you need to stay connected to the actual work that is being done—not just by observing others executing but by executing yourself.

“Kim, you’re moving too fast. It’s like you’re spinning a long rope,” Sheryl said, miming an imaginary rope spinning in a big circle over her head. “It doesn’t seem like the rope is going that fast to you because you’re in the center holding it, just flicking your wrists. But if you’re at the end of the rope, you’re hanging on for dear life.

To keep a team cohesive, you need both rock stars and superstars,

The hardest part of building this trust is inviting people to challenge you, just as directly as you are challenging them.

kick-ass bosses often do not decide themselves, but rather create a clear decision-making process that empowers people closest to the facts to make as many decisions as possible. Not only does that result in better decisions, it results in better morale.

there were two enormous pressures that tempted me to quit learning. Pressure to be consistent

In his book A Primer on Decision Making, James March explains why it’s a bad thing when the most “senior” people in a hierarchy are always the deciders. What he calls “garbage can decision-making” occurs when the people who happen to be around the table are the deciders rather than the people with the best information.

Burnout

There are few things more damaging to human relationships than a sense of superiority.