New leaders have authority and position, but not respect — yet. Use these three strategies to move from rookie status to experienced leader.
New Leaders, Not Rookies
If you’re a new leader, one of your biggest challenges could be trying to identify who you are as a leader; trying to identify who your followers are and what they expect from you.
You now have a position of authority, the organizational power that comes with your new role, but you haven’t quite earned the respect of those you’re leading. Too often in this early stage, new leaders can come on too strong.
It’s even more pronounced when you’re a new leader promoted over a group of which you were previously a member. Yesterday you were part of the group – one of the regulars. Today you are the leader – viewed and responded to differently. That can be a significant challenge both professionally, emotionally, psychologically.
New Leaders: Communicate, Involve, Know
New leaders should tread softly and learn as much possible as they go along. One of the best ways a new leader can improve leadership effectiveness is to improve their ability to communicate. Communication is a key element of leadership — learn to listen more than you talk; learn to hear more than you assume.
Learn to listen more than you talk; learn to hear more than you assume.
Then learn to involve people and help them grow. A leader is someone who gets things done through others. A leader is someone who cares not just about the results for the organization, but also about the outcomes of those they are leading.
New leaders should get to know well the people they are leading. Getting to know them means not just knowing their names and their positions. Getting to know them includes understanding their hopes and their fears, their aspirations and their anxieties, their goals as well as their failures and frustrations.
The more new leaders desire to know – about communicating with their people – about involving their followers – about what inspires or alarms their employees – the more equipped they will be to act like an experienced leader rather than a disrespected rookie.
What is the first step you will take to communicate, involve, or know your followers better?
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