Great Leadership Isn’t a Goal—It’s a System
One of my very favorite quotes is from James Clear & he says: “We do not rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems.” His insight that we fall to the level of our systems is a profound reminder for leaders: It’s not enough to aspire to be a great leader; you need systems in place to ensure it happens. Leadership is not just about lofty goals—it’s about the daily, weekly, & annual rhythms that build trust, foster growth, & drive results.
As an executive coach, I work with leaders to create these systems, & one client story stands out. She set an admirable goal: to dedicate 40% of her time to leading & managing her team this year. But when I asked her about the systems she had in place to achieve this, her response was, “I have no idea.”
So, we rolled up our sleeves & got to work.
Step 1: Audit Your Current Systems
The first step was identifying what she was already doing. We listed her monthly one-on-ones, annual team days, & ad-hoc connections. These were her foundational practices—but they needed more structure & alignment with her leadership goals.
Reflection questions to help with this step are:
What am I doing on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, & annual basis with my team?
What meetings am I having with them?
What connection events are we doing?
When am I training & developing them?
Often leaders will say “I have NO systems in place!” & I’ve found that that’s rarely true. You ARE doing things to be a great leader, so let’s document them! A caveat to this is if you are a brand-new people leader, in which case go ahead & skip to Step 2!
Step 2: Design Systems to Support Your Goals
Next, we mapped out a more comprehensive plan. Here’s a snapshot of the systems we designed, tailored to her leadership position at her company, & what works best for her unique team:
Annually
Host an in-person all-team offsite.
Conduct annual reviews that include identifying each team member’s growth areas (skills, behaviors, mindsets). Develop & define actionable growth plans for each team member to be held accountable to.
Conduct skip-level reviews to further develop the leaders that report to her.
Semi-Annually
Play active role in planning & executing 2 company-wide events each year.
Quarterly
Check in on personal development goals & plans identified during annual reviews.
Leadership Team bonding (think escape rooms or bowling).
Mentor emerging leaders with 30-minute development check-ins.
Monthly
60-minute 1:1’s with direct reports.
Travel to each office for ad-hoc connection (her team is co-located).
Weekly
Host department meetings.
Send “kudos”/recognition to 1 person on the team via Slack.
Daily
Utilize CLEAR Leadership Operating System in team interactions.
Step 3: Prioritize Self-Development
Being a great leader requires energy & clarity. Leadership fatigue is real, & it takes intentional effort to show up as your best self. For my client, this meant creating her own systems for growth & well-being:
Commit to continuous learning through books, articles, & executive coaching.
Practice active listening—listening to understand, not just to respond.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle & prioritize rest, sleep, & personal reflection.
Take 5-min before each meeting to take a deep breath, & shift into a power mindset.
Best Practices for Leadership Systems
Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining existing practices, here are some best practices for creating leadership systems that truly add value:
Daily Leadership Behaviors: Practice the CLEAR Leadership behaviors in all of your interactions. This ensures your team feels seen, heard, & valued on a daily basis.
Weekly 1:1’s: Conduct meaningful 1:1’s focused on growth & development (we choose to do these weekly at The Perk, however I know that cadence does not work for every company & team. Determine the cadence that will work best for your team - weekly, bi-weekly or monthly - & make sure to stick to it! Commitment & consistency are huge trust builders!).
Monthly Meetings: Hold regular team meetings (we choose to do these weekly at The Perk, but at least monthly works great!).
Quarterly Connections: Host informal connection events for the team. Also take time to reflect on your personal leadership effectiveness & update systems as needed (this is something I do with all of my clients to help hold them accountable to their goals & systems).
Annual Alignments: Have an in-person team retreat to celebrate team achievements & get activated for the future. Schedule an Executive Retreat for you & the rest of your leadership team to align on strategy & goals for the next year. Re-align with your team on your vision & team Core Behaviors.
Leadership Is a Journey
Leadership is not about checking boxes. It’s about ensuring your systems align with your goals & provide meaningful impact. Systems keep you accountable, help your team grow, & make the goal of being a great leader achievable.
If you’re wondering what systems you need to reach your leadership goals, let’s chat! We love working with incredible individuals, like you, to design a plan tailored to you & your unique leadership goals. Together, we’ll co-create the systems that help you become the leader you want to be.
You are amazing!
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