From Manager to Leader #1

Leadership skills can be developed at any stage in your career.  Some people naturally possess these skills, others do not.  The good news is you can practice these skills and become good at them without the title or the money that comes with the title.  Acquiring these skills can also prepare you for your next promotion, they will get you noticed.  Following are some shifts to make when you’re aspiring to be a leader.

Shift 1:  Income to Value.  A manager wants to increase his/her income, a leader wants to increase his/her value.  To increase your value to the firm, you need to develop more of yourself and your leadership skills.  When you create additional value, money usually follows.  Concentrating on delivering value is a leader’s primary motivator.

Shift 2:  Satisfied to Fulfilled.  Managers want to be more satisfied, a leader is fulfilled and models it.  Managers look for specific things or experiences that make them feel better, good or great.  These are usually external experiences that fill emotional holes.  Fulfillment comes from within.  Fulfillment comes from expressing your personal values.  The result is inner peace and knowingness – an inner strength.

Shift 3:  More time to Reserve of Time.  Managers crave for more time for fun, leaders have a reserve of time and know the importance of fun.  You will ultimately produce more if you have a reserve of time, space and balance for yourself.  This means being deliberately selfish and letting go of ideas, opportunities and not solving some of the problems you could.  Rework your schedule to make pleasure and fun an after-work priority.  You want to have something to look forward to each day, after work and on weekends.  Then you will have something better to do than work, which puts work and your creativity in perspective and puts you first, not your mind, abilities or accomplishments.  Get out of the work-work-work trap.  Learn to say NO!

Shift 4:  More friends to surrounded by friends.  As you advance your career you can become very lonely, not making time to be with people you enjoy.  Structuring your social life around people who are associated with business results in having to be “on” or proper in these situations.  You don’t need to be any other way than just yourself with your friends.  Hang out with anyone and everyone who make you feel natural, yourself, happy and whole, with no guards up or act to perform.  Friends are gifts to be enjoyed.

Shift 5:  Talks a great talk to walks the talk well.  When you’re in a position of leadership model the behavior you expect in others.  You don’t get a free pass just because you’re the boss.  Meet deadlines, be on time, do what you say you’re going to do, there should be no gap in what you’re saying and what you’re doing.  Your job is to lead, manage and create, and to make sure your staff is focused on productivity and excellence.  Hold yourself to the standards you expect your staff to honor.

What do you need to shift from managing to leading?  The next blog will cover more shifts needed on the path to leadership.  Leave your comments below.

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