Growth of a leader
This blog was written after coaching on a programme for a group of technical managers who were all relatively new to leadership roles in their organisation. Towards the end of the course I observed their reflections on what they had learned and noted some of them down. I then asked 15 – 20 leaders I knew – in different industries, with different experiences and at varying levels of seniority - to add their own thoughts. The resulting infographic can be found under the resources tab.
We know that none of us are ever the finished article. There is always more to learn, and, because the world doesn’t stand still, there is always something else to respond to.
What does that growth look like in leadership? What is the path and what are the milestones? Of course life is far too varied, complex and chaotic to map this accurately, but there are some commonly recurring points along the way.
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes – born leaders, reluctant leaders, leaders from the front, leaders by example and visionary leaders to name just a few. When we think of leaders we often picture the great speaker, inspiring and galvanising action.
The reality for most of us is that our personal leadership capability grows over time, with experience and with exposure to different challenges and situations.
And most of us don’t benefit from formal training. If we get formal or structured leadership development we are the lucky ones. According to research by the Chartered Management Institute, “82 per cent of people promoted into managerial positions in the UK get no training in how to manage and lead.”
So what are the stages and steps we go through?
Stage 1 – Early Leadership
This stage is characterised by rapid learning about what leadership is and lots of mistakes! It comes with growing self-awareness and the development of strategies and tactics to deliver outputs.
Pressure can frequently come from three directions all at once – customers (who are used to coming to you to get things done) the team (requests for time and help) and the organisation (which wants to know about results and has multiple other requests)
There is usually an initial over reliance on technical knowledge and a relative lack of knowledge about people. A high personal workload and delegation can be required to keep your head about water!
Stage 2 – Growing into the Role
In this stage leaders are beginning to think more about ‘we’ than ‘I’. Typically leaders are having to learn how to lead under-performers and over-performers. Understanding people and people skills are being viewed as having increasing importance.
Second line managers are forced to deliver through others. Technical knowledge is less relevant again. There are early signs of leaders developing their own vision and beginning to articulate this to others.
There is still a feeling of “head above water” but the establishment of a peer group and realisation that you are not alone on this path
Stage 3 – Truly Leading
By now only harder decisions are coming the leader’s way, and there is an acceptance that some won’t be right. Leaders are being more demanding of the business in terms of what they need in order to achieve business aims.
Commercial awareness has grown, the team/organisation is truly ahead of self-interest and true empowerment is happening with the team in the knowledge that there is complete reliance on those being led. The idea of not doing everything personally is now comfortable.
Strategic skills are developing. Discussions and influencing happen in advance of decision meetings and wider strategic relationships are developed within and outside the organisation
Stage 4 – Higher Levels of Leadership
Responsibility is at another level again. There may be no-one above you. Support from the peer group is as important as ever but it is smaller now so support both ways is important too.
You are creating the vision. Thinking needs to be long term and there needs to be encouragement of reports to do the same. You are no longer ever doing the doing.
Though you know as well as ever that you are never the finished article, there is greater comfort that your style can work in a senior leadership role. Communication of the vision is a key role and, irrespective of how natural they are, public speaking and written messaging are key skills. There is an awareness that whatever the mission is, taking people with you is of paramount importance for success.