Great leadership isn’t just about vision—it’s about making your operating principles clear so your team knows exactly how to collaborate with you.
Ever had a boss who was a total mystery? One day they wanted you to take initiative; the next, they were annoyed you didn’t check in first. Or maybe you’ve worked with someone who had unspoken rules—rules you only learned by stepping on landmines.
Yeah. Not fun.
Now, flip the script. What if you’re the leader, and your team is guessing what you expect? What if they’re stressing over how to communicate with you or wasting energy trying to read your mind?
Enter Operating Principles—your personal playbook for how you lead, make decisions, and collaborate. When done right, they reduce friction, build trust, and make you easier to work with. Because let’s be real: the best leaders aren’t just great at their jobs, they’re predictable in the best way possible—people know how to work with them.
I Learned This the Hard Way…
When I first took over a large organization, my team was worried by all my questions.
Why is she asking?
Is she going to take over?
Is she second-guessing us?
Turns out, my strength—curiosity—was a panic trigger for everyone else. The leader before me had used questions to make people feel “less than,” to poke holes in their work, to catch them off guard. My intent? Completely different.
I needed to understand deeply so I could clear roadblocks, advocate for my team, and represent them well. But they didn’t know that. So I had to say it out loud.
That’s how my first Operating Principle was born:
“I am highly engaged but not highly controlling.”
I quickly crafted five more principles (which you’ll read below) and shared them with my direct reports. Did they believe me right away? Probably not. But it was a huge first step toward earning their trust.
Are you Ready to Create Your Own Operating Principles?
I’ve outlined four simple steps below to help you define and communicate your roadmap for working with you as a leader.
Step 1: How to Define Your Leadership Style and Expectations
Before you start drafting, ask yourself:
- How do I like to communicate? Quick bullet points? Deep discussions?
- How do I make decisions? Solo thinking? Group debate?
- What habits make me effective? What tendencies sometimes trip me up?
- Who do I work best with, and why?
If you’re struggling, think about the people you’ve trusted most at work. What did they do? How did they handle feedback? Those clues will help you shape your own principles.
Step 2: Create Your Operating Principles
Your principles should be short, direct, and authentic to how you actually operate.
Some leaders frame them as “How to Get the Best Out of Me” statements. Others go with “Warning Labels” (as in, watch out—I tend to do this).
Example Operating Principles
“I am highly engaged but not highly controlling.”
I ask questions to learn and utilize curiosity, then give you freedom to execute. My involvement is about alignment, not micromanagement. My natural bias is for delegation and empowerment.
“Simplicity is key.”
I am obsessed with simplification and will cut, reduce, and streamline past the point of comfort. Watch Point: Make sure I do not break anything in this process.
“Speed matters in today’s world.”
I believe there is a premium on speed, and it is often more valuable to customers and stakeholders than perfection.
“No important decisions over email.”
If it’s significant, we need to meet and discuss the trade-offs. I feel a sense of responsibility to those impacted by the decision to give it the time and attention it deserves. (Seriously, I will just email you back and tell you we have to meet regardless of your deadline.)
“Autonomy comes with accountability.”
I love autonomy and giving my people autonomy. If you make the decision, you also have to own the result.
The key? Be real about how you work, not how you wish you worked. This isn’t aspirational—it’s practical.
Step 3: How to Effectively Communicate Leadership Expectations
Now that you’ve got them, don’t just drop them in an email and call it a day. That feels impersonal and can come off as dictating rules.
Instead:
Share them in 1:1s. Use your next meeting with a new team member to walk through them. Give examples. Let them ask questions.
Use stories to bring them to life. Personal anecdotes help people understand and remember your principles.
Invite their input. Ask your team, “How do you like to work?” Operating Principles should go both ways.
Step 4: Encourage Your Team to Create Their Own Operating Principles
This isn’t just about you—it’s about team alignment. Encourage your direct reports to craft their own principles.
Ask them:
- What’s the best way to work with you?
- How do you make decisions?
- What do you value in a working relationship?
This creates a collaborative, two-way conversation instead of a “Here’s how I work, deal with it” situation. And that? That builds trust.
Final Thought: Lead with Clarity, Not Guesswork
People perform better when they know what to expect from their leader. Stop making them guess.
🛠 Define how you work.
📣 Communicate it clearly.
💡 Invite others to share their own.
When you set expectations upfront, you remove unnecessary friction—and create the kind of trust that makes teams thrive.
Reagan’s Rule: Save the guesswork and create the roadmap for success with clearly defined and communicated operating principles.
