In our world, our lives are filled with information from our laptops, phones, and TVs. Having knowledge isn’t the difficult thing these days; it’s how to put that knowledge into action.

Imagine all of your knowledge as a stack of textbooks, filled with information, and ideas waiting to be put into action by others. You already know how to put this information and ideas into action every day through your own experiences. However, your team may not know how to apply this information and experience into action. 

In last month’s article, Antonio created a playbook for his leadership role to free up some of his time to be more strategic and impart wisdom when he planned to retire.

In the early stages of the process, we took the time to brainstorm and decide the contents of his playbook. We identified topics that would highlight the core of his leadership style, as well as more substance-based, how-to guides that highlighted the technical side of his leadership. 

We decided that these are some things that could be in Antonio’s “playbook”, and topics to get him brainstorming for the first draft:

• Leadership Philosophy: Define your values, beliefs, and vision; providing a solid foundation for your leadership journey.
• Leadership Brand: Clarify your leadership brand, articulating who you are as a leader and what you stand for while emphasizing the importance of a leadership brand. Establishing a strong brand enhances your credibility and influence, both within your team and across your organization. Read our story on Leadership Brand here. 
• How to Build a Successful Team: Explore strategies for assembling and nurturing high-performing teams. From recruitment to team dynamics, equip yourself with the tools to cultivate a culture of collaboration and excellence.
• How to Hire the Right Talent: Get specific on how to craft job descriptions and the key to interviewing. Identify the qualities and skills that align with your team’s objectives and organizational culture. 
• How to Improve Performance Through Goal Setting: Describe techniques for setting clear and achievable goals that drive performance and foster accountability. Empower your team members to reach their full potential through strategic goal setting and tracking.
• Budgeting and Resource Planning: Describe how to have proficiency in budgeting and resource allocation, ensuring optimal utilization of resources to support your team’s objectives. Explore how to navigate financial constraints with strategic planning and resource management.
• Decision Making: Develop frameworks for making informed and timely decisions that advance your team’s goals and objectives. Keeping a log or journal of decisions will allow for identifying certain situations where effective decisions were made. 
• How to Run an Effective Meeting: Clarify what makes an effective meeting.  From agenda setting to facilitation techniques, describe how to transform your meetings into valuable opportunities for collaboration and decision-making.

These are just topics to get you started. Start by jotting down notes to yourself or sharing insights with your team. Consider using platforms like LinkedIn to highlight your leadership principles and passions. And who knows, your playbook may even evolve into a published book. I have known people who have created their own detailed leadership playbooks, and one of them even published it as a book. Creating your playbook may take multiple versions – Antonio’s did.

Comment below what topics you would include in your playbook.