Hubspot Leadership Guide for First-Time Managers

Becoming a manager for the first time can feel overwhelming, and the Hubspot leadership framework offers practical ideas you can adapt to lead confidently, support your team, and grow into the role.

This guide translates key lessons from the original Hubspot leadership article into a clear, step-by-step approach you can put into action in your first months as a manager.

Hubspot-Inspired Mindset Shifts for New Leaders

Before you focus on tools or processes, you need to adjust how you think about work, people, and results. These mindset shifts are at the core of the Hubspot approach to leadership.

Shift 1: From Individual Contributor to Multiplier

As an individual contributor, you’re measured by your own output. As a manager, your success depends on how well you multiply the output of others.

• Stop asking, “How can I do more?”
• Start asking, “How can I help my team do their best work?”
• Measure your time by the value it creates for others, not just your personal tasks.

The best leaders free up time to coach, clarify priorities, and remove roadblocks.

Shift 2: From Being Liked to Being Trustworthy

New managers often worry about popularity. The Hubspot perspective is that trust matters far more than being liked.

• Be consistent in your decisions.
• Share context, not just instructions.
• Admit mistakes quickly and openly.

When people trust you, they will follow your lead even when decisions are difficult.

Shift 3: From Control to Clarity

Trying to control every detail leads to burnout for you and frustration for your team. Instead, aim for clarity.

• Define outcomes, not step-by-step methods.
• Set guardrails on time, budget, and quality.
• Allow teams to own the “how” behind the work.

Creating clarity is one of the most valuable habits you can build as a new leader.

Hubspot Framework for Your First 90 Days as a Manager

Your first 90 days should focus on listening, learning, and building relationships. The following phased plan mirrors principles used by leaders highlighted in the Hubspot article.

Phase 1: Listen and Learn (Days 1–30)

Resist the urge to fix everything in your first week. Instead, collect information so you understand how your team truly operates.

1. Schedule one-on-ones with every team member.
   • Ask about their goals, frustrations, and ideas.
   • Learn what is working before you talk about changing anything.
2. Map key responsibilities across the team.
   • Who owns what?
   • Where are there overlaps or gaps?
3. Observe existing rituals like standups, weekly reports, or planning meetings.

Document patterns you see, but don’t rush into redesigning processes yet.

Phase 2: Align and Clarify (Days 31–60)

Once you understand your context, start aligning your team around priorities and expectations.

1. Define or refine team goals.
   • Connect team goals to your company or department objectives.
   • Make sure each person understands how their work supports those goals.
2. Agree on ways of working.
   • How will you share updates?
   • Which meetings are essential?
   • What does “done” look like for your core projects?
3. Clarify roles and decision rights.
   • Who decides, who executes, and who is consulted?
   • Reduce confusion by writing this down.

Hubspot leaders often emphasize that clarity reduces conflict and improves speed, because the team knows who is accountable.

Phase 3: Improve and Empower (Days 61–90)

With trust and clarity in place, you can start making focused improvements.

1. Pick one or two high-impact process changes.
   • Shorten a slow approval flow.
   • Remove a low-value meeting.
   • Automate a repetitive update or report.
2. Delegate growth opportunities.
   • Assign stretch projects to people who want to grow.
   • Offer guidance but avoid taking work back at the first sign of friction.
3. Create feedback loops.
   • Ask your team what is helping and what is not.
   • Adjust quickly when your experiments do not work as expected.

The goal is to show that you are a learning-oriented leader who improves the system with the team, not to them.

Hubspot Leadership Habits to Build Trust

Sustainable leadership comes from repeatable habits. The Hubspot guide underscores several routines that any new manager can adopt.

Hold Consistent One-on-Ones

One-on-ones are where real leadership happens. Use them to understand your team members as people, not just as roles.

• Meet at a predictable cadence, usually weekly or biweekly.
• Keep a shared agenda so both sides can prepare.
• Cover three areas: priorities, roadblocks, and development.

Do not turn these meetings into status updates only; reserve time for coaching and long-term growth.

Practice Radical Candor with Care

Borrowing from the same philosophy used by many fast-growing companies, including lessons echoed in the Hubspot article, combine direct feedback with genuine care.

• Give feedback quickly, not months later.
• Be specific about behaviors and outcomes, not personalities.
• Balance constructive critique with recognition of what is going well.

When feedback is both honest and respectful, people will use it to improve rather than defend themselves.

Share Context Generously

Context empowers your team to make better decisions when you are not available.

• Explain why a project matters, not just what to do.
• Share what you know about upcoming changes.
• Repeat important messages across channels: meetings, email, and chat.

The more context your team has, the less you need to micromanage daily decisions.

Hubspot-Style Development Plans for Your Team

Strong managers invest in growth. Inspired by the Hubspot leadership material, you can design simple development plans that keep people motivated and aligned.

Step 1: Understand Individual Motivations

Not everyone wants the same career path. Some want to manage, others want deeper expertise, and some value flexibility over promotion.

• Ask, “Where do you see yourself in 2–3 years?”
• Identify skills they want to build.
• Note preferred projects or types of work.

Use this information to match opportunities with personal goals.

Step 2: Co-Create a Clear Growth Plan

Work with each person to design a practical plan.

1. Define 1–3 capabilities to grow this year.
2. List projects, training, or mentoring that support each capability.
3. Set simple milestones and checkpoints every quarter.

Keep plans flexible; adjust when priorities or interests change.

Step 3: Review Progress Regularly

Development is not a once-a-year conversation.

• Use one-on-ones to revisit growth goals.
• Celebrate progress, not just end results.
• Offer actionable feedback tied directly to agreed skills.

When people see you investing in their growth, they are more likely to stay engaged and committed.

Bringing the Hubspot Approach into Your Daily Leadership

You do not need a perfect system on day one. Start small, and focus on consistent leadership behaviors that build trust and performance.

• Shift from doing to enabling.
• Trade control for clarity.
• Invest in one-on-ones and honest feedback.
• Design simple, living development plans.

If you want expert help applying these principles to your own team, you can explore consulting and implementation support at Consultevo, which specializes in modern, data-driven growth systems inspired by industry best practices.

By combining these habits with the lessons from the original Hubspot leadership guide, you can turn your first management role into a strong foundation for a long-term leadership career.

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