This lovely question was once asked of me when I was most vulnerable as a leader. In this issue of Leadership Advantage, we will talk a little about the underbelly of all success → failure. – Andrea Leadership Story: So, how does it feel to fail? It was January 2001. […]
Andrea Michalek
44 posts
After decades of leading product and tech teams, I’ve learned that great teams don’t innovate by accident or rely on one-hit wonders. They create environments where ideas consistently thrive. Great leaders also understand their people as whole humans, not just employees. Here’s how to master both. Building a culture of […]
Leadership where you least expect it This issue I wanted to explore is how we often become leaders when we least expect it. I start off with my coming-of-age story of being ripped from the keyboard and asked to lead for the first time. I also wanted to talk a […]
Are you looking for a way to maximize your team’s impact? It’s not just the charisma of leadership. It’s also the grind of management. You need both for team success. 🌛 The world craves authentic leadership. But what’s leadership without its other half — management? It is vision without execution. […]
This week, while I was on a coaching call, the topic of burnout was front and center. Looking back at my career, with the clarity of hindsight, the factors that both got me to that point, what helped, what didn’t, and what I have learned are so much more apparent […]
Nothing screams ‘successful team’ like a well-oiled rhythm. But how do you create it? Having led numerous teams that excelled in delivering products throughout my career, I want to share the structure that will help you get a solid start. 👇 First and foremost, as a leader, it is important […]
I want to talk about those events that wake you up and make you reconsider your path. For me, it started 5 years ago. Sometimes your drive to do what is right for “the business” comes first. You put it before your free time, your leisure time, and your mind […]
A common question I get is… What is the most important skill a leader should improve? Storytelling is, or should be, on the top of every leader’s list. As a leader, your ability to tell a story can be the difference between inspiring your team to achieve great outcomes or […]
I was curious about what people think makes a great leader. So, I asked the following question to my audience: I love the community of leaders I have built. Here is just a sampling of the insightful comments I got back: If you have more to add to the conversation, […]
Especially with the never-ending stream of product releases, teams can get lost and lose track of the reason they are building the product in the first place. Like a beacon in the fog, a clear and compelling vision can guide them through the numbing repetition of endless product updates. However, […]
Having a career plan that you can refer to, and work towards can frame your daily challenges, help evaluate new opportunities, and give you a greater sense of purpose in your work life. Background This framework was designed when I was on a long plane ride sitting next to two […]
Failures of leadership are bad for both the leader, their employees, and the company. Luckily there are skills that leaders can improve on, that yield immediate benefits. To improve your leadership skills, do a survey of these 8 areas, and see what quick wins you can get. Jot down a […]