My last blog (“The 6 Pillars of Superstar Performers”) seemed to generate a lot of thought and dialogue around superstar performers! I was so excited and energized to read the numerous comments and opinions; thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, it really “lit me up” to see the incredible response. Inspired by the genuine interest in the last blog and our upcoming Independence Day, led me to our next topic— “what does a superstar leader look like?” https://www.linkedin.com/post/edit/6551412607864107008/

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Michael (Mike) McNulty
Are you a Manager or
an Effective Leader?
The Six Pillars of
Superstar Leaders.

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Michael (Mike) McNulty
“People First,
Mission Always”
Award winning commercial executive committed to build, train,
and lead dynamic national commercial operations teams for
start-up ventures that drive adoption of disruptive technology.
Passion for delivering solutions that provide superior patient
outcomes, specialty in developing sales teams for start-ups post
FDA clearance. Ramped sales from $150K in 2014 to $17MM in
2017, which resulted in a $210MM acquisition.
Sets compelling visions and clear expectations with associates
through training and coaching, achieving a single digit sales
attrition rate.
michael-mike-mcnulty/ @MikeMcNulty41

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Six Pillars of Superstar Leaders
1. Courage to Make Mistakes
2. Humility to Admit Mistakes
3. Vulnerability to Create Greater
Trust
4. Problem-Solving Mindset Focused
on Supporting the Team
5. Ability to Compromise to Resolve
Conflict Directly and Quickly
6. Genuine Intent to Act as a Servant
Leader

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1. Courage to Make Mistakes
The great ones get scared just like the average ones. The
difference is that the superstars overcome their fear by:
1. Collecting as much data and information as possible
2. Analyzing it quickly and as thoroughly as possible
before “pulling the trigger” on a firm decision.
3. Ask many questions
4. Keep an open mind, solicit opinions and
recommendations from as many trusted sources as
possible
5. Not being afraid to listen to junior team members.
Their courage is based on self-confidence that they are
good at what they do and that they will “figure it
out.” They also know that not making a decision is
always more fatal than making the wrong one. Their
open-minds and extreme flexibility allow them to pivot
and make a better decision if they “made the wrong
call” initially.

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2. Humility to Admit Mistakes
The great ones are, again, very confident in their talent
and skills AND not afraid to admit when they are
wrong.
No one is perfect and no one has all the right answers or
solutions. Too many managers and average leaders think
their team expects them to be perfect and “all-
knowing.”
This leads them to think they can’t be wrong or admit
when they are wrong in front of their
subordinates. Acting like they are never wrong actually
weakens their credibility and hurts team morale.
The best leaders I have had the honor to observe
firsthand are very humble and quick to point out their
mistakes. They are just as quick to praise any team
member who uncovered the mistake and helped fix it.

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3. Vulnerability to Create Greater Trust
The great ones admit their mistakes and are also
comfortable and confident enough to be vulnerable in
front of their team.
They understand they are looked up to and must
maintain a high standard for everyone, including
themselves.
However, they understand that they are not machines,
they are human just like the people they lead. Even the
great ones have bad days.
Sometimes they have personal relationships that are
strained or perhaps they are mourning the death of a
loved one. No one can be expected to be on their “A”
game 24 / 7 / 365.
The best leaders grow trust and develop tight bonds
because they are not afraid to show a vulnerable side.

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4. Problem-Solving Mindset Focused on
Supporting the Team
The great ones are passionate about solving problems and removing obstacles
for their team. This is more than a skill set; this is an outright obsession for
superstar leaders. They know they have hired the right people because they
have a very specific and detailed recruiting process (see the previous blog on
the topic) that virtually assures superstar employees on their team.
• Knowing they have hired superstars throughout their team assures them
that the challenge or “problem” brought to them is real and a legitimate
threat to their business.
• These problem-solving leaders are creative and always think out of the box.
• They are also calm, quick to ask thought-provoking questions, and are not
afraid to challenge the status quo.
• They do not “spoon feed” their team, instead, they help their team “figure
it out themselves” most of the time.
It is amazing how many times I have watched a superstar leader help his or her
team solve a problem without the team even realizing the contribution of their
leader.
The great ones do not care about receiving any praise or credit, they are just
focused on supporting their team and helping them get better and become
more successful.

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5. Ability to Compromise to Resolve
Conflict Directly and Quickly
The great ones understand the importance of:
• Remaining flexible and open-minded.
• Do not shy away from conflict.
• They cannot play favorites or take sides.
• Conflict is met head-on with candor and grace.
• Being fair and transparent is crucial to the leader’s credibility.
• Instead of making a rash judgment, the great ones slow down
and act very deliberately.
• They ask many more questions than definitive statements.
• They search for common ground.
• They demand open minds because they understand that truth
is not the same as a fact.
People can believe very different versions of events as “their
truth”. Truth (one’s perception of the event) is different from
facts and the great ones know it and solve for common ground to
resolve the dispute.

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6. Genuine Intent to Act as a Servant Leader
The great ones have an unquestionable character and a true love for
their people. This caring and nurturing goes deeper than just their
employee’s job performance.
• They truly care about their employee on multiple levels.
• They care about coaching and supporting them to be the very best
version of themselves both professionally as well as personally.
• They even extend their genuine concern for the employee’s families.
I have told my sales leadership team that if your people truly believe in
their heart that you genuinely care about helping and supporting them
become the very best they can be in the various aspects of life—close
more deals, make more money, get that next promotion, be a better
spouse or parent—they will run through brick walls for you and help the
team soar to success.
Loyalty, trust, and respect are never bought or given in this life; they
are always earned. The superstar leaders I have observed know this
and they strive to consistently behave like servant leaders that
understand the mantra, “People First, Mission Always.”

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Additional Resources Below.
Thank You for Reading This, Please Let Me Know What You Think.
There is an incredible amount of information in books, seminars, podcasts, and blogs around great leaders and leadership
in general. If you are genuinely fascinated by the topic of effective leadership like me, I encourage you to read two
outstanding books I have read recently and highly recommend:
• “Superbosses”—How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent” by Sydney Finkelstein
• “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
I hope the 6 pillars of superstar leaders framework creates deeper thinking and opportunity for dialogue on such an
important topic. Again, it is not intended to be the all-inclusive list of superstar leadership. Instead, it is merely the top 6
traits or pillars that I have personally observed as hallmarks of the truly great leaders I have crossed paths with during my
life. I was asked recently to name the most important of these 6 pillars. It was such a great thought-provoking question.
My ultimate answer was none of the above. No, my answer actually is the topic for my next blog. If I were forced to
summarize the 6 pillars of superstar leaders it would be just one word — Communication. All 6 pillars, in the end, are
examples of superior forms of communication. The great ones simply out-communicate the others. I am excited to bring
that topic to you for review and future dialogue at the end of this summer.

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Michael (Mike) McNulty
Are you a Manager or
an Effective Leader?
The Six Pillars of
Superstar Leaders.
michael-mike-mcnulty/
@MikeMcNulty41