Jeff Ross's Linkedin Analytics

Strong relationships aren't built in big moments. They're built in small moments of consistent care. Leadership reflection: The strongest teams I've worked with weren't the most talented – they were the most connected. The relationship building matrix: - Trust through consistency - Understanding through curiosity - Support through presence - Growth through challenge - Connection through vulnerability Your investment in relationships compounds over time. What small action do you take daily to strengthen team connections?

IQ might get you the role, but EQ determines how far you'll go with it. Just finished a fascinating session with a technically brilliant leader who couldn't understand why his team wasn't engaging. His expertise on Technology was outstanding, but his emotional radar was offline. The four pillars that transform good leaders into great ones: 1. Self-awareness: Understanding your own emotional landscape 2. Self-management: Navigating your emotional responses 3. Social awareness: Reading the room and understanding others 4. Relationship management: Building and maintaining strong connections Remember: Your emotional intelligence is like a muscle - it grows stronger with intentional practice. What EQ skill has made the biggest difference in your leadership journey?

The most important conversations often happen in the silence between words. Just observed a leader completely transform a tense meeting by noticing and addressing the unspoken dynamics in the room. The social awareness checklist: - Watch body language patterns - Notice energy shifts - Track engagement levels - Sense emotional undercurrents - Identify power dynamics Remember: People communicate more through what they don't say than what they do. What subtle signals do you look for when reading a room?

Silent team exodus: The hidden warning sign of poor leadership transitions "The best people always leave first." When researching leadership transitions for my upcoming book, this pattern emerged consistently. High performers are exceptionally sensitive to leadership changes. They: - Notice subtle shifts in culture immediately - Have options to go elsewhere - Won't tolerate prolonged uncertainty In one company I worked with, three senior department heads resigned within two months of a new executive leader starting; a candidate who looked successful on paper. The warning signs before resignations were subtle: - Decreased participation in meetings - Less voluntary knowledge sharing - Fewer improvement suggestions - Minimal engagement beyond required tasks The cost wasn't just the $150K in replacement hiring; it was the lost institutional knowledge and months of reduced productivity. Most concerning: exit interviews rarely capture the true reasons they left. The official explanation is usually "better opportunity" while the real reason is "I don't trust this new leader." What subtle changes have you noticed after leadership transitions in your organisation?

Empathy isn't agreeing with someone's perspective. It's understanding why that perspective makes sense to them. Today's leadership insight came from a conflict resolution session: The moment two team members truly understood each other's constraints, the solution became obvious. The empathy expansion framework: 1. Listen without preparing a response 2. Ask questions to understand context 3. Acknowledge emotions without judgment 4. Consider unstated constraints 5. Validate the experience Pro tip: True empathy requires temporarily setting aside your own perspective. How has empathy helped you solve a complex leadership challenge?

Generic praise is better than no praise, but specific recognition is what truly motivates. Leadership moment: Watched a team's engagement transform when their manager started recognising not just what they did, but how they did it. Recognition framework: - Specific action observed - Value demonstrated - Impact created - Personal growth noted - Future potential highlighted Pro tip: Match your recognition style to your team member's preferences. What's the most meaningful recognition you've ever received?

Steve Worsley asks a good question in his post below. it is their job to make them happy. But "happy at work" is often misunderstood by employers. It does not mean more breaks, a fancy lounge or 17 kinds of coffees. As an employee, when I am engaged and motivated, then I am happy to go to work. On a Monday morning end every other day of the week, for that matter. Being happy is the result of whether my job is rewarding or not, whether my boss is supportive or not, whether I feel I contribute, or not. And many other aspects. As business leader, you WANT to have engaged employees. Because if they are engaged, they care about their work, about your business and the customers. To keep them engaged, no need to care about them, plain and simple.

Expectation: "Lead the team to achieve our targets." Reality: Manage personalities, conflicting priorities, and morale with little training. Expectation: "Provide clear direction." Reality: Turn vague strategies into actions while juggling stakeholder demands. Expectation: "Develop your team." Reality: Craft growth opportunities under tight deadlines and limited resources. Expectation: "Manage performance issues." Reality: Face emotionally charged conversations unprepared. This gap is destructive, not just frustrating. I've seen it cause burnout, resignation, and decision paralysis. Leaders fire-fight instead of leading strategically. Their confidence erodes, affecting every part of their life. A Manager I have been working with recently said: "I thought I was failing until I saw others struggle with the same invisible expectations." Top organisations see this gap and build bridges to overcome it. What unspoken expectations have blindsided you in leadership?

The counterintuitive approach that saves new leaders from failure. Conventional wisdom tells new leaders to: - Establish authority quickly - Demonstrate expertise immediately - Drive change from day one - Focus on quick wins Yet the most successful leadership transitions I've observed do the opposite: - They prioritise learning over demonstrating knowledge - They build relationships before driving change - They ask questions instead of providing answers - They acknowledge gaps rather than projecting false confidence One thing I have learned myself, and observed in the many young leaders I have developed over the years is this: Those who admitted their limitations in the first month were rated significantly higher on leadership effectiveness after six months than those who tried to appear fully competent immediately. As one Hotel Manager told me: "My breakthrough came when I stopped trying to be the smartest person in the room and started being the most curious." This counterintuitive approach requires courage; it feels vulnerable when everyone expects immediate competence. But the paradox is clear: acknowledging your development areas actually accelerates your leadership growth. What counterintuitive leadership approach has worked for you?

The conversations we avoid are the ones our teams need most. Just coached a leader through a challenging performance discussion. Her realisation: Postponing difficult conversations doesn't make them easier – it makes them harder. The CLEAR approach for tough talks: Context: Frame the discussion Listen: Understand their perspective Explore: Discuss root causes Agree: Align on next steps Review: Set follow-up timeline Remember: Clarity is kindness. Avoiding issues is cruelty in disguise. How do you prepare for difficult conversations?

Why do traditional promotion pathways set new leaders up for failure? Here's the typical scenario: Excel as an individual contributor. Get promoted to team lead. Get left to figure it out yourself. Attempt to succeed as a leader. See the issue? This ignores the crucial move from doing to empowering others. In my 20+ years with leaders, predictable failure patterns emerge: - The super-doer" who can't delegate. - The "reluctant delegator" who bottlenecks progress. - The "micro-manager" who lacks trust. - The "conflict avoider" who lets issues fester. - The "technical rescuer" who stunts team growth. One Team Leader told me: "I spent my first year as a leader trying to be a better customer service associate instead of becoming a better leader. The fix isn't more technical training; it's preparing leaders for the psychological and practical realities of their new roles. Successful organisations create pathways that bridge individual excellence with team leadership. Has your organisation effectively bridged this gap? What worked?

If it's not documented, it didn't happen. If it's over-documented, it won't get done. Today's leadership insight: Good documentation isn't about creating a paper trail – it's about enabling growth and clarity. The RIGHT documentation approach: Relevant: Focus on key developments Immediate: Document while fresh Growth-focused: Note progress patterns Honest: Include both wins and gaps Tactical: Include next steps Remember: Documentation should serve development, not bureaucracy. What's your documentation strategy?

The leadership cliff: Why many first-time managers never recover from early missteps The first 90 days of leadership contain landmines that can derail even the most promising careers. In my work with hundreds of new leaders, I've seen brilliant people stumble on the same predictable challenges: 1. They try to prove themselves too quickly by making sweeping changes 2. They avoid difficult conversations until problems are unmanageable 3. They micromanage instead of empowering their teams 4. They fail to establish clear expectations and boundaries 5. They don't adjust communication for different team members The consequences are severe and often permanent: - Loss of team trust that takes years to rebuild - Reputation damage that follows them across roles - Self-doubt that undermines future decision-making As one CEO told me: "We can usually tell within 6 months if a new leader will succeed long-term. Early patterns are hard to break." The tragedy? Most of these failures are preventable with the right preparation and guidance. What early leadership mistake taught you the most valuable lesson?

Falling into leadership traps can derail even the most promising leader. Here's how to avoid them. After observing hundreds of leadership transitions, three predictable traps emerge that derail even the most promising leaders: The Proving Trap Symptom: Racing to implement changes to demonstrate value Result: Team resistance and loss of trust Antidote: Focus on understanding before acting; prioritize relationship building over quick wins The Avoidance Trap Symptom: Postponing difficult conversations until problems escalate Result: Issues that could have been addressed simply become complex crises Antidote: Address concerns immediately with a coaching mindset, not a confrontational one The Control Trap Symptom: Trying to personally manage every detail and decision Result: Team disempowerment and leader burnout Antidote: Create systems that allow appropriate autonomy while maintaining accountability One retail leader told me: "I fell into all three traps simultaneously. It took me the better part of a year to rebuild what I damaged in my first three months." The leaders who thrive are those who recognise these traps exist and develop specific strategies to navigate around them. Which trap has been most tempting in your leadership journey?

Ever wonder what makes a leader worth following? It’s not just about holding the title or getting results. It’s something deeper. In my early days as a leader, I vividly recall the struggle; the whirlwind of new responsibilities and the pressure to make an immediate impact. It felt like juggling flaming torches...blindfolded. Statistics tell us I'm not alone: - 67% of new leaders feel overwhelmed in their first month. - 60% struggle with delegation and time management. - Many chase quick wins, sidelining relationship building, which costs them dearly in the long run. Leadership is more than stepping up; it’s about showing up. Consistently. Intentionally. With purpose. That’s why I crafted the Leadership Essentials Playbook. It’s a straightforward, 10-step guide to navigating leadership without losing your mind or your team’s respect. Consider it your compass to: - Build trust from day one. - Navigate challenges with confidence. - Avoid common pitfalls that trip many up. In this carousel, I dive into these essential steps—think of it as the cheat sheet I wish I'd had. We'll cover: - Setting crystal-clear expectations. - Mastering the art of delegation. - Cultivating a culture where recognition isn't rare, but routine. So, which of these steps has had the greatest impact on your leadership journey? I’d love to hear your experiences and insights. Drop a comment below. Or, if you’re ready to dive deeper, grab your copy of my Leadership Essentials Playbook (link in my featured section). Let’s redefine what it means to be the leader people WANT to follow.

Your stress isn't just your stress. It's contagious to your entire team. Leadership truth: Your team will mirror your emotional state. If you're frantic, they'll be frantic. If you're calm, they'll be calm. The RESET method for stress management: R - Recognize your stress signals E - Evaluate your triggers S - Set boundaries E - Engage in recovery practices T - Train your resilience Your emotional stability is a cornerstone of team performance. How do you maintain emotional balance during high-pressure periods?

Between stimulus and response lies your leadership reputation. A leader I work with had a breakthrough earlier this week: She realised that her quick-trigger reactions to problems were creating more issues than the problems themselves. The PAUSE method for emotional mastery: P - Pause when emotions rise A - Acknowledge what you're feeling U - Understand the trigger S - Select your response E - Engage thoughtfully Your team isn't watching how you handle easy moments. They're studying how you handle challenging ones. What's your go-to strategy for managing intense emotions at work?

Did you know that 60% of your best individual contributors will fail as leaders within 18 months of promotion? I've watched it happen repeatedly during my 20+ years in leadership: The star performer gets promoted because they excel at their job, not because they've demonstrated leadership capabilities. The real costs aren't just in decreased productivity: - The new leader struggles silently, working nights and weekends - Their team becomes frustrated and disengaged - High performers start looking elsewhere - The new leader often burns out or returns to individual work. One client told me: "I was brilliant at marketing. Six months after becoming Marketing Director, two team members quit, and I was working 70-hour weeks trying to do everyone's job." The problem isn't the person—it's the lack of preparation for a fundamentally different role. Leadership isn't the next step for individual contributors; it's a complete career change requiring new skills, mindsets, and approaches. What leadership transitions have you observed that succeeded or failed?

Conflict isn't a problem to avoid. It's an opportunity to demonstrate emotional intelligence. Just guided a team through a transformative conflict resolution. The key? Treating emotions as data rather than obstacles. The emotional conflict resolution framework: 1. Acknowledge all feelings as valid 2. Separate emotions from issues 3. Find common ground in shared goals 4. Create safe space for honest dialogue 5. Build solutions that honor all perspectives Remember: How you handle conflict shapes your leadership brand. What's the most valuable lesson you've learned about managing conflict?

I've never felt so incompetent in my entire career. This confession came from an excellent Chief Engineer six months after his promotion to Engineering Director at a large hospitality company. What's remarkable? His Managing Director thought he was thriving. New leaders rarely share their true challenges: - "I don't know how to motivate my former peers" - "I'm working weekends to compensate for my leadership gaps" - "I have no idea if I'm focusing on the right priorities" - "I feel completely unprepared for the emotional labor of this role" - "I'm terrified of making people decisions" The impact of this silence is devastating: - Organisations miss opportunities to provide support - Leaders develop unhealthy coping mechanisms - Teams suffer from inconsistent leadership - Promising careers derail unnecessarily One emerging leader told me in our coaching session: "To admit that I'm struggling feels like career suicide when everyone expects me to hit the ground running." The solution starts with normalising these challenges and creating safe spaces for authentic leadership development. What struggles did you face as a new leader that you hesitated to share?