Welcome to the final article in the First Steps as a New Manager series.
If you’ve applied the practices from part one (unblock yourself) and part two (unblock your team), you’ve likely created the space needed to shift from firefighting to intentional leadership.
Now what? Use that space to evolve your leadership by leaning into your strengths and developing your own authentic style.
Why You Shouldn’t Just Follow a Proven Formula
It’s tempting to search for the “right way” to lead, especially when you’re just starting out. But here’s the catch: there’s no single correct approach. Leadership isn’t a recipe—it’s a craft.
You’re not here to copy-paste someone else’s style. You’re here to become the kind of leader only you can be.
Authentic leadership starts with self-awareness. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is to show up in a way that’s natural to you, and effective for your team.
How Do You Discover Your Strengths?
There’s no single method. You’ll need to explore, reflect, and experiment. Try combining these approaches:
- Personality tests: Gallup StrengthsFinder, MBTI, Enneagram. But treat them as clues, not labels.
- Therapy or coaching: Deep self-discovery often unlocks hidden strengths.
- Ask yourself and others:
- What did you love as a child?
- What would you do even for free?
- What kind of work gives you energy?
- Pay attention to your energy: Which activities at work make you feel alive? Which ones drain you?
- Ask your team or peers: Sometimes others see your strengths more clearly than you do.
It might take a few tries, but eventually something will click.
Let me share two contrasting examples:
One of my peers is:
- Extremely organized and systematic.
- He documents everything, from onboarding to team rituals, and creates a strong sense of clarity and stability.
I haven’t interviewed his team, but I’m sure this structure makes them feel safe.
On the other hand, my style is different. I focus on:
- Giving the team clear direction.
- Creating space for autonomy and ownership, letting people work in ways that align with their strengths.
Neither of us is “right.” Both styles can work depending on the team and context. And in some teams, a mix of both might be ideal.
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Your Team Has Strengths, Too
Just like individuals, every team has its own DNA. Think of a football team: some thrive on counterattacks, others dominate with possession and passing. There’s no universal best strategy.
Your job? Find what your team is naturally good at.
When you know your team’s strengths:
- You can put people into the right roles
- You can delegate more effectively
- You can remove friction instead of creating it
In my case, I’m not deeply engaged in one part of our product, but a few engineers on my team are. So, they take the lead in product discussions, while I support from a distance. That’s not laziness, it’s smart delegation.
Let the team’s strengths complement your own.
Don’t Treat All Stakeholders the Same
As a manager, you’re no longer just working “down” with your team. You now also manage “sideways” (Product, Design, Support) and “upward” (your own manager, leadership).
Each stakeholder is different. And here’s the secret: you don’t need to treat everyone the same.
Different people need different communication styles. Some want structure, others want space. Some need data, others need storytelling. It’s totally fine to ask what works for them, or simply try different styles until something clicks.
For example, I typically give team members autonomy and expect them to approach me when needed. But I had one report who needed more structured support. It took me nearly a year to figure that out. Once I did, our collaboration improved significantly.
Adaptability isn’t a weakness. It’s one of your strengths.
Wrapping Up
Leadership isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about becoming more of yourself—while staying deeply curious about others.
Build on what works for you. Leverage what energizes you. Then combine that with what works for your team and your stakeholders. That’s where real leadership starts.
