How managers can shift into leadership and make a bigger impact

Leadership has always fascinated me.

The obsession with it started when I was in college and for the first few years of my career.

During that time I would devour books about what it meant to be a leader.  I fantasized about being a leader. 

I wanted to be in charge. Hardly the definition of a leader. 

As time progressed though, my interest in the topic of leadership waned because it was far more effective to execute. I would do my work, do it well, receive good performance reviews, and get promoted into new roles. 

With each promotion however, progress became more difficult. It became more difficult because the instructions became less clear and I didn’t know what to execute against.  

No problem.

I’d do what had served me so well in the past. I would ask for guidance and direction. Yet that guidance would cause more confusion.  Asking different people yielded different directions and a lot of times they would contradict one another. 

I was stuck. I wanted to grow and continue increasing my impact. My frustration grew with each person I asked for guidance and help. 

The problem was that I was asking the wrong person.

I needed to move from management to leadership, and they are different things.

I was an effective manager and took an important first step in leadership, but I’m going to teach you why that was my exact problem. 

Managers take repeated and consistent action over time to create an impact. Its practice dates back to the days of Henry Ford. Henry Ford believed if he built a job an obedient person could execute, he could afford to pay people a lot.

He believed workers’ salaries could increase by as much as 10 times. All they needed to do was work on the assembly line and follow his exact instructions. He wasn’t looking for leaders, he was looking for managers. And workers were willing to comply to reap the compensation rewards that were promised. 

From that success, management spread across industries, both inside and outside of business. Executives learned efficient systems, and compliant workers created value. It’s the basis of how every organization and business is run today.

The thing is, management works. There’s no doubt that it creates value. The problem starts when the world changes. What we’ve found through the years of practice management is that when the world changes, management always fails.

And about the time mid-level managers enter that part of their career, the world around them starts to change.

And with the world changing, they have to lead.

I can define leadership by defining what leadership isn’t

I mentioned that I fantasized about leadership when I was in school. But why was that? What I truly fantasized about was my perception of the outcome of leadership. I wanted to be in charge.

I believed that if given the authority, I could lead.

The thing is that, for the most part, I didn’t know what to do.

So I learned by having a manager. My managers created me to a quality specification in a particular environment.

Then I learned that to be an effective manager, I needed to do the same with new analysts. I had to teach them to do and be a certain way to get an intended result. And like for Henry Ford, it worked.

After time though the problems I was encountering became more complex. They were problems that no one had addressed before.

For the first time, people would ask, “James, what do you think?” and what I thought mattered because people’s careers were at stake.

When I started to take that responsibility is when I started to learn to lead. I had to learn to pick a direction.

Managers say, do this because I said so. Leaders say, I’m going over there to do this, come along with me. - Seth Godin

There are three excuses that are holding you back from leadership.

Picking a direction is difficult and most people avoid looking like they failed. It makes them feel weak and exposed.

It is a big obstacle to get over to grow in your career.

These are the three excuses that I’ve heard (and experienced myself). Each of them prevents action to overcome that obstacle.

Excuse #1: What if I get it wrong?

Taking leadership has implications. If you choose the wrong path, you or your colleagues will face harm. That harm isn’t insignificant. It can mean reduced compensation. It can mean people losing their jobs.

It’s a legitimate fear.

You will get things wrong.

To become a leader, you will have to accept this fact.

Excuse #2: Someone is telling me what to do, so I can't disobey.

Managers blindly execute on instructions. Leaders think logically to define a path.

There are going to be times that your vision and your bosses vision don’t agree. At times, an accepted path will exist. But, due to the situation, that path won't make sense.

The root of not wanting to disobey can be traced back to excuse #1. You don’t want to be exposed to the implication of being wrong.

To become a leader, you will have to disobey from the accepted path.

Excuse #3: I don’t know what to do, it’s not clear.

The universal cry of the manager who is struggling to become a leader is, “It’s unclear.”

This excuse often comes from frustration with unclear expectations from other leaders. By now, you should be able to see the mistake in this thinking. The person that uses this excuse is still looking to be managed.

Part of taking leadership is not knowing with any certainty. Often the best you can do is to take a logical guess at direction. You always end up having to put yourself at risk of exposure because the answer is unknown.

You have to risk being wrong to lead. Your thinking needs to be, it’s on me. I did the research, but it’s on me.

To become a leader, you will have to take action even when the path is unclear.

Each of these excuses come down to one’s ability to take personal responsbility.

LEAP Method: Moving from manager to leader

There are four stages that you need to experience to transition from being a manager to being a leader. With each stage, you will power your career growth and impact.  The thing is, it requires patience, persistence, and mastering each level in order. You can’t effectively work on another level until you complete the level that you are on.

For many mid-level executives, you will focus on the first two levels almost all of your career.  

However, the last two levels hold the biggest rewards. Yet, they cost the most in personal responsibility.

I call this method the LEAP Method of personal responsibility and leadership.

Lead yourself (personal development)

Principle of this stage:

You can’t lead others until you can lead yourself.

How to do it:

1. Set Clear Goals and Vision: Know your desired personal and professional paths. Set specific, measurable, and time-bound goals that align with your long-term vision. This provides clarity and purpose.
2. Self-Reflection and Awareness: Reflect on your actions, thoughts, and emotions weekly. Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses to build improved behaviors.
3. Develop Self-Discipline: Personal development requires consistent effort. Cultivate discipline by creating daily habits that support your goals. Small, repeated actions lead to big changes over time.
4. Embrace Continuous Learning: Stay curious and open to learning. This can involve reading, taking courses, seeking mentorship, or gaining new skills. Continuous learning helps you adapt to new challenges and lead yourself through change.
5. Hold Yourself Accountable: Track your progress and hold yourself accountable for the results. This might involve tracking habits, reviewing your goals, and adjusting your approach. Take personal responsibility for your growth.

When you can pursue the next step:

1. You have a deep understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, emotions, and triggers. You reflect on your actions and decisions.
2. Your daily actions consistently reflect your long-term goals and values. You choose actions to achieve your goals. You build habits that support your vision.
3. You handle stress, setbacks, and challenges with calmness and adaptability. You learn how to manage emotions effectively and grow from difficulties.
4. You advance in many areas of your life. You don't feel overwhelmed or sacrifice one for another.
5. You approach life with a mindset of continuous learning and self-improvement. As you achieve your goals, stay curious. Be open to new knowledge, experiences, and ways to improve. Personal development is a lifelong journey.

Engage your team (team interaction)

Principle of this step:

Set personal responsibility as an expectation. 

How to do it:

1. Set a Clear Vision: Link your team's vision to your organizational goals. A clear vision creates alignment and motivates the team toward a common goal.
2. Communicate: Foster open communication by being clear, consistent, and transparent with your team. Encourage feedback and make sure team members feel heard. This builds trust and allows for early identification of challenges, enabling quicker problem-solving.
3. Empower and Delegate: Trust your team. Delegate tasks and let them choose how to achieve their goals. Give them the resources and support they need to succeed. It will allow them to take ownership of their work and develop their leadership skills.
4. Develop Team Members: Invest in your team's growth. Offer chances for development, mentorship, and skill-building. Encourage continuous learning and help team members set personal and professional goals. This increases motivation and engagement, while also strengthening the team’s capabilities.
5. Use Emotional Intelligence: Recognize, then address, both individual and team challenges. Address conflicts, burnout, or performance issues early and constructively. Support, clear guidance, and feedback will help the team. They will overcome challenges and stay productive and cohesive.

When you can pursue the next step:

1. Your team consistently meets or exceeds its goals and objectives. 
2. Team members trust you as a leader and trust each other. They collaborate effectively, communicate openly, and support one another. 
3. Team members show initiative without needing constant direction. They feel empowered to make decisions and are confident in their abilities. 
4. The team responds well to challenges, setbacks, and changes. They can adapt quickly to new circumstances, maintaining performance under pressure. 
5. Your team members are growing into leaders themselves. They want to mentor others, lead, and contribute to the organization. 

Advance your organization (organizational impact)

“There is always a very delicate interplay between individual actions and institutional conditions. But there is no such thing as institutional conditions without any individual actions and no such thing as individual action without institutional conditions. So there is always personal responsibility.” - Cornell West

Principle of this step:

Big organizations can make it easy for people to hide from personal responsibility.  Those organizations can be effective, they may even make money, but they can’t lead in their field.

How to do it:

1. Create and Share a Compelling Vision: As a leader, you must inspire the organization with a vision. It must be clear. It should be long-term. This vision must align with the company's core values and mission. It should guide decisions and goals. 
2. Create and put in place a strategic plan. Make your vision into actionable strategies and plans. Develop a roadmap that includes specific goals, priorities, and metrics to measure success. 
3. Build a high-performance leadership team: Surround yourself with a capable, diverse team. They must share your vision and be committed to the organization's success. 
4. Foster a Strong Organizational Culture: Build a positive, inclusive workplace. It should align with the company's values and goals. Lead by example. Show the behaviors and attitudes you want in the organization. 
5. Monitor Performance and Adapt: Use metrics, feedback, and market data to assess performance. 

Protocol (systematic approach to leadership growth)

Principle of this step:

Leadership is a skill built upon regular habits.

How to do it: 

• Vision and Strategy Development: Schedule weekly time for strategic planning and visioning. Do activities that boost strategic thinking, like trend analysis or scenario planning. Align your team's goals with the company's mission. Make sure the team knows the larger vision.
• Delegation and Empowerment Process: Identify key tasks and responsibilities that can be delegated. Implement a structured delegation process with clear communication of expectations and outcomes. Regularly check in with team members. Support, coach, and give feedback. But, avoid micromanaging.
• Emotional Intelligence Development: Incorporate emotional intelligence assessments or reflection exercises into your routine. Regularly seek feedback from peers and team members. That feedback should be on your behavior and communication style. Set aside time to reflect on emotional responses to key events and learn from them. Practice active listening and empathetic communication daily.
• People Development Framework: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with team members. Discuss their personal and professional development goals. Create individual development plans. They must align with personal goals and the organization's needs. Establish a regular feedback loop where you give and receive constructive feedback. Track and measure progress in team members’ skill growth and career advancement.
• Influence and Collaboration Expansion: Meet with other department leaders. Build relationships and understand their needs and challenges. Get involved in strategic company-wide initiatives or projects beyond your immediate team. Use chances for teamwork to solve problems across departments. Offer to lead cross-functional efforts when possible. Build a personal brand in the organization. It should reflect your leadership style and contributions.
• Continuous Learning and Feedback Loop: Regularly consume leadership content. Use books, podcasts, courses, or mentorship programs. Schedule quarterly self-assessments or peer reviews to track your leadership growth. Be agile and flexible. Use real-time feedback to refine your leadership approach.
• Use KPIs, like team engagement and retention, to measure leadership. Adjust your approach based on the team's performance and feedback. Also, consider changing goals.