Three powerful insights to remember as you transition into a leadership role.
Dr Paul Hughes, director of Cranfield’s new Leading People Effectively programme, shares his top three insights for those leading a team.
For many professionals, career progression is built on individual achievements; hitting targets, delivering results, and mastering technical skills. The better we perform, the more we get noticed. And, often, the more we get promoted.
However, stepping into leadership requires a fundamental shift. It’s no longer about what you personally achieve, it’s about how well you enable others to succeed. The transition from high performer to high-impact leader is one of the most underestimated career challenges.
I learned this the hard way.
When I was first promoted from peer to manager, I was excited about the opportunity, but I also made a lot of mistakes. The most difficult adjustment wasn’t the technical aspects of management, it was realising that success was no longer about me. Instead, I had to create an environment where others could thrive.
Along the way, I learned three practical and powerful leadership lessons, which helped me in getting the best from others, and which in turn helped shape my own career:
- Clear expectations
- Trust
- Balanced feedback
These lessons are essential for anyone transitioning from high performer to leader of high performing teams.
1. Set Clear Expectations
The challenge – don’t assume people just ‘know’
New leaders often assume that people already know what is expected of them. However, clarity isn’t automatic, it must be deliberately created.
The story
Two months into my first management role I was feeling frustrated. My team wasn’t following the new close-down process, and I just couldn’t understand why they weren’t interested in doing it right.
I stormed into my manager’s office and asked, “How can I get them to follow the close-down process?”
Hidden behind his Press and Journal, he chuckled and said:
“Paul, it’s no use talking to me. You might want to find out if it’s clear what you expect them to do. Be straight with them and be decent. Sometimes people are busy and genuinely just don’t know. They’re good – but I don’t think any of them are mind-readers.”
The conversation was over, but the lesson stuck.
I realised that I had never actually explained to my team what the process was or why it mattered. I had assumed they already knew. I reflected that the process had changed recently, and while I was keen to learn it, my predecessor may never have passed on the details.
That day, I learned a simple but powerful lesson - expectations only mean something when people know what they are.
The practical takeaways
- Never assume clarity. Spell out expectations clearly, what needs to be done, why it matters, and what success looks like.
- Be explicit, not vague. Instead of saying “Do this properly”, say “Follow these three steps to complete the process”.
- Check for understanding. Ask: “Does this make sense?” or “What challenges do you see in implementing this?”
2. Trust Your Team
The challenge – let them solve the problem
High performers often struggle to let go of control. Their instinct is to fix everything themselves instead of trusting their teams to solve problems.
The story
A year later, after another promotion, I found myself in a constant loop of fixing mistakes made when orders were processed through our systems. Every day, I had to stay late correcting errors. I ranted to my new manager, “This is ridiculous! They just don’t care! How can I get them to take more care?”
My new manager stood up, put his arm around my shoulder, and walked me out of his office. As we reached the door, he said:
“Paul, this may not be what you want to hear, but have you thought of asking them? Let me know how you get on.”
And then he shut the door. I was stunned.
What I thought I needed was a solution from my boss. What I actually needed was a solution from my team – and that would mean engaging with them. Share the issues, and trust them to solve the problem.
That moment taught me one of the most valuable lessons of my career - treat intelligent, skilled, and experienced people as intelligent, skilled, and experienced people.
The practical takeaways
- Instead of fixing, start facilitating. When faced with a challenge, ask your team for their input first.
- Empower problem-solving. Instead of saying, “Here’s how to fix this”, ask “What do you think is causing this issue?”
- Give ownership. Trust people with meaningful responsibilities—this builds confidence and engagement.
3. Balance Praise and Feedback
The challenge - people need to hear what they’re doing well
Many new leaders focus heavily on correcting mistakes, but forget to acknowledge what people are doing right. Psychological safety, long before it had a name, was a critical part of leadership.
The story
Years later, I had progressed to managing managers at a different organisation.
I was perplexed by one of my team members. I told my boss, “She use to be a great performer, but lately she’s really fallen behind. I’ve told her over and over what she’s doing wrong. I’m clear, precise, and outline exactly what she needs to change. But instead of getting better, it’s getting worse!”
My manager paused before she asked me a simple question:
“How clear and precise are you when you tell her what she does right?”
The penny dropped.
I was horrified to realise I had never taken enough time to acknowledge what she was doing well. I had focused too much on what needed improvement.
I changed my approach, and started offering clear, precise and genuine praise, along with constructive feedback when it was needed. Two years later, she called me to say she had just received a major promotion, and that my balanced feedback had played an important role in her development.
That moment reinforced a critical leadership lesson. People need feedback on what they’re doing well just as much - if not more - than what they need to improve. We have a language for that now; psychological safety.
The practical takeaways
- Balance correction with encouragement. For every critical piece of constructive feedback you give, make sure that, over time, it is being balanced by at least two or more pieces of feedback which recognise a strength.
- Be specific with praise. Instead of saying “Great job”, say “Your attention to detail on that report really improved our accuracy, well done.”
- Create a culture of feedback. Ask: “What feedback would help you perform at your best?” And ask subordinates or peers regularly, “What advice would you give me?”
Final Thoughts: Creating high performers through leadership
Making the shift from high performer to leader of high performance teams is a transformation in mindset, skills, and behaviour. The best leaders:
✔ Set clear expectations - so their teams know what success looks like.
✔ Trust their team - engaging them in problem-solving instead of dictating solutions.
✔ Balance feedback with praise - so people feel valued and motivated.
The question every leader should ask themselves is this:
Am I simply managing, or am I creating an environment where others can thrive?
Because the best leaders don’t just achieve success, they multiply it by empowering the people around them.
For information visit the new Leading People Effectively programme webpage.
