Swapnil Kamat and Arunima Kamat jots down tips for cultivating a mindset that would help one adjust to being a leader
The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humour, but without folly, said Jim Rohn. That is a lot to ask of a leader, especially one who has recently transitioned into the role.
While most first-time leaders experience excitement and pride about their promotion, stepping into a leadership role can also invoke feelings of fear and overwhelm. The transition to be a leader can often be a bit rocky – many managers never receive formal training before making the shift, you are dealing with a completely new set of responsibilities, you are accountable for a team, answerable to so many more stakeholders and you start to wonder if you have the skillset to succeed in the role. Even for top performing professionals, becoming a leader is an arduous, albeit rewarding, journey of continuous learning and self-development.
While you work on developing leadership skills needed for the job, you also need to cultivate the right mindset.
Here is what you should keep in mind as you adjust to become a leader.
Life is not perfect, nor are leaders
“True leadership stems from individuality that is honestly and sometimes imperfectly expressed…. Leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection,” said Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook. Do not go into this thinking that you’re not going to make mistakes; its part of being human. There is no such thing as flawlessness. Not every decision is going to be the right one, because more often than not, it does not exist. You are not always going to have answers, and that is okay too. The sooner you accept this, the better. Otherwise, you are setting
yourself up for failure. This is not to suggest that making mistakes is a desirable outcome. Continue to strive for excellence and trust yourself to make decisions that will lead towards it. However, know that mistakes will happen and the way to deal with them is to admit the problem, learn from it and move on.
Managing people is time-consuming
Your first thought as a leader might be that your to-do list will get shorter and you can get work done through others.
This is partially true – your direct reports will definitely help with your workload, but at the end of the day, you are still accountable for those tasks. Now you cannot just do them and check them off your list; you have to take the time to explain them to someone, and ensure that it is done well. Additionally, in your new role, you will have more work on your plate – administrative and operational duties, reviews, quality control, systemic strategising and other tasks that require your attention. Budget more time into your week and be prepared for a lot more work. Late nights and early mornings do not end when you become the boss – it is best to come to terms with it earlier.
You may not be a natural leader – and that’s OK
We are all born with innate qualities, but that does not mean that we cannot learn what we think we lack. If you believe you are not a natural leader, do not let that get in the way. Remember, your own manager thinks that you have what it takes. Look at this new responsibility as a chance to push yourself and develop your capabilities. Work on upskilling yourself – take courses, read books and play to your strengths. Most importantly, ask for advice – your boss, as well as other experienced leaders in your company and/or network are likely to have insightful wisdom that they’d be more than willing to share with you.
You will be the bad guy
“Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes,” said management guru, Peter Drucker You will find yourself in situations where you will need to make difficult and unpopular decisions. While it is important to gather your teams input, in the end, it is your responsibility to decide what is best, even if that means disappointing or angering some team members. Be prepared to be the bad person and explain the reasoning behind unfavourable decisions. Remember, your primary job is not to please others. It has to get results.
You will ride an emotional rollercoaster
Leading is stressful, emotional and exhausting. Your day-to-day will involve supporting team members in various emotional states, you will be pulled in all directions and putting out fires constantly. People will quit and you will freak out. At some point, you may need to fire someone; this will take an emotional toll on you.
As a leader, it is important to stay even-keeled for your team. However, that does not mean that you do not allow yourself time to work through your feelings once the day is over. Find yourself a cheerleader or confidant with whom you can share the ups and downs.
You have likely been promoted because of your top performance and ability to get the work done. Now, it is not just about you. Earlier, your job was to accomplish tasks. Now you need to help other people accomplish tasks in an
outstanding way.
Through it all, enjoy becoming a leader – it is a big career milestone. Being promoted to management is a great
acknowledgment of the work that you have done so far, and a reflection of your own manager’s belief in you as a leader
Arunima Kamat heads Learning Research at Work Better; Swapnil Kamat is Founder-CEO of Work Better Email: swapnil@workbetterindia.com
