TLM Signals Map
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Reference Guide

The Transformative Leadership Mindset

17 Signals of Leadership in Action

Most leadership frameworks describe what good leadership is. This one describes what good leadership looks like — in observable, day-to-day moments you can witness in any manager.

The Transformative Leadership Mindset rests on three pillars: Sage Mind (calm, curious, empathetic presence under pressure), Relating (the five skills that build trust and engagement), and Requiring (the seven skills that create clarity, accountability, and performance). Each pillar shows up as observable behavior somewhere between "not yet" and "in action." This page maps all 17 signals.

Pillar 1

Sage Mind

The five Sage Powers. Drawn from Positive Intelligence (Shirzad Chamine), Sage Mind describes how a leader's mind operates under pressure. Each Sage Power is a distinct mental move available when the heat is on. When a leader operates from Sage Mind, they stay grounded. The team thinks more clearly because their leader hasn't lost composure.
1
Empathize
The capacity to bring compassion to self and others, especially when someone is struggling.
Not yet
  • Dismisses or rushes past emotion ("snap out of it")
  • Makes others feel smaller for having a hard time
  • Treats emotion as a problem to solve or avoid
In action
  • Acknowledges what's there without rushing to fix
  • Holds steady presence when someone is struggling
  • Treats emotion as information worth understanding
2
Explore
Genuine curiosity, suspended judgment, investigation before conclusion.
Not yet
  • Jumps to conclusions; defaults to first interpretation
  • Advocates more than inquires
  • "I already know what happened"
In action
  • Stays in question mode under stress
  • Treats mystery as interesting, not threatening
  • "Tell me what you saw"
3
Innovate
Generative thinking, new possibilities, creative reframes.
Not yet
  • Replays old playbooks; "we've tried that"
  • Gets paralyzed when the obvious solution fails
  • Reaches for familiar even when it isn't working
In action
  • Opens up new framings in stuck moments
  • Invites others to think differently
  • Reframes problems as opportunities
4
Navigate
Sensing the deeper purpose and the path that matters.
Not yet
  • Loses the goal under pressure
  • Every issue feels equally urgent
  • Gets lost in the details when stakes rise
In action
  • Pulls the team back to "what are we actually trying to do"
  • Sees through urgency to importance
  • Keeps the bigger picture alive in others
5
Activate
Pure, clear-headed action. Not reactive, not paralyzed.
Not yet
  • Action is anxiety-driven or avoidant
  • Frozen in indecision when stakes are high
  • Decisions feel like reactions, not choices
In action
  • When it's time to act, acts cleanly
  • Decisive without drama
  • Action emerges from the other four powers, not from panic
Pillar 2

Relating

The five skills of Relating. Drawn from Pete Friedes's leadership work, these are the relational moves that build the trust and engagement a team needs to bring their full thinking to the work. When a leader has Relating in their bones, people speak up. They bring half-baked ideas. They share weak signals of trouble early. They feel seen, heard, and like a contributor.
1
Asking
Genuinely seeking input before making decisions.
Not yet
  • Decides first, then asks for buy-in
  • Input is performative; mind is already made up
  • Treats asking as a delay tactic
In action
  • Input visibly shapes the decision
  • Starts with "what am I missing?" before "here's my call"
  • Treats asking as a tool for better decisions
2
Listening
Full attention, reflective understanding, no interrupting.
Not yet
  • Half-listens while formulating response
  • Interrupts; talks over
  • Waits to speak, doesn't actually listen
In action
  • Pauses before responding
  • Reflects back what was heard
  • Lets silence work
3
Including
Bringing the right people into decisions that affect them.
Not yet
  • Decisions land on people who weren't consulted
  • "I'll loop you in later"
  • Inclusion only happens when it's easy
In action
  • Pulls in stakeholders before deciding
  • The affected get a voice, even when inconvenient
  • Inclusion happens because it's right
4
Coaching
Asking questions that help others find their own answers.
Not yet
  • Tells, advises, problem-solves for direct reports
  • Gives the answer
  • Builds dependency on the manager
In action
  • Stays in question mode in 1:1s
  • Helps the report find their answer
  • Builds capability in the person
5
Encouraging
Specific, sincere recognition. Explicit confidence in challenge.
Not yet
  • Generic praise, no praise, or only critical feedback
  • "Good job" without anchor
  • Only notices what's missing
In action
  • Names specifically what someone did well
  • Voices belief in their capability when they doubt themselves
  • Notices what's present
Pillar 3

Requiring

The seven skills of Requiring. Also drawn from Pete Friedes's work, these are the moves that create the clarity, accountability, and performance that turn good intent into actual outcomes. When a leader has Requiring in their bones, the team knows what's expected. Standards are clear. Follow-up is reliable. Hard conversations happen on time and with respect.
1
Creating Common Expectations
Defining what success looks like before work begins.
Not yet
  • Vague goals, "we'll figure it out"
  • People guess at the bar
  • Surprises at delivery
In action
  • Explicit deliverable + deadline + quality standard, agreed upfront
  • The bar is named and visible
  • No surprises at delivery
2
Insisting on Excellence
Addressing missed expectations and asking for improvement.
Not yet
  • Accepts "close enough"
  • Conflict-averse about quality
  • Lets standards drift to keep peace
In action
  • Kindly but firmly names what's missing
  • Expects the rework
  • Holds the bar without being harsh
3
Focusing on Goals
Keeping the team anchored on what matters most.
Not yet
  • Every issue gets equal weight
  • Scattered; fire-fights everything
  • The team isn't sure what matters most this week
In action
  • Returns conversations to the priority
  • Prunes distractions
  • The team knows what matters and acts accordingly
4
Creating Appropriate Controls
Setting up rhythmic check-ins to catch issues early.
Not yet
  • Hands-off until something blows up
  • Learns about problems late
  • Either absent or micromanaging
In action
  • Standing reviews, milestone checks
  • Catches drift before it becomes failure
  • Rhythmic without being intrusive
5
Following Up
Closing loops on commitments.
Not yet
  • Things go missing; commitments forgotten
  • Loose ends accumulate
  • The team learns commitments are optional
In action
  • Revisits what was agreed
  • "Where are we on X?" is routine
  • The team learns commitments are honored
6
Asserting Views
Expressing perspective openly, including upward.
Not yet
  • Goes silent in disagreement, especially with leadership
  • Nods and doesn't push
  • Avoids being wrong
In action
  • Brings their view to the table when uncomfortable
  • Respectful disagreement, including upward
  • Risks being wrong to be useful
7
Confronting Problems
Initiating conversations about behavior or performance issues.
Not yet
  • Avoids hard conversations
  • Hopes problems solve themselves
  • Lets issues fester
In action
  • Addresses issues directly and early
  • Kindly but clearly names what needs to change
  • Closes loops on performance

How to use this map

As a manager

Pick one signal from each pillar where you most want to grow. Pick one specific behavior from "in action." Practice it for the next 30 days.

As an HR leader or senior leader

Walk through the signals with a manager you're coaching. Ask them to self-rate each one as "not yet," "approaching," or "in action." Where they self-rate "approaching" or "not yet," ask them what would have to change for them to move up one level.

In workshops

Use the map as a self-assessment exercise. Have each participant identify their top two strengths and top two stretch areas, then design a 30-day practice plan around the stretch areas.

As a hiring or promotion lens

When evaluating someone for a leadership role, walk the 17 signals. Ask: "where have I seen this person operating in the 'in action' column? Where in 'not yet'?" The pattern reveals whether they're ready.

The frameworks behind this