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So you want to be a manager, director, or executive?
Here are a few things you have to be prepared to do as an organizational leader that no one will teach you how to do, but you'll be expected to do it anyway.
Here are a few things you have to be prepared to do as an organizational leader that no one will teach you how to do, but you'll be expected to do it anyway.
Ensure the vision, strategy, principles, practices, etc., of the team are enough to motivate individuals and maintain high morale for the team.
Really difficult and takes lots of practice.
/1
Really difficult and takes lots of practice.
/1
Evaluate your team for downsizing, deciding who stays or who goes, and then have to go back to your day-to-day and continue to develop your team, strive for excellence, etc. You may have to do this for months, not weeks or days.
This shit really sucks.
/2
This shit really sucks.
/2
Prioritize the skills and capabilities the team needs to be successful inside the larger organization. This may result in moving some roles out of your team.
Not as sucky, but it still really sucks.
/3
Not as sucky, but it still really sucks.
/3
Provide feedback that might be met with anger, confusion, sadness, frustration, apathy, or all of the above and allowing the recipient to express themselves safely.
Holding space for another while you're feeling your own feels is remarkably hard, but necessary shit.
/4
Holding space for another while you're feeling your own feels is remarkably hard, but necessary shit.
/4
Put someone on a performance improvement plan. There will be a day where you have to place someone on your team on some variety of improvement plan.
The whole thing sucks.
/5
The whole thing sucks.
/5
There will be a day where you'll have to let someone go. Whether it's poor performance, downsizing, or something else, it's awful to prepare and to have this conversation.
It's really just the worst to tell another human they're being laid off.
/6
It's really just the worst to tell another human they're being laid off.
/6
Attend a meeting where you've just been informed your boss has been fired, and you're now the interim boss.
Every trigger you have will be triggered at once. It's a rush of panic in every direction.
/7
Every trigger you have will be triggered at once. It's a rush of panic in every direction.
/7
Tell really amazing candidates they aren't getting the job. It's even more difficult if it's someone currently on your team.
Gut-wrenching.
/8
Gut-wrenching.
/8
Sit with other organizational leaders and discuss the merits of individuals on your team and their teams to determine which members will get raises, promotions, etc. and which won't.
This is exhausting, but worth every bit of energy you have to advocate for your team.
/9
This is exhausting, but worth every bit of energy you have to advocate for your team.
/9
Understand when you're not the best-suited leader to respond. Not all experiences and perspectives are shared, and the appropriate response may be asking another leader to lead at that moment.
One of the most formidable skills is to learn is when it's time not to talk.
/10
One of the most formidable skills is to learn is when it's time not to talk.
/10
Step forward when you've screwed up. Be vulnerable to the fact that you've made a mistake and own up to it, especially when other leaders are looking at you and some make look to take advantage of that screw up.
Walking the walk can be a lonely road.
/11
Walking the walk can be a lonely road.
/11
Stand up to your own boss. Be clear when they're not being the leader you expect. It's so hard to set boundaries for yourself as a leader.
You deserve to have your expectations met every bit as much as anyone else.
/12
You deserve to have your expectations met every bit as much as anyone else.
/12
Place your team in good hands and in an optimal place to succeed when you leave. Regardless of why you leave, you have to leave it better than when you arrived, which means it should be better every day that you're there.
Damn, this is a pressure cooker.
/13
Damn, this is a pressure cooker.
/13
At the heart of all these is to lead humans who are part of your team who have placed their trust in you. There will be times you satisfy them and there will be times you disappoint them.
Your job is to both know that and continue to try and do better.
/14
Your job is to both know that and continue to try and do better.
/14
These challenges will take an emotional toll on many of you, unlike any you've experienced before. You may feel alone in this. You are not alone in this.
If you have to do any of these things and are feeling alone, my DMs are open.
/end
If you have to do any of these things and are feeling alone, my DMs are open.
/end