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The transition to a leadership role can be overwhelming. And if you are being promoted to a leadership position for the first time, you deal with the challenges of change and insecurity.

All novice leaders should know that management skills can be acquired over time through patience, humility, and commitment to learning. It is essential to adopt a mindset of a leader who is adaptable to change and is willing to develop skills in communication and coaching. And they need to promote a collaborative work environment of accountability.

Change

The change that new leaders experience is mostly emotional. They may feel a sense of loss for having left their peers behind. They worry how this will affect their relationship with former peers and hope to avoid friction or awkwardness. And with this promotion, they may also experience a change in environment as moving up may mean transferring to a different desk, office, or even access to a manager’s lounge.

The key to adapting to change is to communicate openly with those you feel may be affected. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Develop a process of how you will deal with these changes that are can be overwhelming yet exciting.

Communication

As a leader, speaking with your subordinates will be different from interacting with your peers. Instead of speaking to them, talk with them. Be engaging and invite conversation. Be specific with what you want rather than dictating what people shouldn’t do. Listen to them. Respond, don’t react.

Give them a reason to take action that doesn’t involve a demand or expectation that instills fear. Be influential by being positive and persuasive.

Coaching

Before you can coach someone, you must be clear on what your expectations are from that person’s behavior or performance. Recognize what their individual motivators are. Together, create a plan that will help them reach their goal. Ask for their commitment to seeing the plan through.

Good coaching doesn’t just mean walking away once you’ve gained their commitment; it involves a follow-up to offer more guidance as needed and feedback if necessary. Show your people that you are mutually committed to their progress.

Collaboration

It is a leader’s responsibility to promote collaboration so that all the individuals function efficiently as a team. Some managers are fortunate enough to inherit a team that is already a well-oiled machine.

However, if your team is only just entering the forming stage where they are only just now coming together, it’s crucial to guide them through any conflict or tension that usually comes with people who are working together for the first time.

Foster a work environment that is keen on teamwork by giving them a common goal to achieve that is beneficial for all. Nurture their loyalty for the company by building a stable foundation within the core team. Have them recognize that their professional success is dependent on the each other’s individual progress.

Commitment

Ultimately, you prove your commitment to your transition to leadership not by what you say but through what you do. Your actions will define the kind of leader you hope to become more than your words ever will. Your team will follow you more when they see that you are empathetic to their motivators, follow-up on their progress, and rely on them to work with you and not for you.

Are you someone who has recently transitioned to a leadership role? Do you struggle with the changes? I’d love to connect with you and hear your thoughts.

If you found value in this blog and If you have time, let’s jump on a call to brainstorm some strategic leadership concepts you may be unfamiliar with. I think you might be pleasantly surprised!

Then, without obligation, we can consider if working together would be beneficial.

If that sounds good, you can use this link to schedule a time convenient to you for us to chat: https://meetme.so/GregNichvalodoff I look forward to furthering our connection and learning more about you and your business.

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CONTACT ME

Inscape Consulting Group
Greg Nichvalodoff, BSc. BM (Honors), MBA, PCC, CMC
Office: 604.943.0800
Mobile: 604.831.4734
greg@inscapeconsulting.com