It’s a moment you’ve been working towards for a long time… and it’s finally here! Congratulations on your promotion. But now what?
We don’t always think about what comes next when we reach a new promotion level at work, or even how to excel in the new role. We’re just grateful that we’re here!
Imagine if you had a plan. What if you were armed with a set of tools and techniques that would enable you to hit the ground running effectively and to maintain that level of achievement until your NEXT promotion?
Self-managing
Before you can effectively manage others you first need to manage yourself. Self-managing means being able to prioritise your goals and being responsible for accomplishing those objectives. To be an effective leader, you must be able to monitor your time and to pay attention to your emotions, all while remaining aware of your strengths, weaknesses and potential sources of bias.
Strategic Outlook
According to a Harvard Business Publishing report entitled Leading Now: Critical Capabilities for a Complex World , “Leaders must always be prepared to adjust their strategies to capture emerging opportunities or tackle unexpected challenges.”
Thinking strategically is an ongoing process that involves assessing your business environment constantly. You can create a strategic approach by:
- Adopting more curiosity in your everyday working life and being interested in the world around you and the wider business environment.
- Being open and flexible
- Remaining positive, with your eyes on the future
Communication
Good leaders know how to communicate. It’s a simple and fundamental skill that enhances every single business practice across the board. It’s about communicating on ALL levels, and being able to discuss everything from organisational goals to specific tasks. Communication is as much about non-verbal cues as it is about talking, and understanding how you can get good at it requires practice and self-evaluation.
Being accountable
As a leader, you’re going to have to get used to carrying more weight on your shoulders without letting it affect your team. Using your power and authority appropriately on employees (so that you don’t intimidate or overwhelm them) will help your staff to become accountable themselves. Making sure you (as a leader) follow procedures and a predetermined order will help your staff to do the same, and there will be a security and comfort in that approach for all involved.
Setting goals and committing to them
Do you want to know the secret to being a charismatic leader? Define your goals and be relentless and purposeful in your pursuit of them. Ensuring that you have a strong sense of self-confidence and boundless enthusiasm for your work will draw people to you.
Remember that writing your goals down is key to the success of both you and your team, but that accomplishing those goals takes patience. If you don’t see your goals through, then why would your team bother? To be a successful leader, you must be willing to keep going when others are tempted to throw in the towel.
Leadership is a muscle, and it’s a muscle you need to exercise and flex regularly. You can do that with effective training and investment into your own journey. Me Learning has a huge selection of leadership courses that can help you nurture your career. Check out our library here.