Things Leaders Do

People-First Leadership: Practical Habits for Daily Impact

• Colby Morris

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People-First Leadership: Practical Habits for Daily Impact

📚 Episode Summary:

Being a people-first leader isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about showing up consistently in the small, meaningful moments that build trust and connection.

In this episode, Colby Morris shares three practical habits you can start using today to lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose.

Whether you're a new leader or a seasoned executive, these habits will help you:
✅ Build stronger relationships with your team.
✅ Foster a culture of trust and communication.
✅ Create an environment where people feel valued and motivated to succeed.

🔑 Key Takeaways:
1️⃣ Intentional Check-Ins: Build trust and communication through consistent, meaningful conversations.
2️⃣ Realize People Are People: Lead with empathy and see your team members as humans, not just task-doers.
3️⃣ Ask, Don’t Assume: Use thoughtful questions to uncover barriers, growth opportunities, and valuable feedback.

These aren’t complicated strategies—they’re repeatable habits you can implement immediately.

📥 Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

  • One-on-One Meeting Blueprint: Email Colby at Colby@NXTStepAdvisors.com
  • Connect with Colby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colbymorris/

🗣️ Join the Conversation:
What’s one leadership habit you’re focusing on this year? Drop a comment on LinkedIn or send Colby a message—we’d love to hear from you!

✨ About Colby Morris:
Colby Morris is a leadership expert and experienced speaker who’s led from every level of an organization. Through Things Leaders Do, Colby provides actionable tools that help leaders grow faster and lead better.

Looking for a Speaker for Your Next Event?
Colby is available for corporate events, trainings, webinars, and workshops. Reach out to learn how he can bring impactful leadership insights to your team.

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🔍 Keywords for SEO:
People-first leadership, leadership habits, team trust, intentional check-ins, empathy in leadership, feedback culture, Colby Morris, Things Leaders Do podcast.


Speaker 1:

Welcome to Things Leaders Do, the podcast that uncovers the secrets of becoming an extraordinary leader. If you're a leader who's constantly seeking growth, inspiration and tangible ways to level up your leadership, then you've come to the right place. Remember, the world needs exceptional leaders, and that leader is you. Now here's your host, colby Morris, is you.

Speaker 2:

Now here's your host, Colby Morris. Hello, leaders, and welcome back to the TLD podcast. I'm your host, colby Morris, and if you're new here, I'm an experienced leader who's led from every position, literally from frontline new manager, middle manager and yes, executive. I've been there with you, I've been where you are. My goal for this podcast is simple to give you actionable tools and actionable processes that you can start using today to become a better leader faster.

Speaker 2:

Today's episode is all about one of the most important and foundational aspects of leadership in the things that I coach, and that's being a people-first leader. Yeah, it's a buzzword, sure, but what does it actually mean in practice? How do you show up as a people-first leader every single day without it becoming just another phrase you throw around in meetings? In this episode, I'll share three practical habits you can start using today to lead with your people. Lead with your people in mind, without burning yourself out, without overthinking it or adding hours to your already packed schedule. So let's look at it. Let's start with the definition. Being a people first leader doesn't mean being a people pleaser. Okay, it's not about avoiding conflict or sugarcoating tough conversations or even letting your team run the show. You see, people first leadership is about prioritizing the well-being, the growth, the engagement of your team as the foundation for achieving results.

Speaker 2:

Now here's something important Many of us have never worked for a true people-first leader. For a true people-first leader, we've had bosses who cared more about numbers than names. Okay, we've worked under managers who saw us as resources rather than humans, and maybe, just maybe, we've unintentionally led that way ourselves. But here's the truth ourselves. But here's the truth. Not having experienced a people first leader doesn't mean you can't become one. So you can decide today that you'll lead differently. You can create the kind of team environment that you wish you had experienced.

Speaker 2:

Now let me clarify another common myth here. People-first leaders aren't soft leaders, you know, who ignore profits or performance. No, they're leaders who understand that people and profit aren't mutually exclusive. They're interconnected. And when your team feels valued, when they feel trusted, when they're supported, that's when engagement goes up, that's when retention improves, that's how creativity and innovation thrive. And what's next? Well, the results They'll follow.

Speaker 2:

So what does a people-first leader actually look like? They listen more than they speak, okay. They ask questions and they create space for honest answers to they. They lead with clarity. Okay. People first leaders. That doesn't mean directionless. It means clear expectations paired with support. Three they celebrate big wins, big and small. Okay, recognition isn't an afterthought, it's actually a habit. Four they prioritize growth, whether it's training, mentorship or constructive feedback, they invest in their people. And then, five they model humility. Okay, they admit mistakes, they own their shortcomings and they invite feedback. People first. Leaders don't choose either people or profit. They choose both. If you've never had that modeled for you, let me encourage you. You can start today. All right, let's look at these habits.

Speaker 2:

Habit number one intentional check-ins. If you've listened to this podcast for a while, you know I'm a big fan of one-on-one meetings. But let's be clear Intentional check-ins go beyond a recurring calendar invite Okay. This is about showing up consistently, in both formal and informal ways, to create meaningful connections with your team. Okay, the formal way, the formal check-ins, those are your one-on-ones. Okay, you schedule them regularly, bi-weekly if possible, monthly at the very least and you follow a structure. How are you doing? What's going well? Where are you stuck? How can I support you? Okay, and be fully present. Put your phone away, close your email and listen actively. Now I haven't defined that active listening in a while, so I'm going to do it again one more time.

Speaker 2:

Active listening is listening to understand instead of listening to respond. All right, those informal check-ins these are more of the hey how's your day going? Conversations okay, and you do that in the hall. Maybe a quick zoom chat? Okay, they don't have to be long, but they do need to be genuine. When you check in consistently, you have the opportunity to catch small issues before they become big ones. You build trust, okay. You show your team that they matter, not just for what they produce, but for who they are. Here's your action step. Tomorrow morning, I want you to make a list of three to five people you'll intentionally check in with, either formally or informally, but write down their names and don't let the day in until you've done it. And again, if you want a simple blueprint for these one-on-ones, message me on LinkedIn or you can email me. Colby at next step advisorscom. That's N X T, not any X T. Colby at next step, advisorscom, do that and I'll send those over to you.

Speaker 2:

All right, habit number two I want you to realize that people are people. Behind every spreadsheet, every Slack or team's message, every meeting invite is a human being. You have to lead with empathy and understanding. When someone misses a deadline. Instead of just getting ticked off and saying things, you shouldn't ask something different, say, hey, everything. Okay, I noticed you missed a deadline. That's not like you at all. Is there something I can do? How can I help? Hey, that's a totally different response.

Speaker 2:

When emotions are running high, I want you to respond calmly. Hey, I can see, this is frustrating. Let's sit down and talk through it. See, empathy doesn't mean lowering your standards. It means understanding why someone might be struggling to meet them. Man, if you didn't write that one down, I'm going to repeat it for you one more time. Empathy doesn't mean lowering your standards. It means understanding why someone might be struggling to meet them. So here's your action step Over the next week. Remind yourself every interaction is with a human, not a task. I want you to pause, observe and respond with empathy.

Speaker 2:

All right, section three or, I'm sorry, habit number three I want you to ask don't assume, let's start with the simple truth. The most effective leaders are the ones who ask great questions. But here's the catch Most leaders stop at the surface level stuff. Questions like everything, good, or hey, let me know if you need anything. Questions like everything, good or hey, let me know if you need anything. Those aren't bad questions, but they're not effective ones either. Okay, asking questions is it's about curiosity and intention. It's about peeling back layers to understand what's really going on with your team. So let's break this down into three types of questions every people-first leader should be asking regularly.

Speaker 2:

The first section is going to be about questions about workload and priorities. Okay, these questions help you understand how someone feels about their current workload and what might be causing stress or frustration. All right, so questions like hey, what's the biggest barrier facing in your work right now? Is there anything I can remove from your plate that's holding you back from doing your best work? What part of your role feels most energizing and what part feels most draining? Okay, now why does this matter? Those questions uncover hidden roadblocks. Okay, they give your team permission to be honest about some workload concerns and they'll allow you to make informed decisions about delegation and resource allocation. Okay, and your next and this is kind of a tip for you in your next one-on-one, ask one of these three questions, write down the answers and make one commitment to address what you've heard. All right.

Speaker 2:

Part two is questions about growth and development. People for first. Leaders don't just focus on what's happening now. They focus on what's next for their team members. Okay, so you'd ask questions like what's one skill you'd like to grow this year? Where do you see yourself a year from now and how can I support you getting there? Are there any training opportunities or tools you wish you had access to? Okay, now, why do those matter? Well, they show your team that you're invested in their long-term success. For one, they surface unspoken desires or career goals that your team may have, and they foster this sense of partnership. You're not just managing them, you're developing them. So here's your action tip Take one development-related insight from your team and follow up on it. Maybe it's recommending a course, a book, connecting them with a mentor, or even helping them design a growth plan.

Speaker 2:

And section three is questions about your leadership. Yes, we're going there. The most courageous questions a leader can ask are about their own leadership. So ask hey, what's one thing I could do differently to better support you? What's something I've done recently that made your job harder? How can I communicate more effectively with you? Now, why do those matter? Obviously, they show vulnerability, and vulnerability builds trust. Okay, they create a culture of feedback that flows both ways and they give you the actual insights on how to lead better. And if you're a leader, you're always looking at ways to lead better. A pro tip If you ask these questions, you have to be ready to hear the answers.

Speaker 2:

No defensiveness, no justifications, just active listening and a commitment to improvement. You have to check your ego at the door too. Here's your action tip Ask one question about your own leadership this week. When you get an answer, thank the person for their honesty. Okay, let them know what you're going to do about it. Here's the final thing I want you to remember about asking questions.

Speaker 2:

Questions without follow-through create distrust. If your team opens up and tells you about a workload issue, a career goal or a challenge they're facing, and then nothing happens, well, they'll stop being honest with you. Follow-through doesn't mean fixing everything overnight. It means showing that you heard them and taking one actionable step. If someone tells you their workload is overwhelming, maybe adjust their deadlines. If they say they want to grow in a certain skill, suggest a training course. If they give you feedback about your leadership style, maybe you acknowledge it publicly and share how you're working on it. Okay, people notice when their leaders listen and when they take action. If you make a habit of asking these questions consistently, here's what will happen you will uncover hidden challenges before they escalate, you will build deeper trust with your team and you'll create an environment where feedback flows freely, both up down and sideways.

Speaker 2:

Okay, this isn't about knowing your team. It's about understanding them. And understanding doesn't happen by assumption. It happens by asking great questions, listening well and following through. So this week, I want you to make a commitment to one ask one question from each category, workload, growth and your own leadership. Two, I want you to write down their answers. Three, take one actionable step based on their response. And four, follow up with that person to show them that their voice was heard. Look, I get it. It might feel uncomfortable at first. You might hear things you weren't expecting, but stick with it, because every honest answer brings you one step closer to becoming the leader your team needs Leaders.

Speaker 2:

Being a people-first leader happens in small, consistent actions. Okay, intentional check-ins. You realize that people are people and you ask don't assume. When you show up for your team with these three habits, day after day, you're not just improving your leadership, you're building a culture where people thrive. If you want more support, please reach out. Okay, find me on LinkedIn or email me again. Colby, at next step advisorscom, that's NXT. Okay, and, by the way, we're expanding in 2025. So if you are looking for a speaker for your next corporate event, training or webinar, I'd love to join you. Okay, reach out, let's talk, let's talk. Remember, leadership happens in small moments. You need to start today. You know why?

Speaker 1:

Because those are the things that leaders do. Thank you for listening to Things Leaders Do. If you're looking for more tips on how to be a better leader, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and listen to next week's episode. Until next time, keep working on being a better leader by doing the things that leaders do.