Two of my clients who recently started new jobs shared similar experiences with me: they both joined an organization where key elements of the role had been neglected and left to run “on automatic” during their predecessors’ tenures — resulting in adverse results for the business. Are you doing the same?

You’ve founded your company. You’re building your team, raising money and bringing your vision to life. Being a founder can be an exhilarating and deeply rewarding role. But it can also be a place of isolation.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com.

What do you need besides great ideas and smart people in order for your startup business to reach the next level? Here are six ways you can smooth your growth path.

 I was recently interviewed by The Business Code to talk about the notions we hold about leadership—and whether our ideas spur us onwards or hold us back. Here are some themes that we touched on. 

This article was originally published on RocketHub.

As people move from individual contributor into management roles, one of the concerns that come up is how to remain liked by the team. You don’t want to do a poor job and be thought less of, you don’t want to damage morale, and you may be uncertain about how to relate as an authority figure to those you worked alongside. I wanted to share an account of how one of my clients successfully navigated such a transition.

This article was originally published on FastCompany.com.

Many people who find themselves in a leadership role for the first time take a little while to get settled. Here are some things to consider as you begin shaping your leadership style—which you may soon find is easier than you'd expected.

Stepping in to tackle and resolve conflict on your team ranks pretty low on most managers’ list of enjoyable activities. Here are some ideas for managing the issue head-on.

This article was originally published on WomenOnBusiness.  

Work relationships often settle into routines. We develop dynamics with people and reinforce them over time. As a leader, it is up to you to repair your own dysfunctional relationships and coach others on the team do the same with each other. You can stop reinforcing unhealthy interactions, pave over the ruts, and start fresh.

This article was originally published on Inc.com.

Dealing with underperformers is one of the more challenging aspects of being a manager. Approaching an employee to discuss their shortfalls and coming up with a plan of action is often something we dread and even the most well-intentioned manager may avoid doing this part of their job. But letting underperformers coast not only affects productivity, it’s demoralizing for the rest of the organization.

This article was originally published on Inc.com.

One of the hardest aspects of leadership is learning how to hold people accountable. The good news is that holding people accountable is just another step in a communication process. You don’t need to be a jerk and you don’t need to be a pushover.

This article was originally published on Women2.0.

As a leader, one of the easiest traps to fall into is to hide from the things you are uncomfortable with. But getting to know your weaknesses and facing your fears head-on will make you a better leader.