There’s an old joke that says the way to Carnegie Hall is “Practice, practice, practice.” That’s still true if you’re a boss, but the practice is different.

Practice mentally. Rehearse things in your mind. Imagine difficulties that you’ll encounter and how you’ll deal with them.

Practice the headwork of being a boss with exercises. Set up situations and then analyze them.

Practice the one-on-one parts of being a boss in the moment. Pianists can practice and then perform. For you, performance and practice happen at the same time. Power up the practice part by planning what you’ll do, then critique your work afterward.

This is only one of 347 tips in my ebook, Become a Better Boss One Tip at a Time.

Just promoted from individual contributor? Check out my ebook, Now You’re the Boss: Making the Most of the Most Important Transition in Business.