Level up your trust your team yourself your culture your leadership

Refuse to play small - the world is too big, & the impact you can make is too great to stay within the safety of your comfort zone. Fearlessly enter uncharted territory & do the things that have never been done before. Don’t sit back & let things happen to you. Step UP. Be deliberate & intentional in everything you do. Take everything to the next level!

Assume people are kind, fair & trying their best with the information they have available. Seek to understand before immediately judging or casting negative assumptions. Trust that the other person wants what's best for the team & the company. Come to the table with a positive attitude & an open mind.

Remove “that's not my job” from your vocabulary. Be enthusiastic about pitching in, wherever & whenever needed, in order to move the company forward. Your words & behaviors matter. Take a deep breath & make sure your ego & energy are in check before entering a conversation. Focusing on the positive or negative aspects of a situation or a person is a choice. Shift your mindset from dwelling on the negative to finding the silver lining. Ask, “What’s the good that will come from this challenge?”

When someone brings forth an idea, say “Yes, AND”. Accept what has been said, & build upon the idea. Let it result in energy, momentum, collaboration, & forward movement. Don’t shut ideas down with “No, but” or “We can’t do that”. At least 10% of the idea is great - look for the 10% & say, “What I like about that idea is___, AND here’s how we’ll make it even better!”

Excitedly run towards all challenges. Attack with speed & enthusiasm. Solve problems in a way that prevents them from happening again. Share your learning with the rest of the team. Enjoy the fact that each problem creates an opportunity for innovation & collaboration. Indulge in the rush & growth you get from solving hard problems, together!

Being good, or even great, isn’t what we’re here to do. Eat, sleep, & breathe the vision. Feel its weight & let it fuel you. Know where the team’s headed, why, & the role you play in making it happen. Know what matters & what doesn’t. If you don’t know, take ownership & seek clarification. Do what matters, ignore everything else.

When someone is struggling, volunteer your assistance. When someone asks for help, give it generously. When someone is sick, be proactive, assess, & tell them what you can take off of their plate. Don’t throw teammates under the bus, point fingers, or embarrass them. Make sure your teammates look good, always. Ask yourself, “What can I do to help them be their best?” Be dedicated to their success. Actively make their job easier. Look out for their best interests, while they look out for yours.

Communicate in a way that moves the project & company forward. Don’t just talk at people - help them to understand your idea & what action needs to be taken. Set clear expectations & over-communicate them. Ask specifically for what you need to be successful. When someone asks for clarification, be generous in your communication until understanding is reached. Remember: clear is kind, unclear is unkind.

Not every conversation will be easy. Be courageous, say what needs to be said, but do so with respect & kindness. Don’t just sit back & let things happen, step up, be proactive & do the right thing, even when it feels uncomfortable.

When asked to do something, don’t just dive in with blinders on. Step back - take time to think holistically about what challenges or opportunities could present themselves. Report back with the solution, why it’s the right call, & your thought process. Be proactive by calling attention to issues or potential issues before a mistake might be made. Instead of putting out fires, work to prevent them.

“I don’t know, let me look into that” is one of the most powerful things you can say to your team & your clients. It’s okay to not have all of the answers - no one does. Be committed to finding the answer, not having the answer. Show humility, admit you don’t know, & build trust in your follow-up. Leverage your team’s talents & intelligence to discover the answers you need.

Know that when you receive feedback, it’s because the other person believes in & wants the best for you. You give feedback when you care. If you don't care, why take the time to give it? Don’t fear negative feedback - fear silence. Shift your perspective on feedback, actively seek it out (both positive & constructive) from your team, & receive it with gratitude & grace. Feedback is like being gifted an exercise bike. It’s there to help you get BETTER. You have to take the gift & put in the work to get the results.

You’re not perfect, you make mistakes, & you don’t have all of the answers. Allow yourself to be fully seen. Admit what you don’t know & ask for help when you need it. Be transparent on what you need & why. Bring your ideas to the table without fear of embarrassment. Have open & honest conversations, even when it’s uncomfortable. Say “I don’t get it, help me understand why that’s important.” Recognize that vulnerability looks different for everyone. Appreciate & embrace people for where they’re at - never make them feel less than.

Be as specific as possible, as soon as possible, on defining success. Get clear about how success is measured & communicate that to the other team members. Make sure everyone understands ‘Paint DONE’. Tie success to the bigger picture of the vision & mission.

Trust must exist for success to be achieved. Trust that everyone will show up everyday to do what’s best for the company. If you don’t trust an idea, an approach, or a teammate - self-reflect, first. What needs to happen for you to have trust? Communicate this clearly. If you’ve broken trust, realize it’s not about your intention - it’s about their experience. Apologize, & ask what can be done to rebuild trust. Take responsibility to rebuild it.

Know our products & services like the back of your hand. Take ownership to know it, & be driven by a need to serve to meet with people, ask questions, see how you can help, & offer solutions. Sales is all about asking questions & relationship-building. Share in the co-owned responsibility, risk, & reward with your team. Let selling excite & motivate you. If it sucks, don’t stay quiet. Talk with your team, ask for help. If you don’t like selling, take it as a sign that you don’t believe in our services. Never for money, always for love. There’s no reach without revenue. Focus on true connection & building a relationship – that's how we are able to impactfully sell.

It’s not enough to be invited to the dance, nor enough to be asked to dance - everyone should feel COMFORTABLE dancing. Create a safe space where everyone enjoys dancing. Recognize that the differences of the team are what make it stronger. Promote allyship & create a safe space where everyone feels included, valued & has a sense of belonging. Be yourself & know that you belong here. Everyone has a voice & a valued opinion. Actively embrace diverse viewpoints. Empower others to speak up. Help people succeed on their own terms. Take action when you observe someone being treated unfairly.

Get to know people on a personal level. Take time to learn their motivations, goals, challenges, & strengths. Get curious, ask questions, understand their perspective & how they approach situations. Show you care by asking the simple question “how are you doing today?” before diving into the task at hand. Focus on connection - it will lead to greater productivity & execution.

Commit to doing something & follow-through with it. Whether for a client, teammate, or yourself, make it happen. If you determine it can’t be done, communicate ASAP so the team can pivot.

Celebrate people for who they are & who they want to be. Celebrate small victories, big wins, & see failure as a First Attempt In Learning (get it?). Learn what your team wants to achieve personally as well as professionally, & cheer them on! Champion others. Take the time to truly see, hear, value, & recognize your teammates, clients, vendors, partners, & community members. Point out the specific things they do that you find extraordinary. Throw confetti, literally & figuratively, every day.