Respectful Leadership

Respectful Leadership explores effective leadership strategies, focusing on respectful communication, successful project management, and strategic hiring practices. It emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, honest dialogue, and relationship-building in leadership roles. The blog provides insights on overcoming common management challenges, fostering team performance, and achieving organizational goals.

Leadership and Communication Project Management Team Building and Management Hiring Practices Career Development Workplace Culture Personal Development Strategic Planning

The hottest Substack posts of Respectful Leadership

And their main takeaways

Group meetings waste time

108 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
💼 Business Management Marketing Teamwork Productivity Collaboration
  1. Group meetings can take too long and often don't use everyone's time well. Fewer people in meetings may lead to better and faster decisions.
  2. It's helpful to have a single person from each team act as a bridge during meetings. This keeps the focus on their main jobs while still solving issues together.
  3. A good manager knows when to end long discussions and helps keep teams on track. The best solution may be to avoid unnecessary meetings altogether.

Smaller meetings are more productive than larger meetings

54 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
💼 Business Management Productivity Meetings Remote work Leadership
  1. Smaller meetings are better than larger ones because they keep people engaged. In big meetings, many attendees often feel bored or have nothing to contribute.
  2. You should only invite the people who are essential for the meeting. This helps everyone stay focused and avoid distractions from their actual work.
  3. Frequent large meetings can waste a lot of time. It's more effective to communicate via email or messages for announcements instead of gathering everyone together unnecessarily.

Is your project on schedule? How do you know?

54 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
💼 Business Project management Leadership Team Dynamics Risk management
  1. To keep projects on track, it's essential to dig deep into details and understand all aspects involved. This helps find hidden issues before they become problems.
  2. Unexpected challenges will always arise, so having backup plans is crucial. It's better to prepare for potential setbacks than to face surprises later.
  3. Effective project estimates need thorough discussions and clear communication among all teams. This helps ensure everyone understands what needs to be done and avoids over-optimism.

Software code reviews, and other empty rituals that waste time

54 implied HN points • 30 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Code Review Engineering Practices Team Management
  1. Code reviews take up too much time and energy without giving enough value back. Instead of focusing on comments from reviews, teams should focus on writing tests to catch real problems.
  2. It's better to trust the skills of experienced engineers rather than rely on code reviews. If engineers are good, they won’t need to second-guess each other's work.
  3. Instead of worrying about all possible issues, focus on real problems that can be tested and fixed. Don't waste time on imaginary problems that are unlikely to happen.

A survey of CTOs: how flat should your organization be?

54 implied HN points • 16 Nov 24
💼 Business Leadership Organization Management Startups Technology
  1. A flat organization isn't always the best setup. Some structure is needed as a company grows to help manage teams effectively.
  2. Having the right number of managers is important. Too few can lead to problems, while a good balance helps ensure teams are supported and guided properly.
  3. Leaders should focus on being leaders, not just doing tasks. Their main role is to manage and support their teams, not pull all-nighters coding.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Your sales people hate you

54 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
💼 Business Sales Incentives Hiring Training Team Dynamics
  1. Salespeople respond to incentives, often finding ways to maximize their earnings.
  2. Establish open and honest communication with your sales team about the adversarial nature of the relationship.
  3. Hiring great salespeople can be challenging; implementing role-plays in interviews can help assess candidates' skills.

Full of contempt, she refused to talk to the engineers

74 HN points • 24 Mar 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Communication Technology Outsourcing
  1. The project was over-budget and behind schedule because of a lack of communication and relationship-building with the team.
  2. High turnover in outsourcing relationships can lead to accumulating technical debt and lower quality of work.
  3. Building a long-term, trusting relationship with essential technology or roles is crucial for successful outcomes.

A Tale of Two Princes

54 implied HN points • 09 Jul 23
  1. Building relationships through one-on-one conversations is crucial in leadership.
  2. Listening and attending to the needs of key people can help build trust and loyalty.
  3. Earning political capital by showing small favors to key individuals is an effective strategy.

The worst project manager ever: a total idiot

54 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Project management Team Dynamics
  1. Qualities of a great project manager are qualitative and include moral convictions, confidence, and perceptiveness, rather than just formal credentials.
  2. Respect is key in achieving excellent project management: respecting time, understanding priorities, and communicating effectively define a good project manager.
  3. Dealing with changing priorities respectfully involves supporting the team emotionally, being transparent about costs and time estimates, and facilitating collaboration between different levels of staff.

Some of the best people will say all of the wrong things during an interview – you should hire them anyway

28 HN points • 29 May 23
💼 Business Hiring Workplace dynamics Communication
  1. Talented individuals may struggle to articulate their skills during interviews, but they still have a lot to offer.
  2. Formalities in work relationships are important, especially at the start, to avoid misinterpretations.
  3. Some people may not understand the difference between professional and personal relationships, so discretion is key when establishing boundaries.

Why are you lying to me? What the hell is wrong with you?

2 HN points • 11 Mar 23
💼 Business Leadership Team Dynamics Communication Conflict resolution Management
  1. When in a leadership role, avoid using insults or curse words as it can sabotage relationships with your team.
  2. Honest talk and angry talk are not the same - it's important to communicate clearly and respectfully at all times.
  3. Confront issues directly and have one-on-one conversations for effective communication and problem-solving.

A comprehensive list of Venture Capital firms and accelerators

0 implied HN points • 17 Nov 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Investing Startups Entrepreneurship Accelerators
  1. A list of Venture Capital firms and accelerators is being created for entrepreneurs. This can help startups find potential funding sources.
  2. Investors interested in being listed should contact the author to get added to the compilation. Networking is key for visibility.
  3. Entrepreneurs looking for advice about VCs are encouraged to reach out for guidance. It's important to seek help when navigating fundraising.

Return to office: why the leadership pushes workers to come back

0 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
💼 Business Workplace Remote work Leadership Employee engagement Organizational Behavior
  1. Leaders want workers back in the office because they learn from them. Being in person helps managers understand their team's skills and insights better.
  2. Social connections at work are important. When people chat in the office, it builds team spirit and loyalty that can be hard to maintain when working from home.
  3. Body language matters for communication. Managers find it easier to assess a worker's attitude and commitment when they can see them all day rather than just during short video calls.

From Chaos To Clarity: January 21st

0 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
💼 Business Startups Leadership Networking Entrepreneurship Events
  1. The event 'From Chaos To Clarity' will feature experienced leaders sharing their startup stories. It's a great chance to learn from those who have been successful.
  2. The format includes short, engaging talks followed by opportunities to network with the speakers. This makes it easy to start conversations and get direct insights.
  3. This event will happen monthly in 2025, so if you miss January, there will be more chances to attend. It's part of a larger effort to support the NYC tech community.

Does your company need the very best people?

0 implied HN points • 01 Feb 25
💼 Business Hiring Management Leadership Work Culture Employee engagement
  1. Don't always aim to hire the best of the best. Many companies do well with average workers who can still contribute positively.
  2. If money is your only selling point, you might have to pay a lot. Think about other benefits you can offer to attract candidates.
  3. People often care more about the company mission and the work environment than just salary. Show your commitment to helping them grow and respect the values they stand for.

February 27th will be amazing

0 implied HN points • 01 Feb 25
💼 Business Leadership Events Networking Community Marketing
  1. The next event is on February 27th, and it's going to be amazing with great speakers. It's a chance to learn new ideas quickly.
  2. Last month's event was a big hit, with attendees loving the short talks and different speaking styles. They felt like they got a lot of value in a short time.
  3. People can join the event for different parts based on their schedules, but tickets sell out quickly, so it's important to grab one soon.

To grow you must build a beautiful, pragmatic, innovative and agile bureaucracy

0 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
💼 Business Leadership Management Growth Bureaucracy
  1. Bureaucracy can be helpful for businesses. It helps manage money and keeps things organized so the company can grow smoothly.
  2. Having a flat organization can be risky. As a company gets bigger, it's important to add controls and processes to avoid chaos and potential financial issues.
  3. Deciding how to organize a company isn't easy. Leaders need to balance centralization and decentralization carefully to ensure everything runs well.

Next Tuesday will be amazing

0 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
💼 Business Networking Entrepreneurship Leadership Events Growth
  1. The main event next Tuesday will feature great speakers on starting and growing successful businesses.
  2. There are still tickets available for the Happy Hour event at 4:30 PM, so people can join for drinks.
  3. If you can't attend this Tuesday, there will be another event on February 27th with more speakers and networking opportunities.