Beyond Just Leadership

There's a kind of manager I call a seagull. Something goes wrong, they swoop in, drop their opinion, mess with things, and fly off — then wonder why their team is exhausted. I picked the phrase up in a meeting at Zillow and it never left me.
In this episode:
  • What swooping actually costs you: your team stops working and starts bracing for the next one
  • Why a senior leader going three levels down creates fear, not clarity
  • "Turn on the lights" vs. dropping information that creates chaos
  • The sacrifice underneath it: praise in public, take the blame yourself, and do the correction in private
  • The new manager trap — solving it yourself is what made you good, and it's the thing you have to stop
  • The manager I had right out of college, and the review that told me exceeding expectations meant being perfect
The term "seagull manager" comes from Ken Blanchard's Leadership and the One Minute Manager. The circle of safety is Simon Sinek's, from Leaders Eat Last.
Free 1-on-1 Starter Kit: https://beyondjustleadership.com/links

What is Beyond Just Leadership?

🎙️ I love people. That's why I do this.

Beyond Just Leadership is a show about leading the person in front of you a little better. Not the title. Not the org chart. The human. I'm Steven Allphin, and each week I share the real stories behind how the best leaders build trust, help people find their why, and bring out the best in the ones they're responsible for.

Whether you're a CEO, a first-time manager, a parent, a teacher, or someone who just wants to make a difference where they are, you'll get honest lessons from life, family, and work — the kind that stick.

The title changes; the person doesn't. Lead deeper, lead people, lead well. And remember: it starts from within.