BLOG
Step into leadership with clarity, connection, and confidence—discover practical strategies for navigating your first 100 days.
Stepping into a leadership role is never as calm or as clear-cut as we hope. You arrive already in motion—trying to onboard new team members, solve inherited problems, and prove your value, all while learning how to manage—sometimes for the very first time.
The pressure is high. Time is short. And yet, these early moments shape how you're perceived—and how your team performs—for months or years to come.
But those first 100 days are not about perfection. They’re about presence. They shape how you're perceived, how your team performs, and ultimately, the kind of leader you become.
And you do not have to do this alone.
In a practical, real-world conversation with EVP of Compliance and Security at Radian Generation Kellie Macpherson—who began her leadership journey in a Learnit manager training in 2012—and leadership facilitator Mickey Fitch-Collins, we distilled three key principles to guide your transition:
Leadership is not a natural next step—it’s a new discipline. If you want your rising stars to thrive, you must invest in their transition. If you are the rising star, you must invest in yourself.
Leadership doesn’t begin with strategy decks or spreadsheets—it starts with people. According to Kellie Macpherson, your very first move as a new leader should be simple: get in front of your team.
“Even if it’s just 10 minutes,” Kellie says, “you shouldn’t leave your first day without a one-on-one meet-and-greet with every single person on your team.” Ask about how they work, what they’re excited about, and what’s been getting in their way. Just listen. Take notes. And then keep taking notes.
Kellie recommends creating a page for each person on your team—whether in a physical notebook or a digital document. Track the small details that often get lost in a fast-paced workplace:
These notes aren’t for performance reviews—they’re your leadership compass. They help you remember that management is not just about workflows. It’s about people, and how they experience the work, and what motivates them best.
One of the most powerful leadership tools you have is your calendar.
Kellie treats hers like a blueprint for values. Each year, she starts by identifying her "big rocks"—the non-negotiable moments that reflect her team’s humanity and priorities: offsites, one-on-ones, biweekly shoutouts, gratitude rituals.
“Those are my people-first behaviors,” she says. “And they go in the calendar first.”
From there, she works backward, building structure around what matters most. Team rituals are color-coded and rarely moved. These aren’t optional feel-good extras—they’re the foundation.
“You have to use your calendar to direct action,” Kellie explains. “If you don’t carve out space for the people part of leadership, it will always get crowded out by the noise.”
If your schedule doesn’t reflect your values, neither will your leadership.
There’s no gold medal for burnout. No prize for the most packed calendar. Being constantly busy might feel productive—but over time, it erodes clarity, presence, and your ability to lead.
One of the earliest challenges new leaders face is learning to let go. As Mickey puts it: “Becoming a manager means ditching the superhero cape.” You’re no longer measured by how much you can do—but by how well you empower others to do it.
Delegation isn’t about offloading tasks—it’s about building capability.
It starts with asking:
When done well, delegation becomes an investment in your team’s growth and your own sustainability. Kellie emphasizes that effective delegation also helps avoid burnout. “You’re likely already at max capacity,” she says, “and now you’re bringing someone in to help. If you don’t delegate intentionally, you’ll stay stuck.”
Giving away ownership doesn’t diminish your value—it multiplies your impact.
Feedback isn’t a quarterly review—it’s a pattern and practice that shows you’re paying attention and invested in growth, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Creating a culture of feedback starts with three words: framing, observation, results.
Whether you’re celebrating a strength or offering a correction, vague feedback only creates confusion. When it’s clear and consistent, it lowers anxiety and speeds up development.
But feedback can’t stand alone—it has to live inside safety and transparency. Ask your team how they prefer to receive it. Share your preferences, too. Make it mutual.
“We build feedback loops,” Mickey says, “so that growth becomes part of the rhythm—not a rare event.”
Sharing yourself as a leader isn’t about oversharing—it’s about being open in the ways that matter.
Your team doesn’t need to know everything, but they should know how you work, what you value, how you take feedback, and where you might stumble. That kind of openness gives them permission to be honest and human too.
As Kellie puts it, being an “open person” means showing your team what they need to trust you. That could mean naming your weaknesses, explaining your decisions, or sharing how you like to communicate.
Lead with transparency, and your team will follow.
One of the first things Kellie does when onboarding is ask: How do you like to learn? Then she builds a training plan to match—short sessions, shared articles, shadowing—whatever fits the person and pace.
This curiosity builds more than skills—it builds trust. Meeting someone where they are shifts how they see you. You can get in the weeds without micromanaging, because the relationship is grounded in understanding a person’s style of working.
And as you checkin on projects, check in on the person too. Sometimes the most powerful question a leader can ask is: How are you, really?
In leadership, talking often gets the spotlight. But listening is the real power move.
Active listening builds clarity, trust, and insight. It shows your team that their voice matters—and that you're not just hearing them, you're with them. At Learnit, Mickey teaches the EAR model:
Don’t assume. Ask. Curiosity is what keeps assumptions from calcifying into miscommunication. Want to understand how someone prefers to collaborate? Ask. How they take feedback? Ask. How they learn best? Ask again. The more you listen, the more your leadership sharpens.
And just like trust, listening isn’t a one-time event—it’s a daily decision.
One of the hardest shifts for new managers isn’t the work—it’s the loneliness that can creep in.
When you're promoted, especially from within, your circle changes. Conversations shift. The people you once confided in now look to you for direction.
Kellie puts it plainly: “There are very few people who actually know everything that’s going on—and that can be hard.”
The antidote? Don’t isolate—connect intentionally.
Lean into your leadership team. These peers become your new teammates. Build relationships with other managers—they understand the pressures, the decisions, and the weight you carry. They don’t just give advice—they offer solidarity.
New managers often feel pulled in two directions: wanting to stay approachable while stepping into authority—especially when leading former peers.
That’s where boundaries matter—not as walls, but as clarity.
Kellie uses a simple tactic: identify the hat.
“Sometimes I’ll say, ‘I’m putting on my manager hat for a second,’ and then we talk through the business need. Later, I might take that hat off and check in personally.”
This builds trust through transparency. It sets context and reminds your team you’re still human—but now responsible for direction and feedback. And when trust is already in place, these moments feel natural, not abrupt.
Balance doesn’t mean being everything to everyone. It means being clear about which “hat”you’re wearing—and why.
You don’t need to be perfect or fearless.
But you do need to be intentional.
Start with people. Build trust through consistent, honest conversations. Stay curious. Ask more than you answer. The best leaders aren’t those with all the answers—they’re the ones still learning.
Make space for the hard parts: the quiet, the doubt, the shift in identity. These aren’t signs you’re not ready—they’re part of the work.
The kind of leader you become doesn’t start later.
It starts now—in how you show up, listen, and lead.
Watch the entire conversation here.
Listen to Kellie Macpherson’s podcast Navigating The Grid.
Our next conversation on The First 100 Days Leaders Lab is coming in June. Don’t miss it!
Want our articles in your inbox? Sign up for our blog newsletter to never miss out!
