When I first became a supervisor, I was overwhelmed, unprepared and really, really disheartened. Ironically, my record of professional success had both propelled me into a leadership role and caused my initial struggle with it. Before becoming a supervisor and the reason I was chosen as a supervisor was this success, yet this success blinded me to any consideration that this new role might be different and not all that easy. For those who promoted me, it is possible they felt the same and did not think I would need any training or support (because I sure did not receive any!) Unfortunately, this situation is not uncommon, as people are frequently promoted to management based soley on their competence in their current role, without any consideration for that person’s potential or desire to take on a leadership role. It does not set up anyone for success.
After admitting that I was not particularly good at my new role (an admission that took much longer than it should have), I finally decided to do something about it. I did not like the feeling of being unsuccessful at something and it was obvious that my incompetence as a leader was affecting my work, the morale of the team and ultimately everyone’s overall well-being. Despite initially believing otherwise, I was not naturally good at this new role, and I wanted to get good. The problem was, I had absolutely no idea how.
Like many first-time supervisors, I was not given any training, coaching, guidance or support on my new role, so it was up to me to figure it out. With little budget and less direction, I started trying different things, lost but determined. I went to the library and took out a stack of leadership books recommended by the librarian, since I had no idea how to distinguish one from the other (there were so very many!) I reached out to friends and colleagues in supervisory positions to ask for their advice and input. I attended workshops, conferences and trainings and watched every webinar I could. I subscribed to blogs and newsletters and podcasts and read more research articles than I would care to know (actually, it would be kind of cool to know.) I was committed to figuring it out. I still am. In fact, becoming a strong leader has grown into helping other people become strong leaders too.
To help other people become strong leaders, I still check out books at the library while I am in the process of writing my own. I remain curious and use that curiosity as an ICF-certified coach to support leaders in their own growth. I still attend conferences and now speak at them. I run a website, blog, Facebook group and courses on what it really takes to be a good leader, because I know how hard it is, and I know how important it is. What I have learned over the years is that becoming a strong leader entails a lot more than just building leadership skills. To be a strong leader, you must have:
MINDSET OF A STRONG LEADER
Being a strong leader requires a strong leadership mindset. Like everything else we do, our mindset determines how and why we do it. An essential, though often overlooked component of becoming a strong leader is examining your current leadership mindset and making shifts to it when necessary. What we think and the stories we tell ourselves determine how we lead. It is important that we do it well. Some questions you can ask to begin understanding your leadership mindset are: What do you think your role is? Who do you involve in the decision-making process? What comes up for you when your staff disagrees with you? Do you think your way is the best way? Do you think your way is the only way? Are you more concerned with outcome or process? There are countless questions to ask yourself, most of which you can and should be asking over and over again. The questions as much as the answers will determine whether you have a leadership mindset. As you begin to think about how you think, there will likely be several places where you will need to actively work to shift your mindset. It is a simple concept but not an easy one to put into practice. It is, however, essential to your success as a leader.
INVESTMENT OF A STRONG LEADER
Becoming a strong leader takes intention and investment. Despite a lingering belief that will just not go away, leaders are made and not born. To become great, you need to invest in becoming great, and this investment should be ongoing. As you continue to grow as a leader, you will discover new areas to invest in. At the same time, you can continue to invest in making your strengths even stronger. Investing in your continued growth will help strengthen you throughout your leadership journey, and it will serve as a positve model to your team as well. As you invest in your own growth as a leader, it is your responsibility to invest in your team’s growth as well. In fact, this should be your priority. You need to invest in their growth, making sure they are actively involved in their own professional development process. Leading effectively is a challenge, but it becomes so much easier when you stop trying to figure it all out on your own and you involve your staff in the process. Nobody knows better than they do what they need.
NECESSARY SKILLS FOR A STRONG LEADER
There is no set number of skills you need to be a strong leader, and there is no consensus on which skills are most important. Depending on where you work, some skills will be more pertinent than others. The important part is to understand which skills are necessary for your role and then determine which ones you already have, which ones you need to develop and which ones you may have to find in others. The same is true of your staff. Your job as a leader is to understand your team’s strengths (as well as your own) and provide every opportunity for people (including you) to utilize those strengths. People succeed when they are given the opportunity to do what they do best. Don’t you? Stop wasting your time and energy trying to get people good at things they simply are not good at and instead, invest in people’s strengths. Focus on where people shine and put them in the spotlight every chance you get.
DESIRE OF A STRONG LEADER
If you do not really want to be a leader, you will never be a great one. If you are skilled enough, you may become a good one, but you will never be great. Ask yourself if you really want to be a leader, and if so, for what purpose? What is your vision as a leader and how committed are you to getting there? Similarly, make it a point to understand what motivates your staff. What do they really care about? How are they trying to grow? What are their plans in the short-term as well as the long-term? What are their dreams? Do they want to be leaders themselves? What is their vision? How can you help get them there?
Leadership is as much art as it is science, and how you lead will depend a great deal on who and where you are leading. There is not a uniform set list of practices and principles that will serve all leaders in all situations. However, you can benefit from research and best practices to understand at the most foundational level what makes a strong leader. Strong leaders lead with their MIND (Mindset, Investment, Necessary skills and Desire).
To support you on your leadership journey, we are offering a new virtual course. This course will help transform you from a struggling supervisor to a thriving leader using the Lead With Your MIND® principles. In addition to the content, you will have the opportunity for group and individual coaching to help you work through this transformational process. To create a community of support with fellow leaders, we have created a new Facebook group. In this group we will create community, support and discussion around some of the most challenging parts of leadership. We will also celebrate each other’s successes, an important, though often overlooked part of the leadership development process. Leadership can be a noble and rewarding pursuit and it is often a lonely one. Join us on the journey…
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If you would like more support to become a stronger leader, join our self-paced, value-packed virtual course. This course will give you everything you need to better support your staff while becoming a stronger leader. Join today and revisit the materials as many times as is helpful. Click the photo below to learn more.
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