Five things to do when navigating a leadership position

Every generation brings change to culture, ideas, views, and it is no different with leadership as well. This continues to be seen as an increasing number of millennials from my generation reach leadership positions in the workforce. Like everything else, the role of a leader continues to evolve and millennial leaders are now redefining what that means. Effective leadership is now perceived as an influential construct that emphasizes authenticity, adaptability, flexibility, and work-life balance.

On my journey to leadership, I have grown with a foundation of tools that I have relied on when navigating positions of responsibility, leading a team or bringing shared visions to life. The list is a lot more than just five things, however, there’s always a place to start for those seeking it, and here are the top-five tools from my personal experience:

Discover the type of leader you are

Dreaming is essential for personal growth and leadership, as your curiosity, sense of adventure, and fearlessness turns into reality. Having said this, a clear and true direction that represents who you are  is imperative. First and foremost, “a leader is anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential,” says Brené Brown in her bestseller, “Dare to Lead”. When starting out, think about your vision, what is important to you, and what are your core leadership values. Be curious about your leadership style; a few styles outlined in the book “Co-Active Leadership: Five Ways to Lead”: leading from the front (a visionary leader), from within (a purpose-led leader), from beside (a collaborative leader), from behind (a servant leader) or from in the field (an intuitive leader). These leadership styles provide a great starting point to think about personal strengths, weaknesses and create your own brand as a leader by incorporating these styles in your leadership journey.

Create your inner circle

We need people – whether it’s mentors, family or trusted friends – who comprise our circle of influence, to challenge us, push us to do and be better and also champion us along the way. The right inner circle helps set new, ambitious expectations of ourselves, raising the bar and also becomes our support system along the way. We can also benefit from the shared experiences of our peer group, a coach or mentor who offers feedback, or a senior leader within the team who disrupts familiar patterns and keeps us on track. Keep asking questions, keep learning and keep having the tough conversations with your inner circle to keep growing as a leader – don’t go at it alone.

Build mental resilience

We cannot avoid ever-increasing complexity and the global pandemic in 2020 made it necessary for leaders to learn to navigate change, disruption and uncertainty. Being thrown into the deep end at a time like this, taught me how to embrace the discomfort of not knowing and build the mental strength to support decision-making processes calmly and consistently. Zoom out to see the bigger picture, and approach people and situations with empathy and candor. Experiences outside of work also help us build mental strength, whether it’s a physical pursuit like hiking, riding a dirt bike, or yoga that enhances your health and wellbeing, or an activity that challenges you, boosts your self image and self-confidence, and makes for interesting conversations

Stay away from self-defeating behaviors

I recently read a book called “How Women Rise” by Sally Helgesen, which identified a list of self-defeating behaviors that often hinder professional growth and progress. Habits like seeking constant perfection, an unnecessary desire to always please, a reluctance to claim your achievements and many more are constantly holding people back from their next promotion, or larger goals. Don’t shy away from creating a “to-don’t” list along with your to-do list each week to remedy any behaviors limiting your growth and this will take you to the next level.

Reward yourself

Celebrate the journey that has brought you to this point, your strengths and achievements, and take a moment to manifest your goals. This can be a moment of self-care, a vacation, or finally owning the car or handbag you always wanted! The qualities, skills and talents you have, are what got you here today. Marshall Goldsmith tells you to eat the marshmallow in his book “The Earned Life” – there is no real need to delay the gratification earned from a job well done.  Recognizing these wins and appreciating the good, comes in handy especially when you face challenges and uncertainties.

The pursuit to set clear goals, make progress toward achieving these goals, find meaning in life, and build positive relationships is constant as my generation continues to establish ourselves as leaders. So whether you are in middle management or an executive embarking on your career, it’s never too early or too late to create a toolkit which will bring your leadership dream to fruition.

 

Words by: Malaika Fernandes – Consumer Account Director,  Atteline