{"id":17,"date":"2022-02-07T15:34:02","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T15:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mackellarconsultinggroup.com\/?p=17"},"modified":"2022-02-07T15:34:04","modified_gmt":"2022-02-07T15:34:04","slug":"youve-been-promoted-into-a-leadership-role-now-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mackellarconsultinggroup.com\/?p=17","title":{"rendered":"You\u2019ve been Promoted into a Leadership Role, now what?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I remember when I was promoted into my first supervisory role.\u00a0 I felt fantastic \u2013 for about a day! \u00a0I had finally justified my expensive MBA education and I knew that my family was extremely proud.\u00a0 I also loved the fact that I was now in a position to make more of a contribution to my organization.\u00a0 However, as the euphoria subsided, anxiety began to creep in.\u00a0 What did I do now?\u00a0 Where should I start?\u00a0 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\u2019 \u201cThe First 90 Days\u201d didn\u2019t come out until 2003).\u00a0 I had to somehow figure it out by asking others, skim through some management books and use trial and error.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t a very effective approach.\u00a0 So, what do I wish I knew back then, that I now know?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get to Know Key People<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, you need to meet with your supervisor<\/strong> 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.\u00a0 You get the picture.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, you need to get to know your direct reports<\/strong>.  Apart from the usual \u201ctell me about your background and experience\u201d, 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, you will want to meet with many of your peers<\/strong> (especially those with whom you need to build alliances to get work done or who you can go to with questions and get advice).\u00a0 You will also want to meet with your business partners<\/strong> and\/or customers<\/strong> – the people you will collaborate with.\u00a0 They will all be able to give you a good sense of the current environment and challenges.\u00a0 This is the time to come prepared with lots of well thought-out, strategic questions.\u00a0 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 \u201cnew kid on the block\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn about the Business<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.\u00a0 This means looking not only internally, but also externally.\u00a0 Are there professional journals that can help get you up the learning curve?\u00a0 Are there outside, professional groups that can help you stay up to date on relevant trends?\u00a0 Are there parts of the business you should visit and observe?\u00a0 This is the time to be a combination between a detective and a sponge. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identify Early Projects and Quick Wins<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During those first conversations with key people, try to identify something you can accomplish quickly and well that will have a positive impact.\u00a0 This will help you to build trust with key stakeholders and it will do wonders for your confidence.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t need to be something very complicated, but something important to the business and those around you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create a Personal Development Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take time to identify your strengths that you can leverage in your new role and gaps that need to be addressed.\u00a0 These may include specific knowledge and skills you need to acquire or even a different mindset.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 You may also need to become more of a strategic thinker.\u00a0 I love Marshall Goldsmith\u2019s reminder in the book of the same title that, \u201cWhat Got You Here, Won\u2019t Get You There\u201d.\u00a0 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find a Mentor and a Coach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last, but not least, find yourself (assuming your company doesn\u2019t have a program in place already) a mentor and a qualified coach.\u00a0 A mentor will help you to learn about your new area, offer advice and share their expertise and network.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Your supervisor or human resources department might have suggestions of people who could fulfill these roles for you.\u00a0 However, you will ultimately need to decide whether you connect with potential individuals and can see yourself working with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019t forget to take a deep breath from time to time and remember, \u201cRome wasn\u2019t built in a day\u201d.  Good luck and enjoy the journey. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I remember when I was promoted into my first supervisory role.\u00a0 I felt fantastic \u2013 for about a day! \u00a0I had finally justified my expensive MBA education and I knew that my family was extremely proud.\u00a0 I also loved the fact that I was now in a position to make more of a contribution to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3,4,5],"class_list":["post-17","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-leadership","tag-promotion","tag-transition"],"yoast_head":"\nYou\u2019ve been Promoted into a Leadership Role, now what? - Mackellar Consulting Group<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mackellarconsultinggroup.com\/?p=17\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"You\u2019ve been Promoted into a Leadership Role, now what? 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