What separates good teams from great ones? Often it comes down to leadership that truly inspires performance. Peter Zangari has spent years watching how effective leaders drive results while building collaborative cultures. His insights cut through typical management advice to focus on what actually moves the needle for teams.
Leading by Example
Peter doesn’t mince words about what makes leaders effective. “It’s leading by example,” he says firmly. Leaders who roll up their sleeves make the biggest impact. “You have to show the people around you that you have the questions, you have the interest, you have the motivation, you’re committed to doing the hard work,” Peter explains. This approach transforms how teams respond. “The organization will rally around you and want to work even harder because they see their leader as part of a team, not just the owner of the organization.” Many executives talk about leadership from the front. Peter sees it as non-negotiable. When leaders actively participate rather than just delegate, teams notice – and their performance reflects it.
Breaking Comfort Zones
The toughest challenge for established leaders? Fighting the urge to maintain status quo. “If they’re in a ‘good spot,’ they’ll follow the mantra: if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Which is one of the worst things you can do,” Peter warns. This mentality creates dangerous blind spots. “You can’t predict the future. You don’t know what’s around the corner.” Peter pushes leaders to stay curious, especially about emerging technologies like AI. “You should show the organization that you’re willing to adapt, you’re willing to learn, you’re willing to experiment, you’re willing to take risks.” This openness must be genuine. “Those leaders who become defensive or dismissive of new technologies – that usually turns out to be a big mistake.”
Communicating for Impact
Communication trips up even talented leaders. Peter emphasizes clarity and repetition – with a twist. “Articulate clearly what your vision is, what your strategy is, and what it’s going to take to win,” he advises. “Be specific about it, be repetitive about it.” The challenge? Most messages don’t stick immediately. “You say something the first time or second time or third time – it doesn’t sink in,” Peter notes. “An organization wants to know bigger picture: what are we doing here and why? What do we expect the end result to be?”
His solution isn’t just repeating the same tired message. “You have to have different mediums for communicating. It could be through different types of calls, very short meetings. I’m not a big fan of meetings, so if they’re going to happen, they have to be short and on point.” Peter finds informal settings particularly effective. “Having lunch, having dinners with people always goes a long way. You’re talking about goals and objectives in a more relaxed setting where they’re more likely to listen.”
Learning from New Perspectives
Some of Peter’s most valuable insights come from unexpected sources – specifically, newer team members. “I take pride in speaking to somebody who maybe just got out of college a year or two,” he shares. While inexperienced with office politics, these team members offer unique perspectives. “I’ve learned from them enough to adapt whatever strategy I was putting in place based on their feedback. They weren’t even making a suggestion – they were just talking about what they learned in school and why they think it’s important.” His advice is straightforward: “Never prejudge the value or insights someone could provide based on how many years they’ve been on the planet.”
By combining these approaches – active participation, embracing change, clear communication, and openness to all voices – Peter believes leaders can unlock their teams’ full potential. The human element remains central. “You’re human. They’re humans. Connecting with people at all levels of the organization is absolutely critical.”
Follow Peter Zangari on LinkedIn or visit his website for more insights on leadership and team performance.
