- Apr 9
3 Questions Intentional Leaders Ask Themselves
When you log in to your computer on Monday, it can be so easy to open your email or slack and get lost in the messages you have to read and respond to. Or maybe you log in right as your first meeting gets started and you already feel a bit behind and unprepared for the rest of your day.
But intentional leaders get in the habit of showing up early and taking control of their day before it takes control of them.
They do this by setting aside time to review their calendar and their to-do list and asking themselves three key questions:
What is the ONE leadership priority I need to focus on this week?
How do I need & want to show up for my team this week?
What can I let go of this week so I can focus on what actually matters?
If you're still figuring out what your ONE priority should be, a good place to start is by asking yourself which of these three areas needs your attention most this week: Your Team, Your Boss, Yourself.
Generally, as a new manager, your focus belongs in these three places above everything else.
Your Team
This is your most important relationship and focus right now. You don't need to have all the answers yet, but you do need to show up present, curious, and consistent. Your team is watching how you treat people, how you handle pressure, and whether you actually listen.
Intention here means: be visible, be approachable, and start learning who they are beyond just their job titles.
Your Boss
New managers often under communicate with their own manager because they don't want to seem like they don't have it together. But your boss needs to know if you’re on track and you need to know what success looks like in their eyes. This can help you understand your top priorities and what you can ignore for now.
Intention here means: get aligned early. Understand their expectations before you assume you already know them.
Yourself
This one gets skipped the most and it's the one that catches up with you the hardest. Leading a team for the first time is a mental and emotional adjustment, not just a job change. Pay attention to how you're doing, not just how your team is doing.
Intention here means: protect your energy, block your calendar to reserve intentional work or break time, and don't wait until you're burned out to course-correct.
Make this a daily or weekly ritual and you'll start to feel more grounded and less reactive, which is exactly what intentional leadership looks like in practice.