Good afternoon, I'm Liz from London, and working as a manager in my new role. I'm finding it awkward (?) managing those almost twice my age! Very pleased to have found your blog!
Hello! I’m Jess in Nashville, TN. I’m stepping back into a leadership role this week after spending the past 2 years as an individual contributor. I’m excited to level-up and knock off the rust! Thankful to have found your Substack!
Love that, and welcome back to leadership. That shift from IC back into a leadership role can feel rusty at first, but it comes back quicker than you think. So glad you’ve found your way here, excited to have you with us. H
Good Morning, I am Vaughan from Johannesburg, South Africa. I have recently started a consultancy where I manage teams (remotely as most are in the UK) for small SME's where the Founder/Director has no leadership ability but needs the team to be led.
I am so thrilled to have found you and am looking forward to putting all the insights into practise.
Hi everybody! I am Franzi from Germany. I have been working as a Teamlead in HR for the past 3 years. As my team is growing and working together mostly digitally, whilst our business is both struggling financially and very locally/ physically focussed (building materials) I am trying to find ways to keep my team motivated, engaged, connected and stakeholder focused. Looking forward to a lot of insights and experiences from everybody in this group and of course from Heather as well :)
I’m Eder, based in Mexico. I run a small consulting firm that helps micro and small businesses organize their operations and become reliable suppliers for larger companies.
One of my biggest leadership challenges right now is building a team of A-players who can take ownership, execute well, and help the company grow beyond the founder.
Great to be here and looking forward to learning from all of you.
Hi! I’m Erin writing from Virginia. I am a nurse by background who loved being a charge nurse but then stepped into an actual nurse manager role and hated every minute of it. Now 12 years later, I still am a work in progress when it comes to setting boundaries, effective communication, and empowering my teams. I really gravitated to the approach and wording you used in your post and am excited to learn more to help me continue this journey.
Olá! I’m Dandara from Brazil but living in Estonia. Been an operations team lead for the past 3 years but going back as an individual contributor soon! I’m recovering from a heavy burnout and taking a step back is necessary now, but my goal is to move up again when the opportunity comes :) loved watching you the on career ladder btw!
Hello, I’m Ellie, not officially in a management role (yet) but have taken on more leadership responsibilities within my organisation, guiding team members and actions. Glad to find your page to help fine tune things I am currently doing which should better place me for the move when that time comes. I’m the youngest and highest qualified member of small team and my challenges are taking the next step managing those who are 10+years older that have been doing the same job role for 20+ years.
What you’ve described is such a common (and tricky) position to be in, and the fact you’re already thinking about how to do this well says a lot about you. Leading people who are older and more experienced isn’t about proving you know more, it’s about how you show up, how you listen, and how you set standards with respect.
You’re doing exactly the right thing by fine-tuning this before the title arrives. That will make the transition so much smoother when it does. Looking forward to having you here and hearing how it unfolds. H
Hi I'm Catherine Director of Operations in a growing Charity. Biggest challenge is managing managers as we grow and leading by example when managing my own small team of 4.
Hi Catherine, you are so welcome here. Managing managers while still leading your own small team is one of the toughest leadership challenges as organisations grow, especially in the charity space. You’re not alone in this at all, it’s a really common stretch point, and a lot of the work comes down to clarity, consistency, and modelling the standards you want others to lead by. I like to be very explicit about what good looks like. For instance, instead of hoping your managers 'handle issues well,' you might agree that this means regular 1:1s, addressing problems early, and following through on decisions. Then you role-model that yourself with your own team, so expectations feel clear and consistent rather than assumed. H
Hello, I am Maxim from North Yorkshire - I have been in management now for 4 years but I know I can always improve and am open to any tips and tricks I can take from others.
Hi, I am in the financial markets. I decided to start my own business in June 2025. I am struggling with keeping my hand on my staff (2). Managing people is new to me. I always try and see the best in people and struggling with giving them boundaries and lay down rules. But I have to do this tomorrow and start the year with them knowing what I expect of them
I need guidance on how to manage people, expectations and motivating them
Welcome, and thank you for being so honest. What you’re describing is incredibly common when you step into managing people for the first time. Seeing the best in people is a strength, but it needs to be paired with clear boundaries so everyone can succeed.
For now, focus on clarity over perfection eg - what good looks like, where responsibility sits, and how you’ll work together when things wobble. Boundaries aren’t about being harsh, they’re about removing ambiguity.
You’re in the right place to learn this, and you don’t need to have it all figured out at once. I’ll be sharing practical tools here to help with expectations, motivation, and confident people management. H
I'm Manju from Trivandrum, India. I am a corporate trainer and coach and have been looking at how to fix the divide between generations and also inspire new leadership models. Ironically I spotted you on the Career Ladder, heard what you do and decided to explore immediately. Really keen to learn more about it and collaborate.
Love this, and what a brilliant overlap in the work we’re both doing. The generational divide and the need for new leadership models comes up so often in my work too. Thanks for being here, H
Hello, Jess from Melbourne Australia here! I have just landed my first manager role looking after a team of 2 which I start fresh in the new year. I'm here to set my self and team up for success.
Hey Jess, welcome and huge congrats on your first manager role, that’s such an exciting step. Starting fresh in the new year is the perfect time to set the tone for how you and your team work together. You’re absolutely in the right place, glad you’re here! H
Hey there! I'm Olivia and I live in Denver, CO. I manage a team of 6 fully remotely. While being a people manager is actually my favorite part of my role, I find it more and more challenging to give everyone adequate attention and support while also executing the strategic parts of my role. It's a journey! Excited to be here :)
Olivia, welcome! Managing a fully remote team of six can definitely bring alongs its challenges, and that tension between supporting your people and doing the strategic work is SO real. The fact you love the people side already puts you ahead. Glad you’re here as this is exactly the space for that journey. H
Hi, I am Liv from Cardiff, Wales. I have just moved into a new Project Manager role, where I now manage a team working across multiple workstreams and projects. My biggest challenge in this role so far is protecting some of my time to focus on strategy and development pieces for my team, which in turn contribute to wider commercial conversations across the wider business.
PS - big fan of your content, excited to engage a bit more through the blogs !!
Hi Liv its lovely to have you here! Congrats on the new role, that’s a huge step.
Protecting time for strategy is one of the hardest (and most important) shifts when you move into a management role and especially when you’ve got multiple workstreams pulling your attention. I’ll definitely be covering more on that balance between doing and thinking in upcoming posts, so you’re in the right place.
Excited to have you in the mix and hear how things evolve in your new role!
Good afternoon, I'm Liz from London, and working as a manager in my new role. I'm finding it awkward (?) managing those almost twice my age! Very pleased to have found your blog!
Hey Liz, happy to have you here! I've felt the exact same way before & I wrote a blog post about it which could be helpful for you. Here it is: https://www.inthemakingleadership.com/p/when-youre-younger-than-the-people
Hello! I’m Jess in Nashville, TN. I’m stepping back into a leadership role this week after spending the past 2 years as an individual contributor. I’m excited to level-up and knock off the rust! Thankful to have found your Substack!
Hey Jess, welcome 👋
Love that, and welcome back to leadership. That shift from IC back into a leadership role can feel rusty at first, but it comes back quicker than you think. So glad you’ve found your way here, excited to have you with us. H
Good Morning, I am Vaughan from Johannesburg, South Africa. I have recently started a consultancy where I manage teams (remotely as most are in the UK) for small SME's where the Founder/Director has no leadership ability but needs the team to be led.
I am so thrilled to have found you and am looking forward to putting all the insights into practise.
Hi everybody! I am Franzi from Germany. I have been working as a Teamlead in HR for the past 3 years. As my team is growing and working together mostly digitally, whilst our business is both struggling financially and very locally/ physically focussed (building materials) I am trying to find ways to keep my team motivated, engaged, connected and stakeholder focused. Looking forward to a lot of insights and experiences from everybody in this group and of course from Heather as well :)
Hey Franzi! Love to have you here, exctied to learn alongside you
Hi everyone!
I’m Eder, based in Mexico. I run a small consulting firm that helps micro and small businesses organize their operations and become reliable suppliers for larger companies.
One of my biggest leadership challenges right now is building a team of A-players who can take ownership, execute well, and help the company grow beyond the founder.
Great to be here and looking forward to learning from all of you.
Welcome Eder!
Hi! I’m Erin writing from Virginia. I am a nurse by background who loved being a charge nurse but then stepped into an actual nurse manager role and hated every minute of it. Now 12 years later, I still am a work in progress when it comes to setting boundaries, effective communication, and empowering my teams. I really gravitated to the approach and wording you used in your post and am excited to learn more to help me continue this journey.
Olá! I’m Dandara from Brazil but living in Estonia. Been an operations team lead for the past 3 years but going back as an individual contributor soon! I’m recovering from a heavy burnout and taking a step back is necessary now, but my goal is to move up again when the opportunity comes :) loved watching you the on career ladder btw!
Ah glad you loved the Career Ladder!! And really happy that you're taking the step back. So important. Welcome <3 x
Hello, I’m Ellie, not officially in a management role (yet) but have taken on more leadership responsibilities within my organisation, guiding team members and actions. Glad to find your page to help fine tune things I am currently doing which should better place me for the move when that time comes. I’m the youngest and highest qualified member of small team and my challenges are taking the next step managing those who are 10+years older that have been doing the same job role for 20+ years.
Hey Ellie, welcome, I’m really glad you’re here.
What you’ve described is such a common (and tricky) position to be in, and the fact you’re already thinking about how to do this well says a lot about you. Leading people who are older and more experienced isn’t about proving you know more, it’s about how you show up, how you listen, and how you set standards with respect.
You’re doing exactly the right thing by fine-tuning this before the title arrives. That will make the transition so much smoother when it does. Looking forward to having you here and hearing how it unfolds. H
Hi I'm Catherine Director of Operations in a growing Charity. Biggest challenge is managing managers as we grow and leading by example when managing my own small team of 4.
Hi Catherine, you are so welcome here. Managing managers while still leading your own small team is one of the toughest leadership challenges as organisations grow, especially in the charity space. You’re not alone in this at all, it’s a really common stretch point, and a lot of the work comes down to clarity, consistency, and modelling the standards you want others to lead by. I like to be very explicit about what good looks like. For instance, instead of hoping your managers 'handle issues well,' you might agree that this means regular 1:1s, addressing problems early, and following through on decisions. Then you role-model that yourself with your own team, so expectations feel clear and consistent rather than assumed. H
Hello, I am Maxim from North Yorkshire - I have been in management now for 4 years but I know I can always improve and am open to any tips and tricks I can take from others.
Hey Maxim, welcome, great to have you here.
That mindset alone (four years in and still wanting to improve) is what separates managers who plateau from those who keep getting better.
You’ll find plenty in here that’s practical and very usable, and I’d love to know which areas of management you’re most focused on right now. H
My name.is Sulette from Cape Town, South Africa
My biggest challenge is managing staff
Lovely to meet you, Sulette! H
Hi, I am in the financial markets. I decided to start my own business in June 2025. I am struggling with keeping my hand on my staff (2). Managing people is new to me. I always try and see the best in people and struggling with giving them boundaries and lay down rules. But I have to do this tomorrow and start the year with them knowing what I expect of them
I need guidance on how to manage people, expectations and motivating them
Welcome, and thank you for being so honest. What you’re describing is incredibly common when you step into managing people for the first time. Seeing the best in people is a strength, but it needs to be paired with clear boundaries so everyone can succeed.
For now, focus on clarity over perfection eg - what good looks like, where responsibility sits, and how you’ll work together when things wobble. Boundaries aren’t about being harsh, they’re about removing ambiguity.
You’re in the right place to learn this, and you don’t need to have it all figured out at once. I’ll be sharing practical tools here to help with expectations, motivation, and confident people management. H
Hello there
I'm Manju from Trivandrum, India. I am a corporate trainer and coach and have been looking at how to fix the divide between generations and also inspire new leadership models. Ironically I spotted you on the Career Ladder, heard what you do and decided to explore immediately. Really keen to learn more about it and collaborate.
Love this, and what a brilliant overlap in the work we’re both doing. The generational divide and the need for new leadership models comes up so often in my work too. Thanks for being here, H
Hello, Jess from Melbourne Australia here! I have just landed my first manager role looking after a team of 2 which I start fresh in the new year. I'm here to set my self and team up for success.
Hey Jess, welcome and huge congrats on your first manager role, that’s such an exciting step. Starting fresh in the new year is the perfect time to set the tone for how you and your team work together. You’re absolutely in the right place, glad you’re here! H
Hey there! I'm Olivia and I live in Denver, CO. I manage a team of 6 fully remotely. While being a people manager is actually my favorite part of my role, I find it more and more challenging to give everyone adequate attention and support while also executing the strategic parts of my role. It's a journey! Excited to be here :)
Olivia, welcome! Managing a fully remote team of six can definitely bring alongs its challenges, and that tension between supporting your people and doing the strategic work is SO real. The fact you love the people side already puts you ahead. Glad you’re here as this is exactly the space for that journey. H
Hi, I am Liv from Cardiff, Wales. I have just moved into a new Project Manager role, where I now manage a team working across multiple workstreams and projects. My biggest challenge in this role so far is protecting some of my time to focus on strategy and development pieces for my team, which in turn contribute to wider commercial conversations across the wider business.
PS - big fan of your content, excited to engage a bit more through the blogs !!
Hi Liv its lovely to have you here! Congrats on the new role, that’s a huge step.
Protecting time for strategy is one of the hardest (and most important) shifts when you move into a management role and especially when you’ve got multiple workstreams pulling your attention. I’ll definitely be covering more on that balance between doing and thinking in upcoming posts, so you’re in the right place.
Excited to have you in the mix and hear how things evolve in your new role!