Be the Leader You Needed When You Were Early in Your Career.
- tonimlowney
- Jul 8
- 3 min read
The most powerful leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about showing up with empathy, honesty, and belief.
Think back to your first job. What did you need most? A manager who gave you space to grow? Someone who believed in you before you believed in yourself? A leader who made it safe to ask questions, make mistakes, and still feel like you belonged?
Today’s early-career professionals are navigating a world that’s faster, more complex, and more uncertain than ever. They don’t just need direction. They need leaders who remember what it felt like to be new—and who lead with that memory in mind.
Here are four ways to be the leader you once needed:
1️⃣ Share What You Didn’t Know
When you’re early in your career, it’s easy to believe that everyone else has it figured out. That confidence is the norm, and uncertainty is a weakness. As a leader, you can dismantle that myth.
Share the moments you got it wrong. The feedback that stung. The time you stayed quiet when you should’ve spoken up. These stories don’t diminish your credibility—they humanize it.
💬 Try saying:
“I remember feeling completely out of my depth in my first role…”
“Here’s a mistake I made early on that taught me something important…”
When you speak openly about your own learning curve, you create space for others to be honest about theirs. You make it okay not to know. And that’s where real growth begins.
2️⃣ Give Feedback That Builds, Not Breaks
Early-career professionals are still forming their sense of identity at work. Every piece of feedback becomes part of the story they tell themselves about who they are and what they’re capable of.
That doesn’t mean you hold back. It means you deliver feedback with care, clarity, and belief.
🛠 Try this:
“Here’s what I noticed you did well—and why it matters.”
“Here’s one shift that could really elevate your impact.”
🔗 And always anchor it in belief:
“I’m sharing this because I know you’re capable of more.”
“This is a stretch, but I think you’re ready for it.”
Feedback should feel like a hand extended, not a line drawn.
3️⃣ Make Curiosity Safe
One of the most powerful things you can do as a leader is make it safe to say, “I don’t know.” To ask the question that feels obvious. To admit when something doesn’t make sense.
Because when people are new, they’re not just learning the work—they’re learning how to belong.
🧠 Invite questions. Welcome uncertainty. And model it yourself.
💬 Try asking:
“What’s something you’ve been wondering but haven’t asked yet?”
“What’s one thing that still feels unclear or confusing?”
And when someone does ask? Thank them. Not just for the question, but for the courage it took to ask it.
4️⃣ Celebrate the Small Steps
Early-career professionals often measure themselves against outcomes—deadlines hit, goals achieved, boxes ticked. But the real milestones are quieter:
✨ The first time they spoke up in a meeting
✨ The moment they asked for help instead of powering through
✨ The decision to try something new, even if it didn’t land perfectly
As a leader, notice those moments. Name them. Celebrate them.
Because when someone is just starting out, knowing that their effort is seen can be the difference between self-doubt and self-belief.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be present. To listen more than you speak. To believe in someone before they believe in themselves. To create the kind of environment where it’s safe to grow, not just perform.
Because the most meaningful leadership often comes down to this: Be the leader you needed when you were early in your career.
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