12 Quantum Cheat Codes to Be Wildly Successful as a Leader
Small shifts in behavior. Massive impact on your leadership game.
Most leadership advice is slow.
It asks you to “be authentic,” “build trust,” “listen more,” and so on.
All those are good ideas, but if you ask me, that’s like telling someone to “breathe” without explaining “how to swim.”
When you’re putting out fires, dealing with pressure, making decisions… you don’t really have time to breathe. You need sharp tools, or what I like to call, “cheat codes”, that actually work.
Over the years, I’ve picked up a few through trial, and refined them along the way. They’ve helped me build high-performing teams, and make better calls under pressure.
So here they are: 12 quantum cheat codes to be wildly successful as a leader.
1. Never attend a meeting without a goal (or a kill trigger)
If you’re sitting in a meeting and you don’t know why you’re there, you’ve already failed.
Every meeting you walk into should have a clear purpose and a clear exit.
What decision are we making?
What outcome do we want?
No clarity? Decline or leave.
Most leaders are buried under meetings because they’re afraid to say no. But here’s the harsh truth: You get points for making an impact, not for being busy.
2. Reply last in group discussions
I’ve said this many times: “silence” is a leadership tool.
When you speak first, you (often unintentionally) anchor the discussion. Your team aligns too quickly, and stops thinking independently.
Let them go first.
You’ll get more creative input and better ideas. And when you do speak (in the end), your words carry more weight.
This one habit will make your team smarter. Bonus: it will make you look smarter, too!
3. Schedule solitude like it’s your most important meeting
If you don’t have space to think, you’re just reacting.
Block one hour a week (or two) where you do nothing but think. No Slack, no email, no meetings, just you and a black page (or a blank Notion page, if that’s what you like).
Use this time to untangle problems, explore ideas, or think long-term. The best decisions I’ve made didn’t come from lound brainstorming discussions. They came from quiet solitude, staring at a blank page (and sometimes in the shower).
Solitude is a leadership fuel - spend it wisely.
4. Make fewer decisions, but make them irreversible
Most leaders think they need to make more decisions.
That’s a huge trap.
Your real job is to decide what matters, make those calls with courage, own the outcome.
I once made a single high-value decision that single-handedly shifted our product direction and roadmap. It took 2-3 days of debate and alignment. But that one decision created direction and clarity for 200+ people.
As a leader, you’re not paid to move fast. You’re paid to move right.
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5. Treat “I’m not sure” as a leadership skill
Leaders often feel the pressure to have answers. I do, too.
But over these years I’ve realized that saying “I don’t know” is actually a leadership strength. It signals humility, curiosity, and importantly, trust.
Next time someone asks for a decision, and you’re unclear, say: “I’m not sure yet. Let’s explore together.”
Try it, and let me know how it goes in the comments.
You’ll be amazed at how fast your team steps up and takes ownership.
6. Start your 1:1s with one unexpected question
“How’s it going?” is the most common way to start a 1:1, but arguably leads to shallow updates.
Instead, ask:
“What’s frustrating you right now?”
“If you could change one thing about our team, what would it be?”
“What are you avoiding?”
You’ll cut through the fluff, and get to hear the real stuff pretty quickly.
And your team members will leave feeling heard.
7. Drop the cape. Be boringly consistent.
Your team doesn’t need a superhero. They need someone they can count on, in good times and bad.
Wild mood swings, unpredictable energy, or knee-jerk reactions might feel authentic and real, but they create unpredictability, and shuts your team down.
The best leaders I’ve worked with were boring in the best way.
Predictability builds trust, and empowers your team to take risks.
Be boringly consistent.
8. Your calendar is your leadership strategy
As they say: “Don’t tell me your priorities. Show me your calendar.”
If I don’t see time blocked in my calendar for team development, strategic thinking, or customer conversations, they’re not priorities. They’re just slogans.
Every Sunday, I do a 10-minute “calendar audit.” I ask: “Does this reflect my true priorities?”
Try this, and let me know how this goes for you in the comments.
Looking for some inspiration? Check out:
9. Be hard on standards, soft on people
This can be a tough one, and I’ve seen many leaders struggle with it: Don’t lower the bar, but don’t crush people either.
High standards drive excellence. But how you respond to misses defines your culture. Be direct, honest, and reasonable.
When someone falls short on their goals, try this: “I know you’re capable of more. Let’s figure out why this slipped, and how to fix it.”
If you do this consistently, you’ll create a culture that doesn’t tolerate mediocrity, but still supports growth.
Looking for some inspiration? Check out:
10. Do performance reviews in 5 minutes, every week
You don’t need a 6-month cycle and an 8-page document for your performance reviews.
Just do this in your weekly 1:1s:
“Here’s one thing you did great this week.”
“Here’s one thing I’d like you to improve.”
Simple, timely, and surprisingly effective.
Try it, and let me know how it goes in the comments.
11. Lean into discomfort, and run toward tension
Avoiding hard conversations is a leadership tax. It compounds quietly, until one day, you blow up or burn out.
Instead, lean into discomfort.
Say what needs to be said
Ask what needs to be asked
Have the conversation that needs to be had
Trust me, at the beginning it will feel uncomfortable, but the more you do it, the easier they’ll become.
And I can assure you that, once you’ve had those conversations, they’re never as bad as you thought.
12. Never scale bad behavior
This one is brutal, but true: the worst behavior you tolerate becomes your culture.
If someone on your team is toxic, even if they deliver results, they’re infecting your team’s very culture and belonging.
Similar to the previous point: lean on this fast: have a direct, honest conversation, and don’t step back until the issue is resolved.
Your team may not say it, but they’ll thank you for taking that action.
Final Thought:
Every leader I know is overwhelmed with too many meetings, too many expectations, too little space to think.
Try some of the cheat codes in this article, and let me know how it goes for you in the comments.
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Excellent ideas. A great check-in and tutorial reminder in how important leadership is. Thank you
I tried to leave comments 3 times always hitting the word wall, so I Wii comment on over communication. I don’t know if that is possible. As a Warden with the Bureau of Prisons for more than 20 years, I found how important it was for the team was to get the message. I just read a book from a Christian leadership guru who said the
Most important thing in leadership is to make sure the message was received and understood to develop implementation plans.