Over the past 20 plus years I have led people in a variety of capacities. Each different group of people, from 5 to 50, and in every different industry, had it’s nuances but the foundation for new leaders was there. I had always had clear guidance from the leader above me. There were clear goals and objectives to strive for. I always had the resources I need, or the capacity to create them, to lead in a way that supported unity within the team. When I was first promoted into corporate leadership I just assumed it would be the same.
What was different about leading in Corporate America?
In my first formal corporate leadership role, I was bright eyed and eager to lead and learn. I was prepared to make mistakes, learn from my team and peers. I wasn’t prepared for how I felt when I got in it. This opportunity was amazing for someone in their 20’s and I was thrilled to get it. I would now have the ability to champion change and influence people on a larger scale. The chance to be coached by both my boss, peers, and my new team was beyond exciting. I knew I didn’t know everything. I was so excited to learn all of the things I could improve on. What I found though, was that while my expectations were high, there was no foundation for new leaders in this new setting for me to build those expectations on.
The experience for a new leader
In the beginning, no one wanted anything to do with me. I was lonely and isolated. I felt left out by my new peers. There were minimal job aids for tasks that managers complete but no true resources on how to lead your team. The groups reporting to me didn’t trust that I knew what I was doing. Coming into a new role with new responsibilities, I didn’t even trust that I knew what I was doing. The idea of reaching out to my boss who just took a chance hiring a kid to lead a whole unit and telling him I didn’t know what to do was excruciating.
What made it successful
Fortunately for me, I had years of leadership experience to draw on. This allowed me to piece together what I knew to be solid leadership foundations for my team. Not every example I had fit the corporate financial industry niche I was in. For example, my years running a restaurant taught me the importance of proactive work to retain customers. However, washing tables and emptying garbage before the bins were full is a little different than beating SLAs. Managing nights at a grocery store taught me the importance of communicating up. I developed a check list to complete and leave on the owner’s desk for peace of mind in the morning. That’s a bit different than sending project status emails. Acting as President in multiple clubs while working and full-time college credits taught me time management and delegation. I’ll be honest, that one was much easier in corporate. I had to learn influence with volunteer college kids. By comparison, delegating to a team I managed with direct control felt like a cake walk.
One incredibly smart decision that company made, I was fortunate enough to be part of. They brought in a professional leadership trainer to work with the newest up and coming leaders. As new managers and supervisors we had the benefit of taking time away from our daily work to learn about leadership. I was able to take some of the basic lessons I’d learned through experience and apply them to the corporate culture.
Let’s get a firm foundation for new leaders, all of them
Your initial promotion into leadership is a pivotal time. Your level of readiness at that time impacts your success long term and the success of your team. Beyond that, it can either be a catalyst for organizational results, or, it can drag a group into distrust and complacency. Ensuring a firm foundation is critical to any new leader’s success. As I continued on in my leadership journey, I knew I wanted to be that catalyst for success of other new leaders and the organizations they work for. This business was built to provide that foundation for new leaders. I built it for the companies those leaders are all starry-eyed to make great. If you’re not sure you have the foundation for leadership, you’re in the right place. Let’s work together and I can help.