t just theory; we talked about real ways leaders can blend strategy with humanity to build cultures where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to do their best work.  

We explored how empathy isn’t a soft add-on, it’s a leadership differentiator. When leaders choose to understand before being understood, they unlock teams that are resilient, innovative, and committed. 

We also dug into how leading with heart creates stronger outcomes because it honors the human experience at the center of every challenge and every opportunity.  

What stayed with me most is this: you don’t have to choose between care and execution; you build bridges between them. Impactful leadership happens where compassion meets clarity of purpose. 

#HeartLeader #HumanResources #Management #Careers #PersonalDevelopment #PersonalBranding #Culture #Leadership #WhatInspiresMe #BestAdvice #Motivation

Son Of A Nurse Leading With Heart and Purpose || Inspiring and Equipping Leaders in the Eds and Meds || Workforce Transformation and Thought Leadership || Executive || Connector and Collaborator

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Have you ever had to justify your right to simply exist?

For a long time, I lived quietly. Carefully. Not because I wasn’t proud of who I am but because safety, belonging, and acceptance felt conditional. Pride, for me, was never about celebration for celebration’s sake. It was about survival. It was about the moment I realized I deserved the same dignity, opportunity, and peace as anyone else.

I didn’t come out because it was trendy or easy. I came out because hiding was slowly costing me pieces of myself. Pride became less about waving a flag and more about standing firm in my humanity, especially in rooms, workplaces, and systems that weren’t always built with people like me in mind.

If you’ve never needed Pride, that’s not something to resent, it’s something to reflect on with gratitude. And if you have needed it, know this: you’re not alone, and your story matters more than you may realize.

I’d love to open this up: What does Pride mean to you, or what has belonging looked like in your own journey?

#Heartleader #Pride #Respect #Empathy #Support #Community

“If you are not personally free to be yourself in that most important of all human activities, the expression of love, then life itself loses its meaning.” This insight from Harvey Milk lands deeply because it names something many people feel but struggle to articulate.

When people are not free to live honestly, love openly, or show up as who they truly are, something essential begins to fade. It does not disappear all at once. It happens slowly, through self editing, silence, and the subtle belief that belonging requires shrinking. Over time, life may continue moving forward, but it loses color, depth, and purpose.

This is not only a personal truth. It is a leadership truth. The environments we create either give people permission to be whole or teach them to hide. True leadership is not about control or conformity. It is about creating spaces where people can tell the truth, offer love, and be seen without fear.

Love is not a side note to life or work. It is the foundation of meaning, connection, and impact. When we protect the freedom to express it, we protect people’s humanity.

I am reflecting on this today and asking myself where I can create more room for others to live and lead more freely. Where can you do the same, at home, at work, or in your community?

#Heartleader #Diversity #Equity #LGBTQ+ #Community #Linkedin #Socialmedia #Socialnetworking

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
— Viktor E. Frankl

#HeartLeader #Motivation #Linkedin #SocialMedia #SocialMarketing #PersonalDevelopment #PersonalBranding #Leadership #WhatInspiresMe #BestAdvice

Workforce development without equity isn’t a strategy. It’s a blind spot.

If people don’t see themselves in the future of work, if they don’t have early exposure, clear information, or real pathways forward, we shouldn’t be surprised when talent shortages persist and trust erodes. Equity is how we move from opportunity being accidental to opportunity being intentional.

Career awareness has to start early, be honest, and be accessible. Pathways must be visible, supported, and designed for real lives, working adults, caregivers, first-generation learners, and those who have been historically overlooked. When we do this well, we don’t just fill jobs. We unlock purpose, dignity, and mobility.

Where do you see equity showing up well in career pathways today, and where do we still need to do better?

#Heartleader #Economy #Careers #Workforce #Equity #Management #Jobs #Bestadvice #Healthcare

Last night’s sky felt like a quiet pause between what has been and what’s coming next.

There’s a softness in the fading light, a reminder that even as the day winds down, there’s still warmth at the horizon. The bare trees feel honest, no pretending, no hiding just standing as they are. And the streetlight coming on gently says, you’re not alone as the dark settles in.

To me, it speaks of transition. Of holding both gratitude and uncertainty at the same time. Of trusting that rest is not an ending, but a necessary part of becoming.

What does this moment invite you to release tonight and what is it gently asking you to carry forward?

#HeartLeader #Creativity #Perspective #Reflection #PersonalDevelopment #PersonalBranding #WhatInspiresMe #BestAdvice #Motivation

Let me ask you something real.

How often do we let someone else’s inability to see our worth shape how we see ourselves?

Your value doesn’t decrease because someone else can’t recognize it.

As leaders and as humans, we sometimes internalize silence, dismissal, or lack of recognition as a reflection of our worth. It isn’t. It never was.

Your value is rooted in who you are.
In how you show up for others.

In the care you give, the love you extend, and the impact you make even when no one is watching.

Not everyone will have the capacity, awareness, or courage to see you fully. That does not make you smaller. It simply reveals their limits.

I’ve learned this the hard way. And I’ve learned that honoring your own worth is an act of leadership. It is how we protect our energy, our purpose, and our humanity.

#HeartLeader #HumanResources #Management #Careers #PersonalDevelopment #PersonalBranding #Leadership #WhatInspiresMe #BestAdvice #Motivation

taplio

The Battle

Dave Kline

Geoffrey M. Roche

Followers

Posts

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Likes

Performance ScoreDave Kline's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGeoffrey M. Roche's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Dave Kline

Geoffrey M. Roche

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Dave Kline's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGeoffrey M. Roche's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDave Kline's LinkedIn Performance