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    Leadership (Brain Circuits)

    New to leadership? Start here

    by Susanne May Published August 14, 2025 in Leadership (Brain Circuits) • 4 min read

    Stepping into leadership for the first time is like arriving in a new country. The language shifts. Expectations multiply. Suddenly, you’re no longer measured by what you deliver but by how your team performs. Susanne May identifies five foundational lessons you need to absorb quickly – and the impact you create when you do.

    Lesson 1: You’re not the smartest person in the room – and you’re not supposed to be

    If you are, you’re either hiring poorly or underutilizing your team. The real work of leadership begins when you stop trying to prove yourself and start listening for insight.

    Ask yourself:

    • “What am I missing in how I’m thinking about this?”
    • “Who’s seen something like this before?”

    What this does:

    You shift from solution provider to strength amplifier. People think with you, not for you, which means they contribute more.

    Lesson 2. Clarity is not a luxury: it’s your job

    Most performance issues aren’t rooted in attitude. They stem from unclear priorities, vague ownership, and unspoken assumptions.

    Ask yourself:

    • “What is our most important objective this week?”
    • “What would ‘done well’ look like for this task or project?”

    What this does:

    It reveals gaps early, sharpens alignment, and eliminates second-guessing. You create direction, not confusion.

    Trust doesn’t follow hierarchy; it follows earned autonomy.

    Lesson 3. Action beats precision – every time

    Waiting until you’re sure often means acting too late. The best new leaders set direction, test quickly, and adapt in public.

    Say:

    • “This is version one. Let’s pressure-test it.”
    • “I don’t have the perfect answer, but here’s a starting point.”

    What this does:

    It normalizes experimentation. You build pace, reduce fear, and show that progress matters more than polish.

    Lesson 4. You don’t need to make every decision

    When leaders hold on too tightly, they become bottlenecks. Trust doesn’t follow hierarchy; it follows earned autonomy.

    Ask your team:

    • “What decision would you make if I weren’t here?”
    • “What do you need from me to move forward with confidence?”

    What this does:

    It signals ownership. You accelerate your decisions and develop people instead of disempowering them.

    Teams take emotional cues from their leaders. If your energy signals stress, urgency, or defensiveness, that’s what people will mirror

    Lesson 5. Your presence speaks louder than your words

    Teams take emotional cues from their leaders. If your energy signals stress, urgency, or defensiveness, that’s what people will mirror – no matter what you say.

    Ask yourself:

    • “What tone am I setting right now?”
    • “Am I reinforcing focus or creating pressure?”

    What this does:

    You show up with intention. You calm doubt and anxiety and lead by signal, not noise.

    Cycle of control-based leadership hard to unlearn
    Cycle of trust-based leadership scales with your team

    Final thoughts

    The first steps in leadership matter more than most people realize. How you lead in your first months sets the tone for everything that follows. Start by listening well, asking sharper questions, and acting before it’s perfect and you’ll build trust that lasts. Leadership today isn’t about knowing more; it’s about creating clarity when others can’t. Get that right early, and the rest gets easier.

    Further reading:

    Are you sharing too little of yourself? How to build trust to become a better leader

    Is your resistance to change holding you back?

    You are not your role: How to lead without losing yourself

    What Great Leaders Do That Good Leaders Don’t

    Authors

    Susanne May - Founder and CEO of May & Company

    Susanne May

    Founder and CEO of May & Company

    Susanne May is a leadership and organizational development expert with over 20 years of experience driving high-performance cultures, strategic transformations, and digital learning innovation. She has partnered with global organizations such as the World Bank, UNICEF, WHO, and Daimler, delivering impactful learning programs with consistently high engagement. As a people leader, she scaled a global team across 60+ countries, championing growth through purpose-driven development.

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