Read Time: 4 minutes. |
| | | | Last MGMT Fundamentals Cohort of 2025 | MGMT Fundamentals kicks off this Tuesday, September 9 at 12:00 PM ET. We built this program for managers with 0-3 years of experience who want the skills and systems to meet the growing demands on managers today. | Manage yourself. Manage potential. Manage performance. Manage outcomes. Manage conflict. Manage up. | |
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The New Manager's Dilemma |
You just got promoted. Congratulations. Now you're drowning in conflicting advice. |
"Go back to basics," says one mentor. "Focus on fundamentals." |
"Management is changing," warns another. "Big tech companies are asking managers to oversee 15+ people. Your leaders want you to delegate not just to people, but to AI agents." |
So which is it? Timeless fundamentals or modern adaptation? |
The answer is both. |
Some management principles ensure. They worked 50 years ago and they'll work 50 years from now. Others are rapidly evolving as technology and organizational structures change. |
Your job as a new manager is to master the timeless while adapting to the timely. |
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The 5 Timeless Principles |
These were true 50 years ago. They're true today. They'll be true in the future. |
When people talk about focusing on fundamentals, this is what they mean. |
1. The Single Highest Leverage Skill is Clear Communication |
Why it's timeless: Humans have always needed to understand what's expected of them and why it matters. |
What this means: |
In a hybrid world: if it's not written down, it's not real It's almost impossible to overcommunicate Good writing forces good thinking
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How to apply it: |
Write your thoughts before speaking them in important conversations Follow up verbal agreements with written summaries Create templates for recurring communications Ask for confirmation in their own words
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2. No One Wants to Be Managed, They Want to Be Led Somewhere Meaningful |
Why it's timeless: People have always wanted purpose, not just paychecks. |
What this requires: |
Knowing where you're going (vision and strategy) Understanding what capabilities it takes to get there Finding and developing people who can build those capabilities
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How to apply it: |
Connect every task to a larger outcome Explain not just what and when, but why Help people see how their growth serves the mission Regularly revisit and revise what success looks like with the team
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3. Hiring is the Highest Stakes Decision You'll Make |
Why it's timeless: One great hire can transform a team. One bad hire can destroy it. |
What this means: |
Spend more time on hiring than any other single activity Hire for potential and cultural fit, train for skills A-players attract A-players; B-players attract C-players Act swiftly: the cost of a bad hire compounds
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How to apply it: |
Always be building your talent pipeline Use structured interviews with consistent criteria Check references thoroughly (and ask specific questions) Have your team predict new hire success; review their predictions
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4. Bad Delegation Dictates Tasks; Good Delegation Develops Capabilities |
Why it's timeless: The goal has always been to multiply your impact through others. |
What this looks like: |
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How to apply it: |
Delegate outcomes, not activities Provide context and constraints, not step-by-step instructions Create opportunities for people to stretch beyond their current capabilities Build systems (people + tech) that can operate without your constant involvement
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5. High Performance Requires Trust, Discipline, and Systems |
Why it's timeless: Sustainable excellence has always required this foundation. |
The three pillars: |
Trust to start: People must believe you have their best interests at heart Discipline to keep going: Consistency in standards and follow-through Systems to sustain: Processes that maintain quality without constant oversight
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How to apply it: |
Keep small commitments to build trust for big ones Establish non-negotiable standards and mutual accountability to them Create systems that make good performance easier than poor performance Measure what matters and review it regularly
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| | | | But I Just Don't Have Time | If you don't have the time now, you're not going to magically have it later. The right systems are what give you the leverage you need to manufacture more time. | We built MGMT Fundamentals to only be one hour a day (at lunch time for the East Coast in the US). And we record every session if you have to miss one. | |
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The 5 Timely Adaptations |
Culture changes. Technology changes. Our understanding changes. |
Leadership is not exempt from change. Here's where you get ahead by staying ahead. |
1. If You're Not Experimenting with AI Personally, You're Falling Behind |
Why it's urgent now: AI is changing how work gets done faster than most managers realize. You cannot learn it passively. |
What this means: |
Use AI for your own tasks first (writing, analysis, planning) Understand AI's capabilities and limitations through experience Model AI adoption for your team Stay ahead of the curve instead of reacting to it
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How to start: |
Before you do anything ask, "Could AI help" Pick one weekly task and use AI to improve it Share what you learn with your team Set aside time monthly to try out new AI tools
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2. Try to Make Your Next "Hire" an AI Agent |
Why it's relevant now: AI can handle many routine tasks, freeing your team for higher-value work. |
What this looks like: |
Identify repetitive tasks that consume team time Build or configure AI agents to handle these tasks Involve your team in designing and training the AI Treat AI like hiring: define the role, set expectations, measure performance
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How to approach it: |
Start with data analysis, scheduling, or content creation Let team members "manage" different AI agents Create feedback loops to improve AI performance Celebrate AI wins like you would human achievements
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3. You Need Data to Make a Credible Argument |
Why it's critical now: Decisions move faster and stakeholders expect evidence-based recommendations. |
What this requires: |
Collecting metrics that matter to your business Presenting data in compelling, visual formats Using data to predict problems before they happen Building dashboards that tell a story
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How to build this capability: |
Identify the 3-5 metrics that best represent your team's impact Create simple tracking systems (spreadsheets work fine to start) Learn basic data visualization tools Practice telling stories with your data
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4. Get Comfortable Being More Agile, Less Rigid |
Why it's essential now: Change happens faster, and rigid structures break under pressure. |
What this looks like: |
Tiger teams instead of strict hierarchies for special projects Exception-based meetings instead of recurring status updates Rapid experimentation instead of perfect planning Flexible roles instead of rigid job descriptions
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How to implement: |
Form temporary teams around specific challenges Cancel recurring meetings that don't drive decisions Run small experiments before big investments Let people contribute outside their official roles
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5. Player/Coach is Becoming the Rule, Not the Exception |
Why it's happening now: Flatter organizations and bigger spans of control mean managers must contribute individually while leading others. |
What this requires: |
Clarity about which hat you're wearing in each situation Transparent communication with your team about your dual role Time management skills to balance individual work with team leadership Boundaries to prevent individual work from consuming leadership time
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How to manage it: |
Block calendar time for individual contributor work Communicate clearly: "I'm wearing my IC hat right now" Delegate leadership tasks when you need to focus on delivery Regularly assess whether you're spending time in the right areas
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Integration: Timeless + Timely |
The magic happens when you combine timeless principles with timely adaptations: |
Clear communication + AI tools = More effective, scalable messaging Meaningful leadership + Agile structures = Purpose-driven flexibility Smart hiring + AI agents = Expanded team capabilities Good delegation + Data systems = Capability development at scale Trust and systems + Player/coach model = High-performing hybrid teams
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| | | | I Don't Think It'll Solve My Management Problem | We do. That's why we offer a 100% money back guarantee (that we've never been asked to use). Because at the end of the day, people are people. And while leading them can be tricky, it's also incredibly rewarding. | Plus, we created MGMT Fundamentals by asking ourselves, "What mistakes could we have skipped if we had known better upfront?" We share those missteps with you so that you can skip them. | |
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Just One Step |
Pick one timeless principle and one timely adaptation.
Spend the next 30 days mastering both. |
Because the best new managers don't choose between fundamentals and innovation.
They build timeless capabilities while adapting to timely realities. |
The fundamentals give you a foundation.
The adaptations give you an edge. |
And in management, you need both to succeed. |
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What You Missed This Week |
Our Sunday AM posts: |
📌 11 Uncomfortable Truths About Leadership (Dave on LI)
📌 The Optimal Way for Leaders to Spend 1 Hour Per Day (Mar on LI)
📌 The Delegate Everything Playbook (Dave on X) |
And here are our most popular posts last week:
🔥 My 11 Promises as a Manager (Dave on LI)
🔥 5 Foolproof Ways to Manage Up Like a Boss (Dave on X)
🔥 10 Bad Leadership Habits I Had to Unlearn (Mar on LI) |
Our goal is to build a community of 1 million thoughtful, curious leaders. |
You can help us by reposting anything that resonates with you. |
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Thank you for reading. Appreciate you! |
Dave |
| | | | Ways To Work With Us | MGMT Fundamentals - Eight one hour sessions over two weeks starting September 9 at 12:00 PM ET. Perfect for managers with 0-3 years of experience who want to quickly build the skills and systems to lead their team effectively from Day 1. | MGMT Accelerator - Eight 90-minute sessions over four weeks plus 3 group coaching session starting October at 7 11:00 AM ET. Perfect for experienced leaders with 3-10 years of experience who want to refine their systems to deliver more impact and level up as a leader. | 1:1 Executive Coaching - My sweet spot is solving real problems while helping leaders build their management OS. Email me to setup an intro call. | Customized Leadership Programs - Bring our MGMT Accelerator or MGMT Fundamentals in-house for a tailored, intensive workshop. Ideal for 15+ leaders. | Speaking - We're now booking keynotes for Fall of 2025. Hit reply on this note, and we can set up a time to discuss topics and pricing. | MGMT Playbook - If you're here because someone forwarded this email, please subscribe before you leave. | |
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