I’ve worked with (and for) IT managers who just bark orders, and it never ends well. In this video I break down the biggest mistakes IT managers make—and what I’d fix going into 2026—so you can be the kind of leader your team actually wants to follow. The big theme is simple: leadership comes before management. Being “the boss” isn’t the goal. Building trust, leading by example, and staying willing to get your hands dirty when it matters is what separates average managers from strong IT leaders. I talk about the balance a lot of people get wrong: staying technical enough to mentor and support the team, while still delegating properly so you can focus on strategy, roadmaps, and the big-picture responsibilities you’re accountable for. I also cover why mistakes are part of the job (for you and your techs), how to acknowledge them without ego, and why “hungry but humble” is a mindset that keeps teams healthy. Finally, I get into building high-performance teams—skills, certs, experience, skills matrices, regular check-ins, and setting clear expectations without becoming controlling or doineering.