The Power of Going All-In

"Leadership isn’t about being in charge—it's about taking care of those in your charge." Are you ready to lead with purpose and build a team that excels with resilience and passion?

1. Adopt the Triangular Balance of Leadership

Leadership isn't a single-dimensional role. Effective leaders balance three roles: setting goals and accountability (directive), providing support and resources (supportive), and contributing through mentorship (contributory). Brandon Bornancin highlights how these elements create a full spectrum of leadership.

A leader who only directs may achieve compliance, but rarely loyalty or creativity. By combining directive and supportive leadership, you ensure your team feels empowered yet held to high standards. The contributory side adds a personal and inspiring touch—pouring energy into your team's growth demonstrates that leadership extends beyond task management to personal investment.

Bornancin's AARI framework—Available, Approachable, Responsive, and Invested—stems from this balance. Leaders adopting AARI principles ensure they’re always accessible, ready to lend a hand, and eager to see their team progress. But above all, they operate with purpose, grounding everything in a shared vision.

Examples

• A manager regularly meets with employees to give updates on company priorities and listens to their challenges.
• A team lead shares their own failures and lessons learned to help team members avoid similar pitfalls.
• A leader consistently allocates time for mentorship, conveying genuine care for professional growth.

2. Set a Vision That Inspires

Vision is your guiding light—without it, teams wander aimlessly. Bornancin emphasizes defining, embodying, and connecting every task to a larger vision to fuel determination and purpose.

Every project needs a Statement of Work (SOW)—a clear guide detailing objectives, roles, parameters, and outcomes. This keeps goals actionable while ensuring clarity among team members. When the team understands how specific tasks tie to overarching goals, their work becomes more meaningful and intentional.

Furthermore, staying data-driven strengthens the vision. Numbers tell you whether you’re on the right path or need to pivot. Regularly assessing risks and progress allows leaders to double down on successes or adjust strategies proactively.

Examples

• A nonprofit leader explains how each fundraising drive contributes to a long-term goal of making education accessible in underprivileged areas.
• A tech startup uses SOW documentation to assign precise roles, timelines, and outcomes for each software development phase.
• A sales team frequently reviews performance metrics to align their output with year-end goals.

3. Build a Team That Thrives

Hiring isn’t about filling seats—it’s about adding value to the present while preparing for the future. Bornancin advises leaders to recruit for both current needs and long-term growth by considering diverse skills, experiences, and motivations.

Behavior-based questions offer deeper insights during interviews. For instance, asking candidates to describe how they overcame a workplace obstacle reveals their thought processes, resilience, and adaptability. Moreover, fostering a high-performance culture keeps hires engaged, encouraging them to aim for excellence collaboratively.

Recognition can turn good behavior into a movement. Celebrating top performers motivates others to step up. Soon enough, an organization built on individual stars becomes a tightly-knit team of collective winners.

Examples

• An HR manager asks candidates to discuss specific ways they solved cross-departmental collaboration challenges.
• An IT department establishes a mentorship program pairing senior experts with junior staff to promote skill sharing.
• A team celebrates a designer’s outstanding branding project by sharing their work company-wide.

4. Coach Your Team Beyond Their Limits

Continuous coaching is Bornancin’s trademark for success. Every meeting and project should serve as a teaching moment. Leaders should train employees to think independently, solve problems, and tackle tasks beyond their current capabilities.

KPIs (key performance indicators) offer valuable clarity. Setting annual, quarterly, monthly, and daily goals creates steady progress and ensures accountability. Balance ambition with realism by breaking big objectives into manageable tasks that teams can tackle step by step.

Leaders can also empower their teams through radical transparency—keeping everyone updated on shifting priorities eliminates confusion. By clearing the work pipeline at the start of each month, you free up space for tasks that actually matter.

Examples

• A sales leader sets quarterly revenue benchmarks that ladder up to an annual $5 million goal, keeping the team driven and focused.
• A manager provides regular "stretch" assignments to foster employee growth in new areas.
• A healthcare administrator reorganizes monthly schedules to prioritize emergency response preparedness.

5. Communicate with Clarity and Trust

Effective communication isn’t just about speaking—it’s about ensuring your team understands. Bornancin recommends using CPT—clarity, purpose, and trust—as a cornerstone of communication to eliminate misunderstandings and build relationships.

Active listening strengthens trust. By silencing distractions, acknowledging each perspective intently, and offering thoughtful responses, leaders demonstrate they value input. Even employees’ personal stories, hobbies, or family lives can deepen workplace connections.

Difficult conversations shouldn’t be ignored, either. Addressing underperformance requires frank but empathetic dialogue. Preparing talking points ahead of time ensures the conversation doesn’t deviate, and keeping it one-on-one maintains discretion and respect.

Examples

• A project manager sets explicit deadlines for each team task, linking milestones to the project’s larger importance.
• A supervisor recalls details about an employee’s hobby, creating rapport during their weekly meeting.
• A retail store manager discusses customer complaints with an employee privately, outlining clear steps for improvement.

6. Foster Resilience and Positivity

Challenges and setbacks are inevitable. Bornancin advocates the SDB mindset: Show up daily, work diligently, and stay positive. A growth mindset turns failure into fuel for future success.

Approaching adversity as an opportunity rather than a roadblock shifts team morale. Instead of asking, "Why is this happening to me?" leaders can reframe the question as "Why is this happening for me?" Analyzing missteps and focusing on next steps ensures momentum is never lost.

Encouragement plays a significant role. When mistakes happen, leaders shouldn’t dwell on blame; they should pivot quickly toward action plans. Confidence in the comeback builds trust.

Examples

• A team working on a delayed product launch reframes the delay as an opportunity to strengthen the final offering.
• A leader uses failed ad campaigns as a teaching moment on market targeting for future projects.
• A construction firm focuses on designing solutions after an inspection reveals safety concerns, leading to innovations.

7. Empower Creativity

Autonomy sparks innovation. Employees shy away from creativity when they face micromanagement or excessive barriers. Bornancin challenges leaders to strip away unnecessary approvals and permission hierarchies that stifle ideation.

Open environments encourage problem-solving. Teams empowered to pitch ideas without fear feel truly vested in the organization’s success. Leaders should actively seek employee suggestions and provide resources to bring great concepts to life.

When leaders reward creativity, it sends a message: progress hinges on pushing the envelope. This culture of permission for bold thinking multiplies as more employees take the initiative.

Examples

• A marketing director encourages the team to propose unconventional strategies during brainstorming sessions.
• A company removes multi-level sign-offs for small innovations, enabling quicker experimentation.
• A CEO introduces quarterly idea pitch contests with cash awards for top entries.

8. Commit to Lifelong Learning

An all-in leader never stops growing. Bornancin encourages not only continuous self-improvement but also mentoring teams to think the same way. By learning and unlearning practices, leaders stay relevant and lead effectively.

Employees can shadow peers, seek mentors, or take courses to upgrade knowledge. Bornancin reminds leaders to model these behaviors by reading, networking, and investing in solo professional growth. A team that sees its boss pursuing excellence reciprocates through their own dedication.

Embedding learning into the company structure sustains it across generations. Resources like workshops or knowledge-sharing sessions ensure constant skill-building for everyone.

Examples

• A tech leader participates in innovation conferences, inspiring team members to stay curious and proactive.
• A company offers tuition reimbursement for staff pursuing certifications in relevant fields.
• An HR team organizes monthly cross-departmental training sessions.

9. Develop Future Leaders

True leaders create more leaders, not followers. Bornancin believes cultivating the next generation is your ultimate legacy. By identifying and nurturing individual talents, you build a pipeline of capable successors.

Great leaders spot potential by observing natural abilities and pairing them with coaching opportunities. These could include leadership positions on projects, public speaking challenges, or strategy planning. Promoting deserving employees signals the organization’s trust and rewards ambition.

Building leaders also means teaching management skills. If employees gain confidence and tools early on, they can handle escalations and responsibilities smoothly as they rise in ranks.

Examples

• An employee with strong problem-solving instincts is asked to lead their first team project.
• A promising employee receives promotion immediately instead of waiting for an annual review.
• A mentor arranges leadership workshops for first-time managers transitioning from contributor roles.

Takeaways

1. Develop a well-balanced leadership approach by combining directive, supportive, and contributory styles, and make yourself available to your team regularly.
2. Empower employees through creativity, autonomy, and continuous coaching while tying their daily tasks to the larger company vision.
3. Plan with the future in mind by developing the next generation of leaders and modeling the mindset of continuous learning.