L.E.A.D. Framework: The Four Pillars Every Leader Needs

I’ve been coaching product and tech leaders for over a decade.

After all this time, I’ve realized that the most effective leaders all have strong foundations in four key pillars which drive impactful results.

I call these pillars the L.E.A.D. framework:

• Look towards the future
• Empower your team
• Activate your supporters
• Decide sensibly and swiftly

Even if you’re naturally strong in one or two of these areas, nobody is born a complete leader. Everyone has gaps to work on, and the most successful leaders are the ones who actively work on advancing their skills.

The L.E.A.D. framework gives you and your team the foundation needed to excel in any leadership position. Regardless of how far along you are in your leadership journey, understanding these pillars in depth will help you be a better leader and coach others to improve as well.

Ready to get started? Let’s… look towards the future 😉

L - Look Towards the Future

The first pillar is all about having a clear vision of the future you want to create.

As a leader in a technology company, it’s your job to challenge the status quo, adopt a growth mindset, and think about how your team, company, and market will change the world over time.

But great leaders don’t just set goals, they tell a story about why those goals matter to the people who are positively impacted. This conveys to their teams and peers a clear picture of what success looks like and why it’s worth pursuing it together.

Think of visionary leaders like Martin Luther King. Passionate about his vision, he used powerful stories to inspire change. He didn’t just say, “we want equality.” Instead, he painted a vivid picture of children holding hands in a world where everyone is treated fairly. That’s the power of looking towards the future: it sparks action because people feel emotionally connected.

Most historical figures regarded as great leaders were visionaries; they were not constrained by the way the world was and instead inspired others with a view of what could be. They recognized that BIG changes can only happen when many people band together with a common vision for a better future.

Here’s how you can cultivate the habit of looking toward the future:

• Challenge the status quo by asking, “What would ideal look like?”
• Tell stories about people who benefit from the changes you desire
• Share a clear, customer centric, compelling vision of the future

Food for thought: Are you sharing a vision that resonates deeply with your team, or are you just setting tasks? Does your team understand the potential impact of their work on real people? How can you encourage them to fall in love with your vision of the future?

E - Empower Your Team

It’s not enough to have a vision of the future - you need to empower the people around you to take actions which get you closer to making that vision a reality. You can achieve this through empathy, communication, and equipping others with the right tools and guidance to succeed.

To empower your team, focus on giving them clear and concise feedback, access to the right data, and the autonomy to make decisions. Remember that empowerment goes both ways, and it’s about creating an environment where everyone has the necessary tools to succeed.

Here’s how you can empower others:

• Listen and use empathy to understand your team’s needs
• Provide tools, guidance, and actionable feedback
• Communicate in a way that is clear, concise, and direct

Food for thought: Think about the last time you gave feedback or asked for support. Was it specific and actionable? Recently, I was interviewed by Kim Rittberg for Fast Company about how to avoid harmful feedback, and how to provide actionable, constructive comments instead - read more here. Does your team have the tools and training they need to achieve the goals set for them? If not, let’s talk.

A - Activate Your Supporters

Leadership isn’t a solo act, you need to collaborate with OTHER leaders to get things done.

The most effective leaders know how to activate their supporters by making it easy for them to support their ideas. Similar to your own team, start by developing empathy for what other leaders have as goals and what drives them. Then build mutually beneficial relationships strategically where you don’t only take but often provide assistance which generates a social debt to later be repaid. This may seem like playing internal politics, and that is true, but it doesn’t have to be dirty.

When it’s time to generate vocal support for an initiative you are trying to move forward, it’s time to leverage that understanding of your peers’ incentives and cash in your earned social capital. Remember not to waste your energy trying to convert your opposition, focus on engaging the “swing voters” who are open to persuasion. As a leader, your “swing voters” are the colleagues who need some nudging to see why your idea is beneficial to them too.

Here’s how you can activate your supporters:

• Make it easy for people to support you with clear communication and follow-ups
• Build trust and executive presence to inspire confidence
• Focus your energy on your “swing voters” not the opposition

Food for thought: Which people on your level or one layer up should you build stronger ties with for future alliances? Who are your “swing voters” at work—colleagues or stakeholders who could be key allies? How can you bring them closer to your vision?

D - Decide Sensibly and Swiftly

The final pillar of the L.E.A.D. framework is all about making decisions effectively.

As a leader, you’ll often need to kill bad ideas, reduce ambiguity, and prioritize speed over perfection. Leaders inspire trust and confidence because they show their team what being decisive looks like.

Making choices also requires you to communicate your thought process at a high level, explain why a particular direction was chosen, and what the expected outcomes are. This not only sets an example for your team but also empowers them to make their own decisions with a similar mindset.

Here’s how you can improve your decision-making skills:

• Kill ambiguity by clearly defining the problem and desired outcome
• Share your decision-making process to inspire confidence and transparency
• Be willing to delegate responsibility and trust your team to execute

Food for thought: Think about a recent decision you made at work. How long did it take to make a choice? Did you communicate it clearly and thoughtfully? How can you improve your decision-making process?

Conclusion

The four L.E.A.D. pillars of Leadership are not separate concepts. They work together to create a leadership style that inspires trust, drives results, and builds strong relationships.

Ask yourself: Which of these areas are you already strong at? And which one could you focus on developing next?

No one is born a great leader, but anyone can become one. If you are struggling to make it to the executive level or want to uplevel your leadership team, I can help. Schedule a FREE 45-minute mini-session to talk about your current situation and get ideas on how to take steps to achieve your goals. You can also always send me an email at [email protected] to share your story or a question.