Dear hustlers, founders, operators and visionaries,

Did you know that 63% of startup employees feel their managers aren't prepared for the role? According to a recent Sifted survey, many startup managers lack essential leadership skills, leading to poor communication, unclear goals, and micromanagement.

This week, we're tackling this pressing issue head-on!

We spoke with Stanislaw Grunstein, founder of CNTRD, a leadership development company dedicated to helping managers grow into effective leaders. Stanislaw shares why so many managers struggle and offers actionable strategies to help you become the leader your team needs.

Exclusive to our newsletter subscribers, he’s shared additional insights below.

🎧 Tune in now on Spotify, Apple, YouTube and share your thoughts! Who should be our next guest?

In the meantime: Follow the Gradient and stay tuned!

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How to become an effective leader

What you will get out of this episode

In our interview, Stanislaw Grunstein shares:

• Why 85% of people are disengaged at work—and how leadership can change that

• The crucial mindset shift from individual contributor to leader

• How to delegate ownership, not just tasks, to empower your team

• Strategies for providing feedback that motivates and fosters growth

• Ways to cultivate intrinsic motivation for a high-performing team

• and much more!

This episode is a gem for everyone who wants to bring their leadership skills to the next level!

Our main take away’s

1. Leadership starts with mindset: Transitioning from doing to leading requires a fundamental change in how you view your role. Your success is now measured by your team's performance, not just your own.
   

2. Delegate ownership, not just tasks: Empower your team by giving them true responsibility. Dare to let go, dare to fail.
   

3. Set clear goals and communicate: Effective leaders set transparent goals and maintain open communication.
   

4. Provide growth-focused feedback: Highlight personal benefits for your team member. This approach motivates people to improve because they see how it aligns with their own goals.
   

5. Cultivate intrinsic motivation: Foster autonomy, mastery, purpose, and build genuine relationships.

Exclusive from Stanislaw

What are the top mistakes you see managers do when delegating?

The elephant in the room is certainly the frequent mismatch of expectations and a lack of clarity about what success should look like. Managers, being experts in their field, tend to intuitively expect their team members to deliver similar results. Unfortunately, that’s a recipe for frustration.

Instead, leaders should clearly communicate their key success factors, provide their direct reports with the necessary tools to execute—and then step back to let them paint the picture themselves.

What is a framework you find useful to apply when practicing delegation?

• Instill Ownership: When providing context, focus on the "why" of the task or project you are delegating. Illustrate how it will help them achieve their goals and how it connects to their ambitions.

• Define Success: As mentioned, you have to articulate your expected success criteria. Don’t get lost in details. Communicate your expectations without jeopardizing your team members’ autonomy.

• Identify Resources: Map out all the resources the person can draw upon and include yourself as a source for guidance. But be sure to set boundaries. You want to be a helping hand—not their fallback option when the road gets bumpy.

• Constrain Time: Never delegate a task or project without a clear deadline or roadmap.

• Step Back: Once you’ve delegated it, let them do their job. Be patient. And most importantly: expect failure—it’s part of the game.

What are inspiring books or personalities you can recommend to learn about leadership?

If you're interested in a human-focused approach to leadership you might want to look up the following experts:

• Fred Kofman on how meaning at work drives motivation and performance.

• Brené Brown for astonishing insights into the power of vulnerability in business.

• And certainly Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The title may sound cheesy, but it truly is one of the key resources for effective management.

How can people reach out to you?

• LinkedIn

• CNTRD website

Stanislaw is launching his next Leadership Accelerator program in January. If you're interested in transforming your leadership skills, don't hesitate to reach out to him!

Talk to you next week! Until then, connect with us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and YouTube!

🫶 Melanie & Christian

Each week, a lot of work goes into the Follow the Gradient project to help you navigate this crazy jungle called entrepreneurship. Help us grow this community and we’ll make sure that you or your project gets a shoutout in the weekly newsletter!