Before you take up a role where you need to lead and manage others, you need to ensure that you are up for the challenge. Accomplishing these 4 professional milestones are a sure sign that you are well-prepared for a leadership role.
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When my friend Jay was offered a promotion to become the Team Lead, he turned it down. Most of his friends and family members thought he was crazy. He, however, knew deep down in his heart that he wasn't ready to lead others yet. While he was good at his job and loved his work, he hadn't quite mastered key leadership skills or undergone experiences of leading first-hand and knew that these were crucial to his success as a leader. Therefore, he turned down the offer to focus on honing these skills and making himself comfortable in situations that leaders might face. 18 months later when the offer was on the table again, a more confident and skilled Jay accepted it and went on to lead his organization to new heights.
What this story tells us is that there are important milestones that every professional has to cross in his/her career before taking on the mantle of leadership. Without undergoing these experiences oneself, one cannot expect to succeed in a leadership role.
1. Delegation comes easy to you
If you don't know how to assign responsibilities to others and hold them accountable, you are going to struggle as a leader. That doesn't mean you have to be a micromanager. Instead you should be willing to let others do tasks that you formerly handled yourself and focus on the larger issues - developing and retaining talent, strategic business planning, etc.
2. You like to help others achieve their goals
Leaders don't focus on only their vision and goals. Rather, they help their people achieve their own professional or personal goals by helping them grow and develop their skills, knowledge, etc. In other words, you believe that by investing in others success, you are investing in your own success.
3. Others think you're "it"
Executive presence is one of the most important elements a leader must possess. If your team doesn't look up to you, respect you, and consider you as a person of merit, you will not be able to guide and motivate as a leader should. Only if you are seen as a person worthy of leading others , will others agree to be led by you.
4. You see the bigger picture
Your vision for your career and organization isn't restricted to your team or department. Instead you actively look for opportunities to collaborate and learn about various aspects of the business. You enjoy networking with peers from other departments and are able to align your goals with the long-term business strategy.
