What’s the best way for a new leader to prepare for their role? How can they build their confidence as a people manager and hit the ground running?
Sort by:
The first step is learning from the experiences of others. This can be achieved through a community of practice like ours, or through group discussions with people outside of your organization. These interactions bring a lot of value and different perspectives. I've had mentors from diverse walks of life and different types of organizations that have helped me see things differently.
Sometimes, within the same company, you lose that spark of innovation and adapt to the processes. Therefore, connecting with peers and understanding their challenges is crucial.
Training is another important aspect. However, it's essential to understand that you might only retain about 10% of what you learn in a training session. You might need to repeat those training sessions to make the lessons a part of your natural behavior.
Before you become an official leader, it's vital that you already exhibit leadership qualities, perhaps through owning a project or an area of work.
I'd like to add that preparing the team and the people around the new leader is equally important. If you know the team they may manage, giving them opportunities to show up in that role early on can be beneficial.<br><br>For instance, we have a director currently preparing one of his engineers to become a manager. He started by letting that person lead stand-up meetings and organize work. Gradually, he had them start conducting one-on-ones with people on the team. By the time we promote him to a manager role, it will be a no-brainer for everybody on the team.<br><br>
If I were a new leader, I would focus on networking with people across the company, not just within my area of expertise. This gives you better visibility into what is going on with your company and how other teams perceive your team.
Actively seeking feedback from leaders you respect and reading books that teach you about leadership is also beneficial. Make it a part of your lifestyle to constantly learn, and use others' experiences in your day-to-day leadership.