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Halfway Through the Year. How's Your Leadership Actually Going?
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Hi Reader, I’m glad you’re here! Somehow it is already mid-year.Which means one of two things is happening: You are feeling good about the progress you and your team have made. Mid-year is usually when managers start realizing what habits actually stuck, what goals quietly disappeared, and which "temporary busy season" apparently became a lifestyle. The problem is we as managers spend so much time evaluating everyone else that we rarely stop long enough to evaluate ourselves. And no, your annual review form does not count. One of the exercises we use in my leadership cohort is a simple reflection process: What is working? Simple questions. Surprisingly difficult answers. Because leadership growth does not happen through one massive breakthrough moment. It happens through small adjustments repeated consistently over time. Start With What Is WorkingManagers are quick to focus on what is not going well while completely overlooking progress they have already made. Ask yourself:
Maybe you delegate earlier now. Avoid fewer difficult conversations. React less emotionally under pressure. Finally stopped replying to emails at 10:47 PM for absolutely no reason. Progress counts. Even if you are still learning. What Needs Attention?Now for the less fun part. What leadership patterns are still creating friction? Not theoretical weaknesses. Real ones. The kind that show up every Tuesday. Maybe you are rescuing employees too quickly, avoiding accountability conversations, or constantly reacting instead of leading proactively. Or maybe you are just exhausted. That counts too. A lot of managers are carrying more than they realize right now. You do not have to fix everything at once. But you do need to identify what is actually getting in your way. Awareness matters. What Are You Focusing On Next?This is where managers get stuck. They identify 14 areas for improvement and create a development plan that immediately dies in a Notes app somewhere. Instead, focus on the next 30 days. Not forever. Not the rest of the year. Just the next 30 days. Pick one thing to do more. Pick one thing to stop. That's it. Then ask yourself: As a leader, I want to create a team culture where… Maybe the answer is people communicate openly, accountability feels normal, or problems get addressed before they become emergencies. Whatever it is, name it. Leadership habits shape team culture whether you realize it or not. A Few Things to Try This WeekSchedule 30 minutes to reflect. Not while multitasking. Not between meetings. Actual uninterrupted thinking time. Ask one trusted person for feedback. "What is one thing I could do differently that would make me a stronger manager?" Pick one thing to do more and one thing to stop. Sometimes leadership growth is subtraction, not addition. The Bottom LineMid-year is not about judging yourself for everything that did not go perfectly. It is about paying attention. You do not need a brand-new personality, a color-coded notebook system, or an inspirational LinkedIn quote. You probably just need a little reflection, a little honesty, and a clearer focus on what matters most next. And if nothing else, this is your reminder that managers need support, reflection, and development too. A Quick Note If this exercise resonated, it is a taste of the reflection and planning work we do inside my New Manager Launch cohort. Participants leave with a personalized leadership plan built to turn good intentions into consistent leadership habits. The next cohort starts in September. If you want details or want to be added to the interest list, just reply to this email and I will send everything your way. Manager Minutes is a newsletter for leaders who want to get better at the human side of management, one issue at a time. |
KMD Advisory Manager Minutes
I’m a leadership trainer who shows first-time managers how to handle real challenges. Every other week, I send actionable advice you can put into practice immediately. Subscribe!
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