Making the Leap from Individual to Leader
Making that leap from individual contributor to leader is difficult. In your mind, you know you can do it but you just need someone to see you. In truth, the jump requires a complete shift in mindset and skills. You have to think about the benefit of several people and not just yourself. How do you motivate and inspire your team to do well?
I remember when I got the shoulder tap to move into leadership. It was something that I always wanted and spent years preparing for. It was really important for me to be a great leader. The reason the effect a great leader had left on me was priceless. It gave me a professional role model that I could strive to be like. I also love helping people be successful and you can't beat the feeling of seeing it happen.
What got me thinking about this topic is that a few weeks ago I was speaking with a former colleague of mine. She has a stellar career, great achievements, MBA, well respected, rewards & accolades. She is looking to make this leap into leadership and wants to build her candidacy. I have no doubt that she will get it and be incredibly successful. But how do you walk that road?
The first piece of advice I can give is THERE ISN’T A RUSH. Use your time as an individual contributor wisely and focus activities that will help you build those leadership muscles. Put yourself in a position where you have to coach and mentor other reps. Make your mistakes as a mentor… There is nothing worse than a leader who gives terrible advice.
I would also think about your own career track. Remember, when you sit in the captain’s chair the team is going to look at your accomplishments. How long did you sell for? Which companies? How high did you go? What accomplishments do you have?
While this may seem artificial it is very real. Street credit goes a very long way with the team. You want them believing that you can make them better. If they see you have walked that road and been successful then they will trust you.
Seek out a mentor for yourself. Whether this is within the organization or with 3rd party coaches it is important to have a sounding board. These people have been in your position and can offer invaluable wisdom on what to do and what not to do… probably because they’ve made the same mistakes and had to learn the hard way. Get the cheat codes and make it easier on yourself.
Take opportunities to present to large groups of people about something you are an expert in. Every stop that I had there was an opportunity to present something. Any chance I got where I could get a practice swing in while raising my brand I took it. You’ll find yourself polishing your leadership style and finding your “voice.”
Be a sponge when other leaders are doing their thing. Watch and observe the reactions of the team and the outcomes. You can learn so much by just being aware of how leaders manage their teams. Whether it’s a bad leader or a good one there is tremendous learning available from just watching. It allows you to take their great ideas and not follow the bad ones.
Another item I would recommend is to shadow a leader on some of their day-to-day activities. How do they conduct their forecasting process? How do they prep for their 1:1s with higher ups? How do they execute internal projects with other department heads? What you are trying to understand is how they make decisions, problem solve and resolve conflict.
Don’t be shy about voicing your ambition to be a leader. Don’t just do it with your manager… go as high as you can go to seek advice on the process. By announcing your “candidacy” people will start to associate your name as a future leader of tomorrow.
So in review the checklist you want to focus on is:
Coach and mentor
Career track is credible
Get yourself a mentor
Present to large groups
Absorb from other leaders
Learn through shadowing
Promote yourself internally
The last thing you want to do is understand the process of how your company makes leadership decisions. Just like in a deal cycle you want to understand the timeline and compelling events. When they open up the books then you are in a position to be considered. If you followed point number 7 then you’ll also understand the decision criteria as well as the people involved in the process. Hopefully you have made good use of your time and checked these boxes.
If you have focused on the above points then the transition from contributor to leader is MUCH smoother. It will also only be a matter of time when you make the leap. Just make sure you are prepared for when your time comes.
