In high-performing organizations, the momentum of the day is often determined within the first hour. On the latest episode of Lessons in Leadership, leadership expert and president of LearnToLead, Dave Anderson, shares a simple but powerful truth: leaders must be intentional about setting the tone—right from the start. His no-nonsense advice urges managers to get out of their chairs, engage their teams, and drive purpose from the very first minute.
First, Anderson emphasizes that leaders have just one chance each day to set the tone for their teams—and that moment comes early. If a leader doesn’t intentionally establish a positive and productive environment, someone else will. “It might be the person with all the drama… might be your underperformer,” he says. That passive surrender of tone can derail momentum before the day even starts.
Instead, Anderson prescribes a more proactive approach, which he calls “eyes and high fives.” It’s about being visible and present—greeting team members as they arrive, making eye contact and pointing out positive moments from the previous day. “Tell them something good that happened the day before,” he advises. “You don’t have to have it for everybody, but you’re pointing to things that specific people did that was good.”
He also challenges managers to stop hiding behind desks: “Some of them spent way too much time in their chair, polishing their chair with their rear end.” The visual is humorous, but the point is serious—leadership requires movement, energy, and presence.
Anderson underscores the importance of meaningful “war room conversations” to replace hollow greetings like “Did you have a good night?” These strategic huddles help team members identify their top 3–4 daily priorities. This clarity creates accountability and sets a purposeful tone.
Leaders who are “out of sight, out of mind” are failing their teams, he warns. “If you’re talking like a leader but acting like an anchor,” you’re holding people back. Instead, leadership must be “intentional”—deliberate, visible, and energizing.
Ultimately, Anderson believes that if you can win the first hour—maybe the first two—you set yourself up to win the entire day.
"You never have to recover from a great start." – Dave Anderson
