New role. New pressure. Now what? In this conversation, Christine sits down with senior leader and coach Tom Armstrong to get practical about the first season of management—where emotional intelligence meets everyday execution. They unpack why your ability to hold “baseline” under stress changes the room, how weekly one-on-ones quietly prevent big problems, and what effective delegation actually looks like when you’re moving from individual contributor to people manager. You’ll hear the simple structure Tom uses with 10+ direct reports, the mindset shift that earns trust (not just compliance), and a reality check for new managers who feel like “doing it myself” is faster. If you’re ready to build real leadership habits—one repeatable behavior at a time—this one’s for you. (Plus, Christine shares a cringe-but-true early mistake you don’t have to repeat.)

• Hold your baseline: regulate yourself so your team can co-regulate with you.
• Know the person, not the stereotype: everyone’s “baseline” looks different.
• One-on-ones are the operating system: 30 minutes weekly, they lead first.
• Delegation ≠ dumping: give stretch work that’s “small rock” to you, growth rock to them.
• Assume a quality dip at first; coach to the standard you need.
• Resist the “I’ll just do it” reflex—learning requires room to wobble.
• Monthly, add a 10-10-10: 10 min them, 10 you, 10 big picture (industry, role trajectory).
• Trust rides on consistency: scheduled, protected time beats ad-hoc drive-bys.