Nothing is more flattering than a promotion. The statement is that you know your job well and that the executives choose you as a leader. Leaders are chosen and appointed – regardless of the desires of the employee to become a leader.
So why is it so hard to move from an individual contributor to a leader?
The quantum leap is often around the emotions of moving into leadership. Once where your performance mattered and your deliverable goals, now what matters is your team. Leaders can only be as successful as the team under them. That takes deep trust and the ability to step out and allow them to do their jobs – knowing that mistakes can happen.
Managers are often chosen by organizations due to their expertise through the ranks. However, these same managers often lack soft skills such as people skills, relationship building skills and trust. While being technically sound is important – and even critical to their role, it isn’t the entire picture.
Strong individual contributors can long for the good old days before becoming a manager, because they feel out of control, and unable to produce a result. There is no result to produce; other than a report on productivity of others. This quantum leap can make ‘do-er’ types feel out of sort. The highlight is no longer on them. It’s about the team.
Moving into leadership is about sharing, as odd as that may sound. It about knowing that you are only as good as your team, and knowing how to develop them.
In the 70ies and 80ies managers (now called leaders) were groomed for years prior to taking an executive position – with good reason. It allowed the incumbent to understand that people run a business, not just a product or process.
Here are some sobering stats:
Center for Creative Leadership conducted a study and found that nearly 40 percent of new chief executives fail outright within their first 18 months on the job, and even more of them fail to live up to the expectations of those who hired them.
In my own career, I’ve had to secretly recruit the leader that was about to be ousted.
It would have all been prevented if the soon to be leader asked themselves one simple question.
Why do I want to be the boss?
Is it because you think you can do it better?
Is it about control?
Carefully looking at why you want to be a leader prior to entering a position is critical for your success.
It takes a brave person to question their real motivations.
Bio:
Elizabeth Lions Author, “Recession Proof Yourself!” and ”I Quit! Working For You Isn’t Working For Me” www.elizabethlions.com and 806 283 8811