The three pillars of effective management: Trust, Autonomy, and Continuous Learning
Unpacking the essentials of leadership: How trust, autonomy, and a growth mindset transform teams and elevate managers.
Building trust, avoiding micromanagement, and prioritizing continuous learning are essential for effective leadership and team success in management roles. In this article I emphasize how identifying and active development of individual strengths and fostering open communication can enhance team dynamics and performance.
Stepping into a management role is exciting and offers a brand new path for making an impact across your company. Like in every discipline, the beginnings are not easy and it’s not always clear how one should navigate surfacing challenges.
Let me share my recollection of my early days as an engineering manager—how I experienced this shift in reality and the major challenges I faced. For each challenge, I'll highlight key leadership aspects that every boss should keep in mind, whether they're just starting their managerial journey or are seasoned leaders.
Trust: The Foundation of Leadership
Trust - assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. [1]
Fostering trust among your team members, stakeholders will be fundamental in creating your success as a leader. Trust is necessary to build the right communication and collaboration culture. An effective leader must acknowledge that and give the right amount attention to learning each individual’s perspective on preferred ways of contributing, their view on team dynamics and their career aspirations.
In his influential book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni identifies trust as the cornerstone of team cohesion. By building trust, teams can minimize interpersonal conflict and create a supportive, collaborative work environment that drives success.
Building trust has not only helped lead an innovative and productive team but has given me an opportunity to connect with people on a more personal level, providing a perspective on their personalities, experiences and opinions. They allowed me to form an understanding about a person’s motivations and preferences, strengthening the relationship between introducing a team change and observing a positive response.
Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanagement — the direct management of a project, etc. to an excessive degree, with too much attention to detail and insufficient delegation. [2]
When I first became a manager, I stuck to what I knew best: programming. I believed that by personally maintaining high-quality code, I could ensure success. But this approach came at a cost—I was stifling my team’s growth. Team members were hesitant to take initiative and our strategic priorities suffered. Overcommitting to individual contributions was leaving consequences to the well-being of the team:
Slower discovery of team members’ individual strengths and motivations;
Negligence of product vision and blunted strategic awareness;
Demoralization that I’m “in their kitchen”.
Through feedback I was made aware of that I’m not managing—but rather micromanaging, one of the all-time dreaded qualities of a boss.
Let’s not be afraid to use this word where applicable—exercising excessive control over product changes will take away growth opportunities for the team individuals. Research by Deci and Ryan (2000) [3] on self-determination theory highlights that such control undermines intrinsic motivation by limiting autonomy, a critical driver of creativity and engagement. Instead of fostering innovation, micromanagement discourages initiative and reduces overall well-being within the team.
To grow as a leader, I had to shift my mindset. I slowly started encouraging my team to experiment and solve problems their own way. This not only empowered them but also accelerated their learning and boosted morale. By releasing my grips on the “hows” of product contributions, I have witnessed a speed up the learning process of the group and it has paid significant dividends.
Embrace Continuous Learning
Continuous learning is not just about picking up new skills—it’s about constantly evaluating and refining how you lead. Early in my management journey, I struggled to delegate effectively. Journaling became my go-to tool for self-reflection. By reviewing my decisions and communication style daily, I identified habits that were holding me back. For example, I noticed that I avoided delegating certain tasks out of fear they wouldn’t be done ‘my way,’ which was slowing team progress.
To efficiently learn the essentials on the job, self-reflecting and open-mindedness are must-have qualities. New managers face a steep learning curve. The 2015 Gallup report State of the American Manager [4] reveals that most companies, including those in tech, promote individuals based on technical expertise or tenure rather than formal training in management. This leaves many new leaders unprepared for the nuanced challenges of the role.
Having said that, there’s no step-by-step guide for navigating everyday managerial situations. To learn effectively on the job, self-reflection and open-mindedness are essential. Here are a few ways to prioritize learning:
Seek mentorship from a trusted colleague or someone in your professional network.
Journal regularly to reflect on your decisions, challenges, and interactions.
Proactively ask for feedback from your team and peers.
Explore coaching or therapy to better understand yourself and your leadership style.
These are just starting points, but each person’s learning journey is unique. So, let me leave you with a question to reflect on: “Under what conditions do I learn best?”