The Human Side of High-Performance Leadership

In our latest episode of Love and Leadership, marketing agency veteran Candice Hahn shared insights from her 25+ years of leading teams. Her perspectives sparked some important reflections about what truly matters in leadership. Here are the key principles that stood out.

Lead from the Inside Out

In professional services, your product isn't a widget or software - it's people. This simple truth has profound implications for how we need to think about leadership. High-performing teams are built on trust, familiarity, and psychological safety. When team members have worked together long enough to understand each other's strengths and styles, they deliver better results for clients.

But this kind of team cohesion doesn't happen by accident. It requires leaders who prioritize internal team health over external pressures. Many organizations get this backwards - they focus entirely on client demands while neglecting the wellbeing of their people. Then they wonder why they struggle with high turnover and inconsistent performance.

Stay in the Growth Zone

One of the most practical frameworks for career development is the "three concentric circles" model. The innermost circle is your comfort zone - where you can perform tasks with your eyes closed. The outer circle represents challenges so far beyond your current capabilities that you're likely to fail. The sweet spot is the middle circle - where you're uncomfortable but still able to succeed.

The key is finding environments and opportunities that keep you in this middle zone. This might mean taking on projects slightly beyond your current skill level, but with enough support to help you succeed. For leaders, it means creating this same space for your team members - pushing them to grow while ensuring they have the resources and guidance to meet the challenge.

Reframe "Failure" as Character Building

The language we use shapes how we think about experiences. Instead of asking about failures in interviews, try asking about "character-building moments" or "decisions you'd make differently today." This subtle shift acknowledges that we all make choices based on the information we have at the time, and what matters is learning and growing from these experiences.

This reframing is especially important when building psychological safety in teams. No one shows up to work planning to make bad decisions. When things don't go as planned, focus on what can be learned rather than assigning blame.

Move from Culture Fit to Culture Add

Traditional hiring often focuses on whether candidates "fit" the existing culture. But this approach can lead to homogeneous teams that all think and act the same way. Instead, consider what unique perspectives and experiences candidates could add to your culture.

This shift requires overcoming our natural tendency to gravitate toward people similar to ourselves. It means looking beyond whether someone would be fun to have drinks with after work, and instead considering how their different viewpoint might strengthen the team.

Create Clear Paths for Growth

One of the most powerful things leaders can do is create clarity around expectations and advancement opportunities. Some organizations have detailed competency models that spell out exactly what skills and behaviors are required for promotion. Others leave people guessing about what it takes to move up.

The best leaders make these pathways explicit. They help team members understand not just what's expected in their current role, but what they need to demonstrate to reach the next level. This transparency benefits everyone - employees know what to work toward, and managers have clear criteria for making promotion decisions.

Remember What Really Matters

At the end of the day, leadership isn't about titles or hitting quarterly targets. It's about the impact you have on people's lives and careers. The thank you notes we receive from team members we've supported mean more than any award or promotion.

This perspective helps maintain focus on what's truly important. There are very few genuine emergencies in business. Most "urgent" client demands don't justify canceling someone's vacation or pulling them away from important life events. Good leaders have the courage to push back when necessary to protect their teams.

The most effective leaders recognize that their primary job is developing people. They create environments where others can do their best work, share credit generously, and help team members grow beyond what they thought possible. This approach not only builds stronger teams - it creates the kind of lasting impact that makes leadership truly meaningful.

What leadership principles resonate most with you? How do you balance client demands with team wellbeing? Share your thoughts in the comments below.