Too many design leads get promoted, handed a calendar full of meetings, and told to “drive outcomes.” But what does that actually look like?
Kona’s Pyramid of Manager Skills nails it.
This framework helps you define your leadership North Star, set expectations that actually stick, and build the kind of accountability that scales. It’s simple, visual, and built to grow remote teams that don’t rely on micromanagement.
Here’s how it works—and how to apply it today.
🧱 The Core Framework
Kona’s pyramid is inspired by two classics—John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success and Patrick Lencioni’s “Five Dysfunctions of a Team.” But it’s tailored for modern managers leading hybrid or remote teams.
At its core, it answers this: How do I go from reactive to strategic as a manager?
Let’s zoom in on the 3 middle layers you asked about—this is where the North Star lives 👇
⭐ Set Clear Expectations
This is your North Star moment. Your team can’t hit a target they don’t see.
- Define success per role (not just tasks—think impact)
- Align OKRs with individual growth paths
- Say the quiet stuff out loud: What behaviours and attitudes actually matter?
🛠 Tool it with: Team-wide Notion docs, Figma role ladders, async video intros to new goals
📌 Decide & Commit
Too many teams stall here—stuck in “aligning” instead of committing.
- Make decisions visible and time-boxed
- Be explicit when a discussion ends and execution begins
- Document decisions for async transparency
🛠 Tool it with: Loom for decision summaries, Linear or Height to commit and track progress
📊 Track Performance & Drive Accountability
Accountability ≠ micromanagement. It means giving people autonomy and clarity.
- Review goals weekly and quarterly
- Create a culture of follow-through, not fire drills
- Let teammates own outcomes and lead retros
🛠 Tool it with: Slack + Kona check-ins, regular async updates, shared performance dashboards
🪜 Climb the Pyramid (Without Burning Out)
The pyramid’s genius is in how it builds layer by layer. Here's how I rolled it out:
- Base First: We started with psychological safety—weekly 1:1s, vulnerability in retros, and strength-mapping exercises.
- Mid-Game Shift: I defined “what good looks like” for each role. Our retros got tighter. People started self-correcting.
- Top Layer: With trust built and expectations set, I moved into hard accountability—OKRs, peer feedback loops, and ownership of deliverables.
It didn’t happen overnight. But it stuck.
💬 From the Field
After introducing this pyramid to my team, I ran a session where we mapped ourselves against each block. What surprised me? Most of the gaps weren’t in outcomes—but in “Share the Why” and “Conflict Management.” That changed how I showed up in planning and 1:1s.
🎯 Try This Now
- Screenshot the pyramid. Use it in your next 1:1 or team kickoff.
- Define your “Manager North Star”—what values and outcomes anchor your leadership?
- Pick 1 block to focus on this sprint (mine was “Coach & Guide”)
📚 Source: Kona Remote Manager Survival Guide 2023 (PDF)
Got a framework that’s helped your team align and perform remotely? Share it—I might feature it.
