The Leader Lab
Core Skills to Become a Great Manager, Faster
byTania Luna, LeeAnn Renninger
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Summary
Revolutionize your leadership journey with The Leader Lab, an electrifying manual crafted for those who aspire to soar as influential managers. Picture this: a toolkit as versatile as a Swiss Army Knife, honed through the insights of over 200,000 managers, to tackle the most daunting professional challenges with finesse. Tania Luna and LeeAnn Renninger, PhD, the dynamic duo behind LifeLabs Learning, unveil the secrets to turbocharging team dynamics and cultivating an atmosphere of belonging. This isn't your run-of-the-mill leadership guide; it's an interactive expedition into mastering pivotal skills—like handling tough dialogues and sparking innovation—while banishing burnout. Propel yourself to the forefront of management excellence with techniques refined in the workshops that power the world’s top innovators. The Leader Lab is your passport to transforming from a mere manager to a remarkable leader, fast.
Introduction
Have you ever found yourself promoted to a management role, feeling simultaneously excited and terrified? You're not alone. The transition from individual contributor to leader is one of the most challenging career leaps, yet most people receive little to no training for this crucial shift. The statistics are sobering: 88% of employees feel relieved when their manager is out sick, and poor management costs organizations trillions globally each year. But here's the inspiring truth that researchers have discovered through studying hundreds of exceptional leaders: great managers aren't born, they're made. The skills that distinguish outstanding leaders from average ones can be learned, practiced, and mastered faster than you might think. The secret lies not in grand gestures or complex theories, but in mastering small, specific behaviors that create profound ripple effects throughout teams and organizations.
Master the Core BUs: Seven Small Behaviors That Transform Leadership
At the heart of exceptional leadership lie seven micro-behaviors called Behavioral Units, or BUs. These are the small but mighty actions that separate great managers from the rest. Think of them as your leadership Swiss Army knife, a compact set of tools that can handle virtually any management challenge. The first and perhaps most powerful BU is the Q-step, where managers ask at least one question before jumping into telling mode. When researchers studied managers in action, they discovered that great managers ask five times more questions than average ones. Consider Mia, a newly promoted manager facing her first difficult conversation with Luca, a team member who had also applied for her role. Initially, Mia tried to reassure him by explaining her plans, but Luca grew increasingly distant. When she hit her imaginary "do-over button" and Q-stepped instead, asking "How are you feeling about it?" the entire dynamic shifted. Luca opened up about feeling overlooked, and together they discovered ways to incorporate his desire for process improvement into his current role. The transformation was remarkable. By simply asking questions first, Mia helped Luca move from resentment to engagement. The Q-step works because it helps diagnose underlying problems, develops people's problem-solving skills, and catalyzes genuine commitment rather than mere compliance. To master the Q-step, practice catching yourself in "telling mode" and pause to ask just one question first. Notice how this simple shift changes the quality of your conversations and the ownership people feel over solutions. Start with curiosity-driven questions like "What are your thoughts?" or "What options have you considered?" Remember, great managers understand that their job isn't to have all the answers, but to help others find the best solutions. When you Q-step consistently, you'll discover that your team becomes more innovative, self-sufficient, and genuinely committed to the outcomes they help create.
Build Essential Management Skills: From Coaching to Strategic Thinking
Once you've mastered the Core BUs, it's time to combine them into powerful leadership skills. The most impactful of these is coaching, which transforms managers from problem-solvers into problem-solving catalysts. Great managers use a framework called the SOON Funnel: Success, Obstacles, Options, and Next steps. When Olivia came to Mia complaining about Jeff from the finance team, Mia's first instinct was to dive into advice-giving mode. But in her do-over, she guided Olivia through the SOON process instead. First, they clarified what success looked like, a collaborative relationship where Jeff took responsibility for problems. Then they explored the obstacles, Olivia's tendency to approach Jeff last-minute when stressed, and Jeff's lack of understanding about their team's urgent needs. This led to multiple options, from better documentation to proactive conversations, and finally to clear next steps. The beauty of coaching lies in its compound effect. When you help people solve their own problems, you're not just addressing the immediate issue, you're building their capacity to handle future challenges independently. This prevents you from becoming a bottleneck while simultaneously developing your team's capabilities. Strategic thinking represents another crucial skill that distinguishes exceptional managers. It involves keeping the future in mind while considering the complexities of any situation. Great managers regularly conduct gap analyses, asking "Where are we now, where do we want to be, and how do we measure that gap?" They use tools like the 3 Lenses Model to examine problems from personal, interpersonal, and organizational perspectives, ensuring they address root causes rather than just symptoms. To develop these skills, practice the SOON Funnel in your next coaching conversation, and before making any significant decision, pause to conduct a quick gap analysis. Ask yourself what success looks like, make it measurable, and consider multiple perspectives on any challenges you're facing.
Create High-Performance Teams: One-on-Ones, Meetings, and Development
The foundation of high-performing teams rests on consistent, effective one-on-ones guided by the CAMPS model: Certainty, Autonomy, Meaning, Progress, and Social inclusion. These represent the five core psychological needs that drive engagement and performance. When Mia noticed Kofi seeming disengaged and giving minimal responses like "Yeah, I can do it your way if that's what everyone wants," she recognized the signs of insufficient autonomy. In her do-over conversation, she paused to validate his concerns and asked directly about his experience of voice and choice at work. Kofi revealed that despite exceeding his targets, he felt constrained by too many rules and craved more creative freedom. By addressing his autonomy needs specifically, Mia transformed a disengaged team member into an enthusiastic contributor. Great meetings follow the 4P structure: Purpose, Product, Personal benefit, and Process. Instead of wandering conversations that waste everyone's time, effective meetings begin with clarity about why people are gathered, what they'll create together, how participants will benefit, and the process they'll follow. When Mia restructured her client categorization meeting using the 4Ps, the team moved from circular debate to productive collaboration in minutes. People development represents the ultimate expression of great management. Rather than waiting for formal review cycles, exceptional managers make development a constant theme. They help team members identify the "Venn Zone" where individual development needs intersect with business requirements, creating win-win growth opportunities. Start by scheduling consistent weekly one-on-ones with each team member, using the CAMPS framework to guide your conversations. Before your next meeting, craft a clear 4P opener. And remember, development happens in every interaction when you're intentional about helping people stretch and grow.
Summary
The path to management excellence isn't paved with grand gestures or innate talent, but with deliberate practice of specific, learnable skills. As the research reveals, "Great managers aren't born, they're made, and they become great faster by applying small behaviors consistently." The seven Core BUs, from Q-stepping to extracting learning, provide the foundation, while skills like coaching, strategic thinking, and effective one-on-ones create the structure for sustained success. The transformation happens not through perfection, but through experimentation, reflection, and continuous improvement. Begin today by choosing just one BU or skill to focus on this week. Practice it deliberately, extract the learning from each interaction, and watch as these small changes create profound ripple effects throughout your team and organization.
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