You’ve been Promoted into a Leadership Role, now what?
I remember when I was promoted into my first supervisory role. I felt fantastic – for about a day! I had finally justified my expensive MBA education and I knew that my family was extremely proud. I also loved the fact that I was now in a position to make more of a contribution to my organization. However, as the euphoria subsided, anxiety began to creep in. What did I do now? Where should I start? Back then, there were very few workshops or guidebooks on how to transition effectively from a strong individual contributor role into a supervisor of others (Michael Watkins’ “The First 90 Days” didn’t come out until 2003). I had to somehow figure it out by asking others, skim through some management books and use trial and error. It wasn’t a very effective approach. So, what do I wish I knew back then, that I now know?
Get to Know Key People
Obviously, you need to meet with your supervisor immediately and get clarity about your role, their expectations of you, how they like to communicate, pressing issues that need immediate attention, longer term projects that will make an impact if completed successfully, people they believe are important to meet, etc. etc. You get the picture.
Next, you need to get to know your direct reports. Apart from the usual “tell me about your background and experience”, it is helpful to find out what motivates them (e.g. how they like to be recognized for good work), what career aspirations they have, what they think is working/not working around here. At the same time, you can gain agreement on how you want to communicate with each other and how often. You might even learn some personal things about them which can help you going forward.
In addition, you will want to meet with many of your peers (especially those with whom you need to build alliances to get work done or who you can go to with questions and get advice). You will also want to meet with your business partners and/or customers – the people you will collaborate with. They will all be able to give you a good sense of the current environment and challenges. This is the time to come prepared with lots of well thought-out, strategic questions. You are unlikely to have such a great opportunity again. Take advantage of the fact that most people are happy to find time to educate the “new kid on the block”.
Learn about the Business
Apart from using some of the get-acquainted conversations above, you will also want to take time to read up on whatever resources you can get your hands on that relate to your new business area. This means looking not only internally, but also externally. Are there professional journals that can help get you up the learning curve? Are there outside, professional groups that can help you stay up to date on relevant trends? Are there parts of the business you should visit and observe? This is the time to be a combination between a detective and a sponge.
Identify Early Projects and Quick Wins
During those first conversations with key people, try to identify something you can accomplish quickly and well that will have a positive impact. This will help you to build trust with key stakeholders and it will do wonders for your confidence. It doesn’t need to be something very complicated, but something important to the business and those around you.
Create a Personal Development Plan
Take time to identify your strengths that you can leverage in your new role and gaps that need to be addressed. These may include specific knowledge and skills you need to acquire or even a different mindset. Perhaps you have been known for your technical expertise up to this point in your career, but now you need to be seen as more of a generalist and someone who can get things done through other people. You may also need to become more of a strategic thinker. I love Marshall Goldsmith’s reminder in the book of the same title that, “What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There”. If you are not sure you have identified everything you need, check in with your supervisor and others who have previously been successful in your role.
Find a Mentor and a Coach
Last, but not least, find yourself (assuming your company doesn’t have a program in place already) a mentor and a qualified coach. A mentor will help you to learn about your new area, offer advice and share their expertise and network. Meanwhile, a coach can be engaged as a partner to help you think through your goals and challenges and put actionable plans in place to help you achieve the outcomes you desire. Expect your coach to both challenge and support you, ask lots of questions, make sure you think deeply and ensure that you hold yourself accountable to the commitments you make for yourself. Your supervisor or human resources department might have suggestions of people who could fulfill these roles for you. However, you will ultimately need to decide whether you connect with potential individuals and can see yourself working with them.
I feel sure this is not an exhaustive list of things to do during a leadership transition. What would you add? What have I overlooked? Either way, don’t forget to take a deep breath from time to time and remember, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. Good luck and enjoy the journey.
Lesley MacKellar is a leadership development consultant and coach who has worked in corporate America for over 25 years and now runs her own practice. She has worked on three continents and has a particular interest in emotional intelligence and the role it plays in leadership success. She lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, is married, has an adult daughter is a mom to three crazy, but loveable dogs.
Welcome!
I'm Lesley MacKeller
With more than 25 years of business experience on three continents, I work with individuals, teams and organizations to achieve results by assessing the current situation, developing high quality solutions and ensuring sound implementation plans are in place.
I have always been fascinated with what makes people "tick" - in other words, what makes us who we are and what do we do with that information. Yet, despite coming from a long line of school teachers, I initially resisted going into education or the learning and development field. So imagine my surprise when I woke up one day and found myself in the leadership development world of a multi-national corporation.