Every new member gets a peer "buddy" (not their manager) for the first 30 days to ask any "silly" question.

Deliver effective feedback in 3 parts (Situation—Behavior—Impact) so the other person hears you without defensiveness.

Sort your feedback on care personally × challenge directly — sweet spot: high in both.

Write four sentences: Describe the behavior, Express the impact, Specify the change, Consequences.

Repeat the same refusal in the same words calmly, no matter how the other person reshapes the pressure.

Say no in three sentences: thanks, refusal, closing — with no "sorry" or justification.

Memorize one 7-word refusal sentence and rehearse it until it emerges automatically under pressure.

Say "no, I can't" — complete sentence. No explanation, no apology.

Prep your 1-on-1 with SBI + GROW: situation, behavior, impact, then open GROW questions.

Refuse to attend or hold any meeting whose agenda did not arrive 24 hours prior, no exceptions.

For each delegation candidate, rate skill and interest — delegate where both are high.

Before any delegation, answer 7 questions in writing — send them with the handover.

After any delegated task completes, deliver feedback in Situation-Behavior-Impact format.

Specify the decision-types (not tasks) you will delegate via an explicit authority ring.

On day one, hand the new hire a list of 15 decisions they make alone without consulting you.

Designate one weekday with zero meetings — even from the CEO.

Don't ask "do we need another hire?" — ask "if we started today with nobody, who'd we hire first?".

A 2×2: "Care Personally × Challenge Directly". Know which quadrant you're in with each report.

Replace one reused password across 30 accounts with unique long ones, stored in an encrypted manager.