Reflective Leadership Practices

I start every day by reading a sticky note on my laptop: "Slow down to go far." In Q1, I needed that reminder more than ever! Things are moving incredibly fast – in our industry and at HubSpot. So in Q2, how can you execute with urgency without losing sight of the bigger picture? First, a confession: slowing down doesn’t come naturally to me. (That’s why I have needed a daily reminder for years 🙂) When I first moved from individual contributor to manager, the feedback from my team was clear: I was moving too fast. They felt like they were always playing catch-up and didn't have the context they needed. I’m still working on this years later (just ask my team – they’ll tell you my favorite phrase is "let’s go faster!"). But here are some things that have worked for me: 1. Prioritize conversations with customers and partners: Every Wednesday, I block my calendar, cut back on internal meetings, and snooze notifications to focus on conversations with customers and partners. When you’re moving fast, it’s easy to lose touch with what matters most – your customers. Protect regular time every week to reconnect directly with them. It helps you stay grounded in your mission and keeps the bigger picture clear. 2. Create space for constructive dialogue with your team: Don’t let every team meeting become a status update. Set aside dedicated time to discuss bigger topics like product strategy, go-to-market plans, and pricing decisions. Your team needs space to debate and align on the big issues. 3. Ask more questions: When something is on fire, it’s natural to jump straight into solutions or quick decisions. But I’ve learned the power of pausing. Remember to ask clarifying questions first: “What assumptions are we making?” “Who hasn’t weighed in yet?” “Is there context we’re missing?” You’ll get better alignment and save time in the long run. Slowing down isn’t natural for many leaders. You’re wired to move quickly, solve problems, and set the pace for your team. But during times of huge change, the most effective leaders I know don’t just execute with intensity, they bring people along. The best way to go far is to be intentional about slowing down – sticky notes optional 😉

When Mary Barra took over GM's HR department, she found a 10-page dress code policy. She replaced all 10 pages with just two words: "Dress appropriately." The HR team panicked. A senior director sent an angry email demanding more detailed rules. But Barra held firm. When the director called to complain that his team wore jeans to government meetings, she didn't cave. Instead, she told him: "Have a conversation with your team." Two weeks later, he called back excited. His team had solved it themselves...they'd keep dress pants in their lockers for important meetings. Here's what happened across GM: 1. Managers started making decisions instead of following rulebooks 2. Employee engagement improved as people felt trusted 3. Bureaucracy dropped as leaders focused on outcomes, not compliance Barra realized: "If they can't handle 'dress appropriately,' what other judgment decisions are they not making?" She built a culture where thinking mattered more than rule-following. Most companies write longer policies to avoid problems. Mary wrote shorter ones to create leaders.

You don’t see reality. You see what your brain wants you to see. Take this Coke can. It looks red. But there is NOT a single pixel of RED in the image! (Zoom in if you don’t believe it... I did when I first saw it.) Your brain invented it. Why? CONTEXT. The colours around it trick your perception. Your brain fills in the “missing red.” I see the same thing in coaching every week: ➡️ A leader swears their team doesn’t respect them. ➡️ A founder insists the investor meeting was a disaster. ➡️ A client tells me a project is doomed before it even begins. But when we slow down, there’s NO “red.” There are facts… and then there are stories shaped by fear, bias, or past experiences. As a coach, here’s what I do: 1️⃣ Challenge the story : What’s fact vs. assumption? 2️⃣ Shift the frame : What else could this mean? 3️⃣ Anchor in reality : What evidence do you actually have? The Coke can is a reminder: Perception isn't reality Assumptions feel real, but they’re often illusions. Our human brain is wired to fill in gaps. That’s useful for survival. But can be dangerous for decision-making. Before you act, pause and ask: Am I seeing the truth… or just the story my brain created? 🔁 If you found this helpful, follow me for more insights on leadership, coaching, and human behavior. #Leadership #Coaching #Awareness #Bias #Perception

The questions that changed how I build my team If there's one skill every entrepreneur must cultivate, it's reading the "unsaid." Over the years, I've developed my own little toolkit for cutting through posturing and uncovering real motivations. Three questions I now always ask when hiring or partnering: 1️⃣"What's a mistake you made at work, and what did you do next?" It's because people have a long list of their wins but rarely they share their mistakes or the biggest regret they have. 2️⃣"Who do you admire most, inside or outside your field and why?" It's because their heroes reveal their values. You can tell everything about a person's character and aspirations by who they look up to and what qualities they respect. 3️⃣"If you secretly had your way, what's the one thing you'd change about how we work?" And while this would give a peek into a new person's thought process, this is also most relevant for existing team members, because it reveals their innovative thinking without the pressure of formal feedback sessions. People are more honest when they think they're sharing a secret wish rather than giving official input. Moreover, the first question reveals if someone takes ownership or blames circumstances. The second uncovers values by looking at what they respect. The third, often answered with a spark in their eyes, exposes creative ambitions or bottled-up frustrations. These questions have repeatedly saved me from mismatches, and sometimes also surfaced hidden gems. What's your go-to question for seeing through the surface in professional relationships? #TeamBuilding #LeadershipLessons #Entrepreneurship

*Seek your Mirrors* My Board presentation was a flop. I had prepared well. The slides were crisp, my talk engaging. Yet, the response was … unenthusiastic. Polite, but lukewarm. No follow-up questions. It was all a bit … deflating. I sat down limply at the lunch table, and that’s when I saw it. A prominent, white shirt tail where there ought to have been dark trousers. A peekaboo no one wants to see at the work place. My open zipper! I had been strutting around, talking about windows of opportunity, when a whole other kind of window was wide open in front of my Board! Aargh! No wonder there were no questions after my presentation. Who’d want more of THAT show? Once I calmed down, I felt curious - why hadn’t someone told me? Why the collective pretension of normalcy? Politeness? Maybe. After all - What do you say to a speaker with an open fly? And when? The Bystander Effect. That’s another reason. Research shows that individual bystanders are less likely to intervene and help when multiple others are on the scene. Had I been speaking one on one with a board member, they might well have told me right away. Whatever the reasons - ultimately, I didn’t receive a crucial piece of feedback that morning. And that let me … exposed, so to speak. “How do I truly know what to change in myself?”, a colleague asked me rhetorically, “Reflection is so hard!” A-ha! Reflection. That question, my friend, answers itself. If you’re wondering your hair isn’t combed straight, what do you do? Do you sit and recall your combing technique? Do you pat-feel your hair gingerly? No. You seek a reflection - you go find a mirror! In our search for personal effectiveness at work, the solution is similar. You want to know what you can do better at work? Don’t just sit there and ‘reflect’. Take the simplest, most powerful step - find people you trust and ask them! Your weaknesses might be hidden to you, but to your colleagues and friends, they are on full display. So - you genuinely want to improve? Find some well-wishers at work and make them your mirror. Up, down or sideways in the hierarchy, that’s immaterial. What matters is that you trust them. And not “anyone can give me feedback anytime!” … that’s just a cop out. Remember the bystander effect. Once you identify such trusted colleagues, co-opt them. They are your mirrors. Seek them out regularly for feedback, ask them what your rough edges are, where you are screwing up. Two caveats: 1. You might not like what the mirrors show you. From open zippers and bad breath to rudeness and micro management. Be prepared for bitter truths. 2. Mirrors might be slightly distorted. It is not the obligation of a mirror to show you perfect reflections. It is not your friend’s job to give you ‘perfect’ feedback. It is YOUR job to extract value from what you hear. Remember - Only one person in the world cares truly deeply about your development. To know who that is, seek your mirrors.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗅 Awareness is a crucial career skill that I think often gets sidelined. How well you understand yourself, your surroundings, and your relationships has a big impact on how effectively you lead, collaborate, and communicate. Maybe it's because we're all already great at it....😉 or maybe it's worth assessing our awareness and seeing where we could learn and improve! There are 3 elements of awareness that affect your impact: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 – 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 🔍 Questions to reflect on: - What do I want to be known for? - If others described me in three words, what would they say? - What’s a piece of feedback I’ve received that surprised me? 🎯 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲: Ask a trusted colleague or friend, “What’s one thing I do well and one thing I could improve?” 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 – 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 🔍 Questions to reflect on: - Do I notice when the mood or energy shifts in a conversation? - How often do I pause to observe before responding? - Have I ever misread a situation? What happened? 🎯 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲: In your next meeting, take 30 seconds to scan the room (or Zoom). Observe body language, tone, and engagement levels before speaking. 3️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 – 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 🔍 Questions to reflect on: - Do I adapt my communication style based on who I’m speaking to? - Do I listen to understand, or just to respond? - How do I react when someone disagrees with me? 🎯 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲: Practice playback to sense check your understanding rather than assuming you know what someone is trying to say. I think it's useful to score your awareness, see where you might have some gaps and discuss with someone you trust. You may be being self-critical, in which case, they will help you see what you might be missing. Or you may get their support to try something new to increase your awareness. It's definitely an exercise worthy of self-reflection at least! ____ 😀 I post about career development and learning at work. Follow Helen Tupper to add more learning to your LinkedIn feed!

This Teacher Changes 30 Lives Each Morning Here's Why This Works Every morning, a teacher greets her students one by one - not with rules, but with choice: A hug, A high-five, a nod, or quiet. A ritual so simple. Yet it tells 30 children: You are seen. You are safe. You belong. Here’s what this teaches us about leadership - and how to apply it at work: 1. Honor Autonomy (Self-Determination Theory) When people get to choose how they engage, they show up with more agency. Autonomy isn’t about letting go of structure - it’s about giving room to opt in. Try this: 🔷 Let people set their own work cadence - async, deep focus, or collaborative sprints 🔷 Ask: “What support looks best for you right now?” *** 2. Create Micro-Moments of Connection (Broaden-and-Build Theory) We don’t need hour-long one-on-ones to build trust. A genuine check-in. A name spoken with intention. That’s the glue. Try this: 🔷 Pause to celebrate effort, not just outcomes - a quick voice note, a public thank-you 🔷 Remember small details - a kid’s soccer game, a partner’s surgery - and follow up *** 3. Signal Safety in Small Ways (Polyvagal Theory) The nervous system responds before the intellect does. Safety is felt first. And safe leaders create brave spaces. Try this: 🔷 Ask: “Is now a good time?” before giving feedback or asking for decisions 🔷 Stay calm and present, especially when tensions rise - your tone sets the tone *** 4. Design for Anticipatory Joy (Affective Forecasting) The brain lights up for what’s coming next. The ritual at the door gave students a reason to show up smiling. Try this: 🔷 Drop a kind, unexpected message in the team chat - just because 🔷 Celebrate mundane milestones - 100 days in the role, 50th client call, 1st brave no *** 5. Anchor Culture in Meaningful Rituals (Harvard Research on Rituals) Rituals are memory-makers. They codify values in action - they say, this is who we are. Try this: 🔷 End each quarter with storytelling: what stretched us? what did we learn? 🔷 Welcome new hires not with logistics, but with a story of your team's "why" *** This teacher didn’t redesign the curriculum. She redesigned how people enter the day. You don’t need a big title to lead like that - Just the courage to meet people at the door. 💬 What’s one ritual you’ve seen shift the energy of a space - or want to create where you work? 🔁 Repost to inspire kind actions in the workplace. 🔔 Follow Bhavna Toor for more on conscious leadership.

I never thought something this simple would make such a difference in how I work and manage my time. This 15-minute weekly habit changed everything for me: The weekly review. This is one of the most simple yet powerful practices I've built over the years. It helps me reflect on what’s working, what’s not, and what needs adjusting. The concept, introduced by David Allen in “Getting Things Done”, emphasises the importance of closing open loops and staying on top of commitments before they pile up. Over time, it’s become a cornerstone of my productivity system. Here’s what my weekly review looks like: - Review the past week – I list the dates from the past week and, using my calendar and notes, jot down key events and tasks. - Reflect on achievements and challenges – Take a moment to celebrate what went well and spot areas for improvement. - Plan for the upcoming week – Adjust goals and priorities to make sure I’m focusing on what really matters. It’s a small investment of time, but the impact is huge. Every week, those 15 minutes give me clarity, keeps me on track, and make decision-making easier. Instead of constantly chasing the next thing, it gives me a chance to pause, take stock, and plan with intention. Do you have a system for reflecting on your week, or is this something you’d want to try?

They Don’t Know That We Know—And That’s a Leadership Problem Great leaders don’t just see the gaps—they bridge them. This image might look confusing at first, but it represents a challenge every leader faces: What we know isn’t always what they know. In the military, we learned early: Assumption is the enemy of execution. If your team doesn’t understand the mission, it’s not their failure—it’s yours. The same applies in business. Here’s how strong leaders eliminate knowledge gaps: ➡ Over-communicate, then confirm. Don’t assume “they got it.” Ask questions. Verify. Clarify. ➡ Make knowledge a shared asset. If critical information lives only in your head, you’ve already failed. Teach, delegate, and document. ➡ Eliminate ‘We vs. They’ thinking. Great teams don’t operate on secrecy. Transparency builds trust, and trust builds unstoppable teams. In combat, in business, in life—success depends on what we all know, not just what we assume others do. If your team is struggling, ask yourself: Do they know what I know? If not, it’s time to lead differently. What’s one leadership lesson that changed how you communicate? Drop it below. 👇

40% of CEOs are introverts. They're running trillion dollar companies like Google, Microsoft, and Berkshire Hathaway. Yet most leadership advice assumes you need to be the loudest voice in the room. The world's best CEOs aren't performing. They're processing. While others rush to speak, introverted leaders: → Use more prefrontal cortex (better long-term decisions) → Listen 80% of the time (3x more engaged teams) → Sustain deep focus for hours (4x productivity gains) I've coached hundreds of CEOs. The quiet ones consistently outperform. Not despite their introversion. Because of it. What society often says are leadership "weaknesses" are actually strategic advantages: That need for alone time?  ↳ It's when you solve complex problems others miss Your preference for writing? ↳ Creates clarity that prevents million-dollar mistakes Your small inner circle? ↳ Builds trust that shallow networkers never achieve Your tendency to over-prepare? ↳ Wins before you walk in the room The Quiet CEO Playbook: 1. Stop apologizing for thinking time  - Block 2-4 hours daily for deep work  - Your best ideas come in silence 2. Lead through writing first  - Send pre-meeting thoughts  - Let ideas marinate before discussing 3. Build your energy budget  - Know exactly what drains you  - Protect your recharge time fiercely 4. Create listening systems  - 1-on-1s over group meetings  - Anonymous feedback channels 5. Prepare like your advantage depends on it  - Because it does  - Information asymmetry is power The business world rewards the wrong things. Quick answers over right answers. Volume over value. Presence over impact. But markets don't care about personality types. They care about results. And introverts deliver results through: → Deeper thinking → Better listening   → Calmer decisions → Stronger focus You don't need to become an extrovert to succeed. Your quiet nature isn't a bug. It's a feature. The world has enough loud leaders. What it needs is more leaders who think before they speak. Who listen before they act. Who build before they boast. If that's you... Own it. P.S. Want a PDF of my Why Introverts Make Powerful CEOs cheat sheet? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/dNhDkyaJ ♻️ Repost to inspire a CEO in your network. Follow Eric Partaker for more leadership insights. — 📢 Want to lead like a world-class CEO? Our next cohort of the CEO Accelerator starts July 23rd. 30+ Founders & CEOs have already enrolled. Learn more and apply today: https://lnkd.in/duZeBbEf