One thing I promised myself I would never do as a leader came from a habit one of my former managers had.
He used to schedule meetings 2 weeks in advance with titles like:
No context. No agenda. Nothing.
Even though I was a top performer, those meetings always made me anxious.
I'd spend days replaying conversations in my head:
- Did I say something wrong?
- Did I upset a client?
- Did I miss something important?
- Am I in trouble?
The reality?
It was never bad news.
Most of the time it was:
- "I'm going on vacation and need you to cover for me."
- "Great job expanding this account."
- Or something completely routine.
Eventually, I brought it up during a 1:1 and explained how much unnecessary stress those meetings created. I suggested adding context or simply handling smaller things differently.
He laughed it off.
And he kept doing it.
That experience shaped me more than he probably realized.
As a leader today, I never want communication from me to create unnecessary anxiety for my team.
Whether feedback is positive or difficult:
- I give context.
- I communicate clearly.
- I respect people's mental space.
- And I remember that leadership isn't just about what you say — it's about how people feel after interacting with you.
Sometimes the leadership lessons we carry forward come from examples we don't want to repeat.
What's one mistake a former manager made that shaped the kind of leader you became?