Why leaders should learn to value the boundary spanners
Entrepreneurial talent who work with other teams often run into trouble with their managers. Here are ways to get the most out of your ‘boundary spanners’...
Brain Circuits
How to grow beyond your skillset: a self-check for leaders
Leaders often need to navigate significant changes of direction in their careers – which means expanding their skills and ways of working. Answer the following questions honestly to check your readiness to evolve, and check out the tips on growing beyond your skillset.
The self-check
- Do you have a tendency to take on too much work?
- Do you find it hard to delegate to your team?
- Do you still have a specialist mindset?
- Is your approach generally more reactive than proactive?
- Are you hyper-focused on how your function is performing?
- Do you think strategically about how it could better contribute to the business’s growth plans?
- Have you analyzed what you need to flourish professionally and personally in your new role?
How to grow beyond your skillset
Significant changes in career direction, such as advancing from managing a particular business unit or function (finance, IT) to having a broader leadership position, usually require a mindset shift. The following are simple strategies to help make the transition:
Accept it’s time for your team to step up
Allow your team to take on more responsibility – give them the autonomy and trust they need to thrive in their roles.
Think strategically
Broadening your leadership aptitudes requires you to think more strategically about your role. Temper the desire to focus on the needs of one business unit, and adopt a broader organizational lens.
Be proactive
If you have joined a new organization or function, bear in mind that the culture may be very different: where specialization may have been highly valued in your previous role, you will likely need to be more proactive about immediate business and growth objectives in your new one.
Adapt your style
Be prepared to adapt your style in your new role. You may need to be more direct and forthright with recommendations that touch the whole organization, and not wait for guidance and information from peers or superiors.
Key learning
Transitioning from managing a specialist function to a broader leadership role means expanding your skills and adopting new ways of working. Remember: what got you here may not get you there!
Authors
Related
How to prevent employee burnout through a growth mindshift
When we feel stressed, we’re more likely to operate from a place of fear and fall back on a mindset that is fixed, judgmental, and focused on polarities – behaviour that soon...
How can AI enable your business strategy?
Artificial intelligence is perhaps the most far-reaching technology ever created. Google’s AI business strategist Gopi Kallayil recommends asking yourself three key questions regarding your business strategy and identifies three AI capabilities you...
Tell me more: how to boost your leadership skills by learning instead of directing
Many leaders feel compelled to motivate their teams to perform by being highly solutions-focused – but learning rather than directing often leads to better results. Consult the following checklist to guage whether...
Learn Brain Circuits
Join us for daily exercises focusing on issues from team building to developing an actionable sustainability plan to personal development. Go on - they only take five minutes.
Explore Leadership
What makes a great leader? Do you need charisma? How do you inspire your team? Our experts offer actionable insights through first-person narratives, behind-the-scenes interviews and The Help Desk.
Join Membership
Log in here to join in the conversation with the I by IMD community. Your subscription grants you access to the quarterly magazine plus daily articles, videos, podcasts and learning exercises.