Great leadership isn’t a goal. It’s a system.
Learn how to create a leadership framework that drives trust, growth, and results. Start building yours today!
The following is an excerpt from our February 2025 issue of Hey Leader.
Hey Leader, crafted with thought & care by The Perk, is a monthly email series all with the intention to help you lead better. You belong here!
Hey, Leader —
How many times have you said a version of the following to yourself?
“All I really want to do is be a good leader for my team.”
The reason I ask is that I truly believe that’s what the overwhelming majority of us want as leaders. Most of us want to be good leaders. In fact, we want to be great leaders.
Of course, there are all types of reasons we’re interested in leadership. Some of us want to make a meaningful impact. We see problems we want to solve, or change we want to create. Leadership offers us the chance to be change agents, implement our vision & be part of something so much bigger than ourselves.
Some of us are motivated by a genuine desire to develop & support others, right? We find fulfillment in mentoring, removing obstacles for our teams & helping people grow.
And for many of us, those two things overlap.
When I talk with leaders, it’s this “why” that’s hardly ever in question. It’s more the “what” & “how” — as in, “What do I do, & how do I do it.”
You may have heard one of my absolute favorite quotes, courtesy of the one & only James Clear. He says, “We do not rise to the level of goals, we fall to the level of our systems.”
Because as a leader, you know: Leadership isn’t just about lofty goals. It’s not about aspiration. It’s about doing. And doing something well…requires a system. The system of daily, weekly, quarterly & annual activities that build trust, foster growth & drive results.
Let me share a story that illustrates this perfectly. Recently, I worked with a leader who had set an admirable goal: To dedicate 40% of her time to leading & managing her team this year. When I asked about her systems to achieve this, her response was frank & truthful:
“I have no idea.”
Now, first I want to say that this is TOTALLY okay. I never expect anyone to have a leadership system because let’s be honest…how often do we think about leadership as a system?
Second, I want to say that’s…actually not true. You actually do have more of a system than you think. You are doing GREAT things to be a leader—they just need to be documented.
Together, this client & I:
Audited her current systems (what she was already doing)
Designed a more comprehensive plan to support her leadership goals
Made a simultaneous plan where we focused on her own self-development
Here’s what that looked like at a high-level:
Annually: Host team offsite and conduct comprehensive reviews, including growth plans & skip-level meetings for developing leaders
Semi-Annually: Lead two company-wide events
Quarterly: Review development goals, organize team bonding, & mentor emerging leaders
Monthly: Hold 60-minute 1:1s & visit office locations for ad-hoc connections
Weekly: Run department meetings, & recognize one team member via Slack
Daily: Practice CLEAR Leadership principles & maintain informal team connections
“That’s great, Leah,” you’re probably saying. “What does this have to do with designing my leadership system?”
Um, everything. Because I’m giving you EXACTLY what we did in this blog I just wrote.
(Even better? We’ve got a worksheet to help you create your Leadership System - the same one we use with our clients. Reply to this email & let me know if you want it!)
I’m also giving you the “too long; didn’t read” version of best practices for leadership systems in the #PerkProTip below.
Leadership isn’t about checking boxes—we know that. But it is about having a consistent, intentional system that works for you & your unique team.
Because it’s the actions—not just the aspiration—that will make the goal of being a great team leader truly achievable.
PS: If you’re looking for a thought partner when it comes to building out your own leadership systems, give us a shout!
Best Practices for Creating Leadership Systems!
Whether you’re starting from scratch with your systems 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 that your team feels seen, heard & valued on a daily basis—so important for strengthening trust & building connection!
Weekly 1:1s: Conduct meaningful 1:1s focused on growth & development. We choose to do these weekly at The Perk, but we know that cadence doesn’t always work for every company & team. The most important part is picking a cadence & sticking to it!
Monthly Meetings: Hold regular monthly team meetings to give your team an opportunity to give feedback, celebrate one another & work through any communications challenges.
Quarterly Connections: Host informational connection events for your team. Quarterly is also a good cadence to take time to reflect on your personal leadership effectiveness & update those systems as needed!
Annual Alignments: Have an in-person team retreat to celebrate team achievements & get activated for the future (we call these “Celebrate & Activate Sessions”!). In addition, consider scheduling an Executive Retreat for you & the rest of your leadership team to align on strategy & goals for next year!
Be sure to report back & let us know how you’ve designed your leadership system—we’d love to throw some confetti for you!
What's The Perk saying?
Our resources this month are all about helping you get unstuck, gain some traction & build momentum:
What Leaders Need to Focus on in 2025: Key Insights from Gallup
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What's our community saying?
We’re always exploring the latest news & insights on culture, organizational development, & leadership. This month’s resources focus on the power of mindset to find new possibilities & noticing & celebrating progress along the way.
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The skills your leaders need today are very different from the ones they needed 5 years ago. We equip leaders with the skills they need to confidently & effectively lead their teams now & going forward.
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