If there is one thing that can make or break a business, it’s effective team management. From coordinating roles to navigating interpersonal dynamics, being a leader involves juggling a multitude of responsibilities while inspiring and driving your team towards a shared goal. Over the years, I’ve encountered countless popular techniques for managing teams—goal-setting frameworks, open-door policies, performance reviews—you name it. However, today I want to share five unconventional tips that have profoundly reshaped the way I lead teams. These insights, though less mainstream, have proven to be transformational for me and many leaders I’ve worked with.
Embrace the Power of "Not Knowing"
As leaders, we often feel the pressure to have all the answers. But here’s the truth: no one knows everything. A habit that I’ve consciously adopted is being upfront with my team when I don’t have a solution. For example, during a major project roadblock last year, instead of bluffing expertise, I told my team, “I don’t have all the answers right now, but together, we’ll figure this out.” This honesty fostered a sense of ownership and collaboration, encouraging team members to contribute their unique perspectives without feeling judged.
Leadership isn’t about appearing invincible. It’s about creating a space where everyone, including you, can learn and grow. When you let go of the need to “know it all,” you cultivate deeper trust within your team.
Create a Team Language
One of the quirkiest yet most effective habits I’ve implemented in teams I’ve led is developing a shared “team language.” For example, at one of my previous ventures, we coined the term “red-flag moments” to communicate potential risks well before they materialized. This simple within-the-team shorthand allowed us to flag issues promptly without layers of explanation. Similarly, we used phrases like “brain dump” to initiate collaborative, judgment-free brainstorming sessions.
Creating your own team language makes communication efficient, but it also strengthens camaraderie. It fosters a sense of identity and belonging, reminding team members that they are part of something unique.
Host Reverse Performance Reviews
Performance reviews are valuable, but they shouldn’t just be a one-sided evaluation. An unconventional—but game-changing—approach I’ve adopted over the years is hosting what I call reverse performance reviews. During these sessions, each team member reviews me as their leader.
To give you an idea, I ask questions like, “What can I do better to support you?”, “Are there ways I unintentionally create roadblocks?”, or “How can I adapt my style to help you thrive?” The first time I tried this, I won’t lie—it was tough hearing constructive feedback. But the insights were priceless. Once I implemented their suggestions, our team became not only more effective but also more enthusiastic about achieving its goals.
Reverse performance reviews communicate to your team that their voices are valued, and they motivate you to evolve as a leader.
Celebrate Micro-Successes
We all know that celebrating big wins matters, but what about the smaller, everyday victories? Through experience, I’ve learned that paying attention to micro-successes can have an immeasurable impact on morale. For instance, a team member finishing an intricate task ahead of schedule, generating an innovative idea in a brainstorming session, or putting extra effort into a compelling pitch are all opportunities for recognition.
Last year, we implemented a system in Slack where anyone could shout out a team member for a “small but mighty” success, no matter how trivial it might seem. What followed was incredible: a noticeable boost in culture and motivation, as small actions were amplified and celebrated. Recognizing these moments demonstrates your attention to detail and appreciation for individual contributions, no matter how small.
Encourage Controlled Failure
Failure has a negative stigma in many organizations, but I believe it’s one of the best learning tools available—if done right. By fostering an environment where controlled failure is allowed, I’ve seen people unleash creativity and try things that might otherwise feel too risky.
One of the strategies that worked wonders in my team was setting up dedicated “experimentation zones.” For example, when launching a new marketing campaign, instead of sticking with tried-and-tested methods, we carved out 10% of the budget specifically for experiments. While some efforts flopped, others gave us groundbreaking results. Controlled failure is an investment in future success, and it encourages teams to think outside the box while limiting potential downside.
The key is to help your team see failure not as a catastrophe but as an essential step in the iterative process of growth. Normalize speaking about what didn’t work in post-mortem meetings, and more importantly, identify actionable ways to pivot. By embracing controlled failure, you inspire your team to be bold, inventive, and unafraid to push boundaries.
Implementing these unconventional strategies is about looking beyond textbook leadership tactics. It’s about connecting on a deeper level with your team, empowering them to do their best work, and fostering an environment where innovation and trust flourish. I can’t wait to hear how you experiment with these ideas within your teams!
