Navigating The Shift From Colleague To Leader
Congratulations – you’ve been promoted to a leadership role!
Learning to be a great leader is a huuuuge topic for another time. This post is about navigating the adjustment from team member to leader.
You may have found yourself managing a team of people you used to work with or be in a whole new team. Either way, if you’ve gone from being one of the team to being the captain, it can feel daunting. So often, team members who are brilliant practitioners are promoted into leadership roles without any transition process or extra training.
One day you swing into the office, a confident member of the crew. You’re all pulling together to get the job done and there’s the team captain providing guidance and ultimately taking responsibility for the outcome. If the sticky brown stuff hits the fan, the captain shields the team from the fallout. Now that person is you. People are looking to you for guidance, to set expectations, to hold the team accountable, and get results. The team needs direction and (unless you own the company) your boss wants results.
When I started in my first leadership role I had a huge dose of imposter syndrome. My manager had waaaay more confidence in me than I had in me. Since that role I’ve led a whole bunch of teams, but that imposter syndrome followed me around and took years to overcome. I’d like to think that if I had the following tips, it might have smoothed the path more quickly. So, let’s get into it.
If you’ve been promoted within your own team, acknowledge the weirdness. Call out the new reality; have a team meeting, acknowledge and discuss the change in roles. Invite team members to ask any questions they might have.
Expect some settling in time – others might have applied for the role and you’re now their new manager. There may be some ill-feeling or disappointment. Allow time and space for that to subside. Focus instead on building trust and credibility.
Clarify roles and set expectations – your role as leader is to get the best from people which means setting clear expectations about performance, standards, and results. Human brains love certainty and life is easier when everyone knows what is expected of them.
Maintain accountability – recognise good performance and address poor performance straight away. Depending on your personality you may find either or both of these uncomfortable and so will team members. Giving and receiving feedback is a skill and if it’s out of your comfort zone, seek out coaching or training to build your capability in this area. It’s an investment that will pay out well into the future for you and your team.
Be authentic – don’t try to play a role or try to bluff your way through. Admit when you don’t know something or make a mistake. Draw on the strengths and skills of the team. Doing this will build trust and a culture of psychological safety in the team. Be yourself and find your own style of leadership.
Be kind to yourself and others – especially important if you’ve never been a leader before. You’re all adjusting so it may take a bit of time and there will be bumps along the road. There’s a quote from TV show Ted Lasso that I try to remember when things get hard: “All people are different people”. It reminds me not to make assumptions about others’ behaviour or reactions. When it gets bumpy, pump the brakes to slow things down and ask curious questions. Listen (to yourself and others) with kindness.
Expect relationships may change – now you’re a leader you may not be asked to hang out socially with the team as much. Being a leader can sometimes feel a little lonely so extend your network. Find other leaders to hang out with. Respect that team members may behave differently around you as you all adjust, and even long term.
Expect to feel out of your depth for the first 3-6 months. Being a leader means you are now responsible for more than just your own effort and results. You are accountable to a group of people, possibly at different levels of an organisation. Your role may include managing a budget and helping achieve strategic goals. This is a big shift so allow time adjust and be kind to yourself.
Your decisions and actions each day will affect many more people than it did before you became a leader. The way you lead people will make a difference to how they feel about coming to work, getting the job done, and possibly even their career.
My book Powered Up: Turning your strengths into superpowers includes a whole chapter on leadership. You can check it out here!
If you’re ready to develop your leadership skills in a more personalised way,check out my coaching and development programs.Tailored coaching will supercharge your confidence and help you discover and use your strengths to get amazing results.
