Being a leader isn’t for everyone. For many, it offers an amazing career. For some, torment. How do you know if you are ready to be a leader? Or even that you want to be?
Are you ready to be a leader?
This seems like an easy enough question, but how do you really know if you are ready to lead, whether you would be good at it? Not everyone knows. Some give it painstaking consideration while others view it simply as the next step in their careers, a move from individual contributor to manager to leader, and declare “I’m ready.”
Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Hogan Assessments, and other tools can help you understand strengths, opportunities, and traits that translate well (or not) to leadership. These types of tools are exceptionally valuable in shaping your thinking. In addition to self-assessments, there is an easy litmus test for determining whether you are truly ready: unsolicited, do others encourage you to become a leader? If not, have you asked team members, partners, your direct manager, or a confidant for their opinions?
I worked with a gentleman many years ago who was struggling with whether he wanted to apply for a leadership position. He wanted the promotion and raise that came with the position but didn’t necessarily want the additional responsibilities that come with being a people leader. I caught him off guard when I asked why he thought he would be a good leader. To that point in the discussion, the considerations he provided were based on what he wanted, needed, and had to offer; he presumed his experiences spoke for themselves and had prepared him well. He had said almost nothing about team or partner needs. He hesitated when I asked if he had gotten direct feedback from others encouraging him to apply for leadership positions. He had not. He admitted he didn’t know what they would say. He ultimately asked and received mixed feedback. He didn’t apply for the position he and I were discussing, but with some time and greater self-awareness he eventually became a leader and led a successful career.
To get honest opinions, you need to make it okay for people to tell you the truth, and that is not always easy. Grant them permission to be candid, providing them with approaches like, “Mike could be even more effective if…” and 360-degree feedback. Additionally, providing peers, your manager, and your leader with an honest assessment of your strengths and opportunities for improvement opens the door for genuine conversations that will provide you with actionable insights. Be prepared to hear the truth and to act on it. If you are not, that alone may indicate you are not ready to be a leader as leaders regularly receive the gift of feedback.
Are you sure you want to be a leader?
Would you enjoy it? Even if others believe you are ready, it’s important to think about what you enjoy about your work and what’s most important to you to determine whether you truly want to be a leader. For you, do the pros of being a leader outweigh the cons? Consider a few points:
- Are strategy and planning work as exciting to you as operations, sales, marketing, process improvement, or other types of hands-on work?
- Do you get the same level of satisfaction from providing thought leadership and people leadership to a team as you do from performing the work?
- Do you prefer to focus on one or two items, or do you like to cover a myriad of topics on any given day?
- Can you translate vague statements and gray areas to clarity and action for your team?
- Are you willing to make decisions with imperfect information?
- Do you enjoy being on point for resolving problems, relationship issues as well as work-oriented problems?
- Can you negotiate under stress to gain alignment and keep work moving along?
- Do you like public speaking?
- Do you like to dedicate significant time to financials?
- Do you enjoy mentoring, helping associates grow and win their next desired position?
- Do you enjoy building a high performing team and providing the direction they need to succeed as a team and individually? Can you elevate yourself to empower the team to succeed or is your interest in the details too great?
- Can you look someone in the eye and tell him he is not performing well, and you need to let him go without letting it eat you up? Without destroying his self-image?
- Does it bother you when someone criticizes you, your work, or your team?
Some considerations are work oriented. Others are people oriented. And some have a personal orientation. As part of your career planning, I encourage you to write down what truly makes you happy in your work and what you want from your career. Clearly describe to yourself what excites you and gives you energy and what bores and stresses you. Match your list to the leadership positions you are considering to determine whether those positions would make you happy or whether what you really want is variety in positions at your current level. I will take a deeper look at career planning in an upcoming blog.
Let’s assume you have received great feedback on your readiness, have taken into account other considerations like those above, and have decided you want to proceed into leadership. It’s now time to apply for the position. Please see my Interviewing Tips For Leaders guide for ideas on how to win the position you want.
Share your thoughts below.
For those of you who are leaders, how did you know you were ready? How did you know you wanted to be one?
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