It can be very exciting to secure a promotion to a leadership or management position, especially if it has been something you have been working toward for a long time. Landing the promotion can be exciting and feel like a relief. And, once the celebrations and elation wear off, for some, the weight of the responsibility can start to sink in. In some cases, it may leave you feeling overwhelmed or uncertain of your exact next steps. If this type of leadership position is uncharted territory for you, these tips can help you navigate through the initial murkiness to help you create the right perspective to have in your new position.
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Check your ego at the door. You may be feeling on top of the world with your new position — for good reason. Now it’s time to move out of the role of proving yourself worthy and move towards focusing on how to grow into your new position. You may have been very successful as an employee; remember you are just starting out as a leader. You may have a ways to go to prove that you can be a successful leader. That will take time, and that’s OK. Be patient with yourself. Show humility, be gracious and accept suggestions from your fellow leaders. You will win the respect of your team and it will be easier for them to follow your lead.
Action tip: For the first month, focus on listening and understanding your new role. You will have plenty of time to present your ideas and implement new systems. Take the time first to learn what you can about your department and team. Listen to what they need and where they are with their roles (their goals and feelings). Take the time to understand their strengths, what motivates them, even what frustrates them so you understand how you can support them. Make sure to show them you are excited to work with them. Create a plan for next steps and for improvements. If you find changes that need to be made urgently, only pick one thing to work on for the first month.
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Focus on learning. While it is important to focus on growing the business or producing results to prove your worth, don’t forget about learning. To secure long-term success, you will need to learn about your new business environment. This includes the politics, the culture and the strategy of the company you work for. Every business and every department is different, so find out what makes the wheels turn. Even if you have accepted a promotion within your organization, the politics and culture as a leader can be different than they were when you were a lower-level employee. The faster you learn these aspects of the business, the more comfortable you will feel.
Action tip: For the first six weeks, schedule time each week to learn about one new aspect of your department and your team members. This could be meeting with a more experienced leader, observing employees during a meeting to understand their style or asking fellow leaders for their top five pieces of advice.
Build relationships. No man or woman is an island. As a new leader, you will need allies who will support you and your vision for your department. You could have the best ideas in the world, but if you don’t have anyone to help you implement them, they are essentially worthless. It is important to spend time to get to know your fellow leaders and your employees, as well as gain their support for your ideas and vision.
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Action tip: Schedule a special meeting with your team to introduce yourself. Keep your first meeting a bit more casual, as a time to get to know them. If a special meeting isn’t appropriate at your company, try the same idea at break time with your employees. To build rapport with your fellow leaders, invite them to lunch or coffee. Take time to get to know them and find out how you can support them, as well as how they can support you.
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3 Strategies to Succeed in a New Leadership Position originally appeared on usnews.com
