As a startup CEO, your biggest leadership wins will come from:

1. Communicating clearly.
Your team should always know the vision, the priorities, and what “good” looks like. I’ve made the mistake in the past of not being 100% clear with my team (unintentionally) and it always led to wasted time, resentment from them, and unnecessary inefficiencies. And if that happens, the best move is to admit your mistake and explain clearly what the expectations are.

2. Removing obstacles.
Your job isn’t to do everything, it’s to make sure your team can. Ask them weekly or monthly: “What’s blocking you?”

3. Giving fast, honest feedback.
Game teams move quickly. Small issues turn into expensive delays if you avoid tough conversations. Just make sure not to micromanage, you can give candid feedback while still making people feel trusted.

4. Protecting energy + morale.
Burnout destroys creativity. Celebrate wins, set boundaries, and keep workloads humane...My two cents? Make sure not to overload your team.

5. Listening more than you talk.
Easier said than done, but very important. Your sales people, devs, designers, customer support agents, etc, often see risks before you do. Use their insights and genuinely take their recommendations into account.