Advanced Leadership Skills

9 Ways to Advance Your Leadership Skills

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Most of us entered childcare because we loved being with children. We were drawn to connection, creativity, and the joy of making a difference—not to lead teams, run payroll, or manage operations. Few directors dreamed of HR issues or licensing paperwork. We were trained to nurture, not to manage. But leadership found us anyway, and with it came a new set of skills we had to learn on the job.

In the Leadership Essentials article, we introduced the 4 Phases of Leadership. The first of which is surviving. Surviving is hard, and the longer we stay in that phase the heavier leadership feels.

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it." — Lou Holtz

The quicker we move from surviving, the lighter leadership becomes. Think of it like learning the piano. A beginner struggles through a difficult piece, while a skilled pianist plays with confidence and flow. The same is true for leadership—the more advanced skills you learn, the easier and more natural the work feels.

The good news is you don’t have to spend years in the role before advancing. These 9 leadership skills are your shortcut to the thriving phase of leadership:

1. People over tasks
2. Delegate effectively
3. Presence over illusion
4. Lead with vision
5. Practice what you preach
6. Systems over chaos
7. Know it before you grow it
8. Build culture and uphold standards
9. Seek honest feedback

People Over Tasks

Most leaders understand that people come first. But when deadlines, ratios, and budgets pile up, that priority can get lost. While we look for ways to improve, we can’t lose sight of what got us here in the first place:

• Safe kids
• Happy kids
• Respected staff
• Motivated teachers
• Supported parents

When staff don’t feel supported, systems fall apart. When families feel overlooked, your mission loses impact. And if children aren’t safe, cared for, and eager to be at your center, nothing else will hold.

Leadership is less about managing tasks and more about serving people. Your people are your culture, your brand, your heartbeat. Put them first, and everything else will follow.

At the same time, programs can’t run on people-focus alone. Deadlines, phone calls, payroll, and paperwork still need attention. As you move higher in leadership, it becomes easier to get buried in spreadsheets, enrollment forms, and drills. When that becomes the norm, culture starts to erode.

"Don’t get caught up in the thick of thin things." — Stephen Covey

This is where the Circle of Competence shifts from being a survival tool to becoming a leadership lens. Knowing what’s truly yours to own—and what should be delegated or eliminated—is how you protect culture while still managing tasks.

Delegation: Empowering Others to Lead

The truth is simple: you can’t do it all—and you don’t have to. Delegation frees you to focus on the work only you can do while giving staff opportunities to grow. Done well, it builds trust and turns responsibility into accountability.

• Start small—hand off one responsibility at a time.
• Match tasks to someone’s strengths and goals.
• Be clear about expectations, timelines, and outcomes.
• Check in, but don’t micromanage.
• Delegation should empower, not overwhelm.

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." — African Proverb

Don’t Over-Delegate

When I was a regional director overseeing seven programs, an assistant director asked for a meeting about pay. On paper, her salary was fair. But during our conversation she explained she had been carrying most of the director’s tasks without recognition or support. She wasn’t assisting; she was running the program.

That wasn’t delegation—it was dumping. We corrected it, but the damage was done.

The lesson is simple: leaders should be seen as the hardest workers. That means showing up early, staying late when needed, and stepping into the difficult situations instead of pushing them onto others. Staff should see you taking ownership of the decisions, vision, and direction of the program—not dodging responsibility. When you lead by example, delegation isn’t viewed as passing off work but as giving others a chance to grow. People want to help when they see their leader putting in the same effort they are.

What to Keep vs. What to Delegate

A simple guide to help decide where your focus should go:

Tasks to Keep (Director-Level Work):
• Setting vision and culture
• Building and maintaining parent relationships
• Hiring and staff evaluations
• Crisis management and safety oversight
• Big-picture planning (budget, enrollment, strategy)

Tasks to Delegate (Growth Opportunities for Staff):
• Classroom prep and supply ordering
• Event coordination and activity planning
• Data entry, sign-in sheets, routine communications
• Small projects that align with staff strengths

Rule of Thumb: If it defines the future of the program, it’s yours. If it builds your staff’s confidence and skills, delegate it.

Presence Over Illusion

At one point, I was leading a facility, overseeing nine other facility directors, and managing company-wide hiring. I was away from my main center more than I wanted and worried my absence would hurt the team.

My boss once suggested: “Just light the candle in your office before you leave. People will think you’re around.”

I didn’t agree. My center didn’t need the illusion of leadership—it needed me present.

So I shifted my approach. On days I was at the facility, I visited every classroom, checked in with staff, greeted parents, and spent time with the kids. I avoided scheduling errands or outside appointments on those days so I could give the center my full attention. On days I was away, I stayed connected with group updates about my schedule and made sure staff knew the chain of command.

Leadership isn’t about looking busy—it’s about presence that people can feel. Show up physically, stay engaged emotionally, and lead with intention. Remember:

• The best directors are visible and engaged with both staff and families.
• If you’re not present, who is leading?
• Protect time to build professional relationships with staff, children, and parents.
• Your team pays attention to how you respond and what you prioritize.

Lead with Vision (Not Just Sight)

Your team needs more than schedules or room assignments. They need purpose. Delegation can manage tasks, but vision inspires.

"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision." — Helen Keller

Great leaders don’t just solve problems; they guide and direct. They plan for tomorrow. Vision doesn’t live in posters or slogans—it shows up in how you give your team a shared target.

One way I did this was by setting site goals during staff evaluations. These goals tied directly to our mission and values. For example:

• Improve the atmosphere for families by ensuring EVERY person who enters gets a smile and warm welcome.
• Create more meaningful child relationships by practicing active listening and patience.
• Focus on proactive supervision to eliminate preventable accidents.

Whatever the goal, it gave us unity. Staff weren’t just completing tasks—they were working toward a shared goal.

Vision answers: Why are we doing this? Where are we going together?

Vision is more than just a poster on the wall.  A compelling vision energizes your team and builds unity.  Paint the picture clearly and repeat it often. The more your team hears it, the more they own it.

Practice What You Preach

When I was a new director, a leader told me, “Your center is a reflection of your leadership.” At first, you may ride the momentum of the previous director. But within six months, the culture becomes your own.

As a regional director and later as an owner of multiple locations, I saw it firsthand. Each program followed the same policies, but they all felt different. The staff in programs with long-standing directors mirrored their leaders. The energy, communication style, and the way they handled challenges all reflected the director’s habits.

Leadership isn’t just about setting expectations—it’s about living them. If you show up late, avoid hard conversations, or bury yourself in tasks instead of investing in people, your team will notice.

So if you’re frustrated with your team’s attitudes, pause and reflect: what might they be learning from me? Orientation, training videos, and meetings matter, but staff learn most by watching you day to day. Your habits set the tone for the whole program.

“Everything you do and don’t do is being watched. Lead the way you want others to follow.”

Systems Over Chaos

Most leaders don’t burn out because of workload. They burn out from not having strong systems in place.

Systems create order. Order creates calm.

"You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." — James Clear

If vision is your destination, systems are the road.

• Good systems reduce stress.
• Good systems free up time.
• Good systems create consistency.

Systems don’t need to be complicated. Start with daily routines: how classrooms begin their mornings, how staff report absences, and how communication flows. Clear systems make sure your values show up in practice—even when you’re not there.

Know It Before You Grow It

You can’t fix what you don’t understand. Rushing to act without knowing the facts often makes it worse.

Before you fix a classroom, observe it. Before you change a policy, ask why it exists. Before you correct a teacher, get the facts.

Leaders often jump to action to feel productive. Real leadership slows down, asks questions, and studies the problem before solving it.

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Problem-Solving Framework:

1. Investigate
2. Solve
3. Implement

Be curious before being critical. Ask your team: What’s working? What’s not? What do you need? That insight creates better solutions.

"Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast."

Build Culture and Uphold Standards

Culture isn’t in a handbook. It’s what happens when no one is looking.

Discipline isn’t punishment—it’s training.

"Correction without connection leads to resentment. But no correction leads to chaos."

Culture is shaped by what we allow and what we celebrate. It’s built in the small daily choices: whether we address lateness, reinforce expectations, or follow through on standards.

If you don’t protect your culture, no one else will. And what you tolerate becomes the norm.

• Reprimand when needed.
• Set and uphold clear expectations.
• Don’t overlook small things: tardiness, dress code, tone of voice.
• Praise in public. Coach in private. Correct with care.

“It takes months to gain a customer and seconds to lose one.” — Vince Lombardi

Seek Honest Feedback (Even When It Hurts)

One day, my assistant director gave me feedback about my leadership. It stung. I drove home frustrated, but by the time I pulled in the driveway, I knew she was right. The next day, I thanked her and asked her to keep being honest.

That moment reminded me: growth doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from openness.

Research backs this up: studies show that leaders who actively seek feedback have teams with higher engagement and lower turnover. Listening builds trust—and trust drives retention.

Being coachable takes more than nodding your head. It means listening fully. In leadership, listening isn’t passive—it’s active connection. It sharpens decisions and strengthens trust.

When feedback comes your way, pause. Resist the urge to defend or explain. Listen with humility and curiosity. You may hear something that changes everything.

Key Takeaways

• Presence matters more than appearance—be there, don’t fake it.
• Leadership is people-first, not task-first.
• Vision without systems collapses into chaos.
• Culture is shaped by what you model and what you allow.
• Feedback fuels growth—listen even when it stings.

Reflection and Next Steps

Reflection Prompt: Think about the last time you led from sight instead of vision. How could you have pointed your team toward the bigger picture?

Next Step:
• Be present this week—visit classrooms, connect at drop-off, or check in one-on-one.
• Identify one system that could reduce chaos and bring more consistency.
• Ask one trusted teammate for honest feedback—and listen without defending.

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