Firm on strategy, flexible on details

Have a clear vision of where you're going, but don't be precious about how you get there.

I think I first heard this from Derek, Hospitable's VP of Sales and Partnerships, and it immediately clicked. It's one of those phrases that sounds obvious but changes how you operate when you actually commit to it.

As a Director of Engineering, it's my job to make sure we're building the right things and heading in the right direction. That's the strategy part. If we're solving the wrong problem, it doesn't matter how elegantly we solve it.

But the how? That needs to stay loose. The engineer who's closest to the problem almost always knows better than I do how to solve it. If I'm dictating implementation details, I'm not leading - I'm just micromanaging with extra steps.

Being firm on strategy gives the team clarity. Being flexible on details gives them ownership. You need both.