To scale creative output without micromanaging, leaders should focus their input on the first 10% of a project (ideation and direction) and the final 10% (integration and polish). This empowers the team to own the middle 80% (execution) while ensuring the final product still reflects the leader's vision.

The transition to managing managers requires a fundamental identity shift from individual contributor to enabler. A leader's value is no longer in their personal output. They must ask, "Is it more important that I do the work, or that the work gets done?" This question forces a necessary focus on delegation, empowerment, and system-building.

In today's fast-paced tech landscape, especially in AI, there is no room for leaders who only manage people. Every manager, up to the CPO, must be a "builder" capable of diving into the details—whether adjusting copy or pushing pixels—to effectively guide their teams.

A leader's job doesn't end after designing a process. They must actively and continuously teach and reinforce the company's methods, especially as new people join. The goal is to ensure the right things happen even when the leader isn't present.

To prevent management from becoming a detached layer, Arista ensures its leaders are "coach players." This means even senior executives, like the CTO and founder, still contribute by coding. This "leading by example" approach proves to employees that management is connected to the core work, reinforcing a strong, authentic engineering culture.

Many leaders, particularly in technical fields, mistakenly believe their role is to provide all the answers. This approach disempowers teams and creates a bottleneck. Shifting from advising to coaching unlocks a team's problem-solving potential and allows leaders to scale their impact.

While senior leaders are trained to delegate execution, AI is an exception. Direct, hands-on use is non-negotiable for leadership. It demystifies the technology, reveals its counterintuitive flaws, and builds the empathy required to understand team challenges. Leaders who remain hands-off will be unable to guide strategy effectively.

An emerging trend sees senior design leaders, including VPs, stepping back into Individual Contributor (IC) roles. The pace of change in design tooling, particularly with AI, makes it nearly impossible to lead effectively without direct, hands-on experience. This move is a strategy for staying relevant and empathetic.

Better products are a byproduct of a better team environment. A leader's primary job is not to work on the product, but to cultivate the people and the system they work in—improving their thinking, decision-making, and collaboration.