Transitioning from manager to leader requires a mindset shift to take risks and write the playbook themselves.
Leaders must navigate paradoxes, be self-aware, and adapt to disruptions and uncertainties in their roles.
Deep dives
The transition to leadership requires a mindset shift
The transition from being a manager to a senior leader demands a new way of thinking and a mindset shift. While managers typically follow expected outcomes and fulfill a given playbook, leaders are tasked with writing the playbook themselves. This shift entails always seeking opportunities, identifying problems that need solving, and having the courage to take risks. The transition to leadership is a significant step that requires leaders to lead with a vision and tackle tough problems.
Leadership demands self-awareness and facing paradoxes
Becoming a leader is one of the hardest challenges, given the many traps and contradictions that leaders face. The role requires balancing acts, such as being compassionate yet holding people accountable, creating a sense of urgency while being patient, and being inclusive while clarifying values. Leadership in the current era has become even more challenging due to disruptions and uncertainties. Leaders must adapt, be self-aware of their triggers, and navigate the paradoxes inherent in their roles.
Defining ambition, decision-making, and providing context
Ambition plays a crucial role in aspiring to leadership positions, but it is essential to clarify the reasons for seeking those roles. Great leaders possess strong decision-making skills, embracing the reality that tough decisions with limited data are part of the job. They must also be self-aware and manage triggers that may hinder rational decision-making. Additionally, leaders should provide context and set expectations for their teams, enabling them to make informed choices aligned with the broader goals and values of the organization.
If you had the chance to talk to hundreds of business leaders at the top of their game, what habits and patterns would you learn? Adam Bryant has done just that. He's the senior managing director of the ExCo Group and founded the “Corner Office” interview series at The New York Times. Along the way, he has identified the mindset and attributes that the world's best leaders have acquired to truly influence and change their organizations. He shares what they are and how to develop them in your own career. Bryant wrote the HBR article “The Leap to Leader” as well as the book The Leap to Leader: How Ambitious Managers Make the Jump to Leadership.
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