Things You May Want To Avoid When Transitioning To A Leadership Role!
Summary: What you do before you step into a leadership role is critical to your ongoing success. A well thought out plan can support your transition. In Michael D.Watkins book The First 90 Days he shares more evidence on this topic.
It’s not uncommon for a recently appointed leader to suddenly start questioning their abilities to do a good job. Questioning how they are going to deliver on expectations, questioning are they good enough for this bigger position. As the spot light turns up a notch and the pressure to deliver is increased an immature leader might quickly fall back to what and how they used to operate and we all know what got you here won’t get you there (check out my friend Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s book) for more wisdom.
In my 1:1 leadership coaching work, I see evidence of what I call a ‘cross-roads’. Leaders stuck in the past, trying to live in the present and thinking about the future. If that sounds like you then all I can share is you are not alone. But the good news is that sometimes standing at the ‘crossroads’ is a good place to be in fact it is the right place to be. Now the work needs to occur!
As an executive coach I am not here to do your job, you are far more capable than I will ever be, I am here to help you be better, by holding up the mirror and carefully poking you in the right place in order for you to actually realise the un-tapped 1% that you need to find that will ensure be the very best leader that you can be.
Thinking is often the last thing a leader actually does. Constantly rushing from one thing to the next. In order to actually think a man and women actually need space. In that space the leader can spend quality time to think forwards. In having the space, time and safety to stop pull up a chair grab a cup of tea and think is a luxury few have. But, when you do the world moves!
Coaching encourages and enables you to do just that, to think.
Once an executive slows, leaves all the stuff at the door, peels back the onion we can then get down to some serious work. Time to actually work on yourself. Have you ever stopped and looked at a clock for one minute? It feels a lot longer that you imaging. Time can be slowed down if you are willing to slow down yourself.
The pursuit for excellence isn’t driven by dollars or cents, its very much driven by the individual themself. Those leaders who want to leave a better place, a dent in the world I call it. Excellence is hard to achieve but not impossible! As you transition from subject matter expert to a management role to a leadership role you need to evolve.
A few months ago during a coaching session with a Chief Operating Officer (COO) who is seen by the Board as a successor to the current Chief Executive Officer we were discussing his recently completed Roud Leadership 360 Assessment (RLA360), he noticed that he was underscoring himself on every leadership behaviour and having coached him for a few months I could sense something wasn’t being said. So I popped the elephant in the room and asked him – what has he noticed about how others see him lead? He tried to move the conversation away from the elephant (bad move my friend) so I asked him again *Barry (not his real name) what are you noticing about how others rate you as a leader?
It wasn’t until I asked him the same question a further time did his whole attitude and approach shift. Imagine Edison’s light bulb moment, first there was nothing, then a slight flicker and then the light shone bright bingo the elephant had arrived! The smile returned to his face, something I had not seen for a few weeks.
What I noticed about him was he was suddenly sitting taller in his chair, his tone lifted, a sparkle came from his eye’s. So I poked a little deeper as I like to do in my 1:1 coaching work to really land the plan with him. What are you noticing right now about yourself *Barry?
He shared that since childhood he had consistently set the bar high, he got upset when he got an A grade in school, he was disappointed in himself when he missed out on a bursary to enter a prestigious university in the US, he was disappointed when he was passed over for a promotion. He is a high achiever, driven to really do amazing things, failure isn’t part of his vocabulary and whilst others are settling he keeps pushing forwards. He rarely takes stock of the things that are actually going well for him, he doesn’t stop to celebrate an accomplishment – nope he is already moved onto the next thing. None of this was pushed on from his parents, it all came from within himself and this isn’t uncommon amongst my senior executives and CEO’s who I coach. They want and will be better!
I learnt from a later coaching session with Barry that he had taken the time to write to each of his stakeholders to thank them for not only their time on completing his leadership assessment but also to acknowledge that he was very proud of himself and his leadership approach, he was going to ensure that he would step outside and smell the roses, to reflect on the work being done and to ensure he takes time out for himself and take up a past time hobby of climbing. What a great way to celebrate himself.
So what might be 3 things to avoid when moving into a leadership role? *this list should be read as observations I have seen first hand over the past 9 years.
- Letting Go
- Doing Too Much
- Setting Boundaries
Letting Go.
Gosh it’s hard to let go isn’t it. If you are going to progress and or last long in an executive position you are going to have to let go. It sounds easier than it is. When the pressure comes on and the heat is turned up on your team’s what I observe is the leader jumping back down from the balcony to do the work that his or her team should actually be doing, after all they were employed to carry out such tasks and duties. Letting go isn’t as simple as barking order and expecting results, you need to get alongside your people, really know your people and support them to deliver. The art of letting go is knowing that you are clearly communicating with and to your people, letting go is about checking in, actually checking in and not assuming, asking open quesistons that enable the person to think and do. Letting go comes with a bit of worry to many at first, what if Nick……..for those who may have kids and have helped them to ride a bike there comes a time when you let go of the kids shoulder and he/she pushes off and they are away, sure they might fall your role is to encourage and help them back on the bike, celebrate and ride with them! Just like that you have let go. This is what we need to see in leaders, letting go of the things you shouldn’t be doing. Work out what you must keep control of and the things you need to pass over to others. This is one aspect of leadership that leaders struggle with. Don’t be afraid of letting go. Not letting go will hold you and your organisation back, thus, no-one reaches their full potential. If you find yourself stuck, at a cross roads ask yourself, am I letting go?
Doing Too Much!
Lets assume you are a leader of a small team, 5 direct reports. Lets assume that you have hired most of the people into our unit and it’s been around a year that you have been the leader. Over the year you would have naturally ensured you are having consistent one-on-ones, those 1:1s will be now driven by your people, you would have lead and be part of your team’s True North by Bill George, (another insightful read) creating your vision for the team etc. What I notice with leaders is they do too much of the heavy lifting. They may well have the right people in the right seats all facing the same way but they are in the way. The leader get’s in the way of others, constantly adding onto something or speaking like this, oh Nick that is a great idea but have you ………..or Nick I like your thoughts but what about…………this is what I call doing too much. Just like the time you stopped holding onto your child’s body when they learnt to ride a bike you didn’t the following day jump on the bike and ride it for them, no you let them go, let them wibble and wobble around they got their balance. Doing too much is about again ensuring you know what you need to do and what others need to be doing. Not you doing everyone else’s role. How to navigate that! Step back, shut up and observe. A lot of my 1:1 executive leadership coaching involves observing. What is actually occurring, being said, not being said where are the quiet people in the room etc. Doing too much will not only burn you out it will also hold others back. Get out of the way.
Setting Boundaries
In 2009 I competed in my first Ironman race here in New Zealand. What I learnt very quickly was I needed to set boundaries, boundaries for work, training, family, friends etc. Without those clear boundaries I wouldn’t have been able to get onto the start line of Ironman New Zealand. Setting boundaries isn’t about stopping doing the things you cherish, love and enjoy its about balance. As my training amped up my weekends soon became a time of long swims, rides and runs and recover. So I would try to avoid late nights in the week. I would prepare food, clothing etc for the week ahead. I would ensure work had structure to it on reflection I’d say it shaped me more than just doing the race, it enabled me to set boundaries and stick to them. No point having boundaries if you are going to break them!
Setting boundaries helps you de-clutter your brain, it simplifies things and once done enables you to be laser focused on the objective. Say you are leading a team and you have all agreed to a team cuddle on Thursday at 11:25am. If people show up at 11:26am then the door is closed and they have missed the cuddle. Let’s say have communicated to your people that no emails or work to be done past 5:30pm then that is a boundary that one and all adhere to. So when an email comes into your email at 9:35pm what are you going to do?
Having boundaries is more about setting expectations that will enable you to lead. The job of a leader isn’t to be liked by all, its a tough job and those who have clear boundaries typically deliver the results that the organisation expects and needs.
Above all as you transition into a leadership role I’d encourage you to be curious.
To delve deeper into these things and or to realise your full leadership potential get in touch with me for a confidential chat. Great leaders are constantly evolving!
Nick x
+6421375630