How to Lead a Land Team Without Micromanaging

Dave Denniston

2d • Leadership in Land Insights

Everyone wants the perfect team

But the team is almost never the problem

What usually causes friction:

• Wanting every deal done exactly your way

• Stepping in before someone finishes the task

• Holding decisions “just to be safe”

• Confusing control with leadership

• Being involved in everything but owning nothing

What actually separates strong land leaders:

• They define the outcome, not every step

• They assign one clear owner per deal

• They allow small mistakes early

• They review decisions after the fact

• They coach patterns, not moments

What micromanagement creates:

• Hesitation instead of initiative

• Constant check-ins instead of progress

• Teams that wait instead of think

• Leaders stuck inside the business

What trust-based leadership creates:

• Faster decisions

• Better problem solvers

• Clear accountability

• A business that runs without you

How to start leading without hovering:

• Set expectations in writing

• Agree on what “done” looks like

• Choose update cadence in advance

• Step back until the review point

• Fix systems, not people

Strong land teams aren’t built by leaders who control everything

They’re built by leaders who create clarity, then get out of the way

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