If you are looking for a quick win when it comes to letting your leaders know you’re thinking of them, never NEVER let them hear big news for the first time in a public setting.

Your leaders should never hear that someone is leaving from some new guy that overheard it at the coffee station. Give your leaders a heads up in advance of any sensitive news, good or bad, being told publicly. Sometimes you can give them a heads up weeks in advance of important news. You just have to be extra clear that this is confidential news only known by special people for now. This will make their hearts SWELL with pride that they are in your inner circle.

Sometimes you only have a few days or once in a while even just a few minutes ahead of it going public. But believe me it matters. It sends them a clear signal that you consider them to be leaders that deserve to know sensitive news and can be trusted with it.

This goes for good news, especially bad news, and generally any news that will affect them or their teams. It gives them time to process it, ask you questions and be ready to take questions about the news from the people they lead.

This habit is simply a matter of making the effort to do it. Ideally done in person, it can also be done by email when you can’t be together.

Trust me, doing this takes your relationship up a level. And not doing it will take it down a level just a fast.

Do it.