Are you the go-to person on your team? Your boss, coworkers, and stakeholders come to you for the most important tasks and the toughest problems because they are confident in your knowledge and your ability to get things done? Having these two great qualities leads to getting promoted to a leadership position — typically first-line supervision — and often, you become the boss of the people who were your peers. These great qualities can get in the way, though, when the job changes to getting work done through others, instead of doing it yourself. And it means developing a new set of skills. If you’re ready to make that leap, here are the essentials you need to focus on.
1. Self-Awareness: The Key to Influence
Self-awareness is the foundation of leadership. Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as your communication styles, decision-making methods, and other work preferences, AND understanding that the people you lead may have completely different styles, can help you adjust your approach to situations and to other people.
Studies consistently show that leaders with a high degree of self-awareness are more effective, empathetic, and capable of inspiring their teams (Forbes).
Actions speak louder than words. More eyes are on you as you move up in the organization, and your actions send powerful and sometimes unintentional signals to others about your commitment, competence, and character. Be aware of how others are perceiving you and your actions so you can represent yourself as competent and trustworthy.
2. Professional Presence & Composure: Stay Cool Under Pressure
Leaders are responsible for the work and the people. Their position exists to solve problems and ensure that people are safe and that the work gets done, even in times of uncertainty and chaos. Employees look to their boss for cues on how to manage the urgency and importance of a situation. Your professional and leadership presence — which includes your composure and emotional reaction — will set the tone for your team. Build a reputation for instilling confidence in others that you can make decisions, solve problems, and lead others even when the heat is on.
That said, we don’t want to work for robots. Some situations call for an emotional response. Learning how to respond appropriately is the key. Think – how can I express myself appropriately, even when I’m feeling stressed, angry, or impatient? This skill can be the difference maker in terms of being approachable and reassuring to your team and others. Send a powerful message — my team and I can be counted on no matter what’s going on around us.
3. Effective Communication: It’s Everything
Never in the history of things going wrong has anyone ever said, “Well, the communication was fine!” Poor communication often results in bad outcomes and unintended consequences. Getting desired outcomes requires communication that is clear, frequent, broad enough, and motivating. Communication involves speaking and more importantly asking questions and truly listening. Want to be understood? Rather than tell, tell, tell, start asking questions and paying attention to the reaction and response from others. Wondering whether you have been understood? Ask, “What’s your understanding?” Want to hold someone accountable, ask, “What happened?”
According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, effective communication is the most critical skill for leaders, influencing employee engagement and performance by up to 40% (Harvard Business Review).
This involves respectfully listening and paying attention, addressing problem behaviors, giving clear direction, and being direct and courageous when the conversation is tough.
4. Delegation & Getting Results Through Others: the ROI
For people who get promoted to first-line supervisor — those who know the work and get it done, it is typically easier and faster to do the work themselves than to explain to someone else how to do it. And we have confidence in the quality of the result. Supervisors must let go of some of the control yet keep all the accountability. Delegation is one of the most difficult things for leaders. Effective delegation requires trust — and builds trust. Effective delegation takes time — and will free up your time. The investment you make in building the capability in others to do the work yields the benefits of doing so. To get the gain, you must experience the pain. Leaders who do not or will not delegate usually end up overwhelmed and underperforming, and their people do not develop and can begin to lose motivation.
According to Gallup, leaders who delegate effectively experience a 33% increase in revenue and improve employee engagement significantly (Gallup).
Effective delegation isn’t about dumping tasks — it’s about trusting your team and setting them up for success. This means clearly defining expectations, empowering your team to make decisions, and letting go of the need to control every little detail.
Ready to Step Up?
Moving from doer to leader is one of the hardest career transitions, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. That’s why we created Essentials Lab — because every great leader was once a great doer who learned how to lead.
If you’re ready to take the next step, join us for a two-day, hands-on workshop designed to give you the tools, practice, and confidence to lead effectively. The next session is July 9 and 10. You will leave with practical, actionable ideas, respect for your position and yourself, and the confidence to lead effectively.
Want to Learn More?
Curious about Essentials Lab or ready to register? Reach out to me directly at gmcconnell@successlabs.com. Let’s get you started on the path from doer to leader—you’ve earned this and you got this!
Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For 40 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to grow leaders, build teams, and drive results through great people strategy. Contact us to get proactive about expanding your company’s potential and stay up to date with our latest news and leadership development updates here.
By: Gloria McConnell
