How to Transition into a Senior Leadership Role: Challenges, Competencies, and Advice
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Many of my clients are professionals transitioning from mid to senior level leadership positions. Some of them are experienced managers of individuals and are now leading teams. Others are new managers or are now responsible for larger areas.
Many of us struggle when transitioning from a subject matter expert and soloist to a leader and conductor.
Leadership is both science and art, requiring a blend of specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes. These attributes are essential as we grow in our role and in the company’s hierarchy.
As we advance to higher leadership positions, attitudes become more relevant than knowledge and skills. Acquiring and refining these attitudes takes time, as they often require changes in behavior.
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t – you’re right.” Henry Ford, late Founder of Ford Motor Company
Success in leadership can be visualized as a triangle, with three essential elements: knowledge, skills, and attitude.
The knowledge side depends on your specific area of expertise and by now you have acquired enough of it to lead others.
Skills encompass a blend of general leadership capabilities—like communication, goal setting, and relationship management—as well as those tailored to your industry or specialization.
The attitude side is the cornerstone of success. While some attitudes, such as honesty and integrity, may come naturally, others, like self-confidence and optimism, may require deliberate cultivation.
Transitioning to a senior leadership role requires a shift in mindset: acknowledging that certain tasks no longer require your direct involvement. Recognizing and delegating these tasks early on is crucial.
You will then have the time and space to work on the key competences for leading people as well as on acquiring and displaying the attitudes expected at your new level.
These are key competences related to leading and managing people at a senior level:
- Crafting and communicating a compelling vision, mission, and strategy for your team or function.
- Cultivating relationships and influencing at various levels of the organization and industry.
- Facilitating meetings with stakeholders beyond your immediate team.
- Tailoring persuasive messages to diverse audiences through multiple channels.
- Writing effective performance reviews, succession plans, and talent designations for yourself and your direct reports.
- Balancing coaching and mentoring your team including providing timely, useful, and actionable feedback.
“The right of commanding is no longer an advantage transmitted by nature; it is the fruit of labors, the price of courage.” Voltaire, French writer, historian, and philosopher
The most difficult part for me while transitioning from mid to senior level leadership was the shift away from tangible evidence of my work.
For example, in the past I was personally responsible for preparing material for specific forums and committees. These tangible outputs served as clear demonstrations of my skills and expertise, as well as how I allocated my time at work.
However, in my new role, I no longer had the direct responsibility for creating these documents. Instead, the time I once spent on assembling presentations was redirected towards crafting and preparing how to deliver the message as well as guiding my team members in refining the content.
It took me longer than I expected to adjust to the world of the intangible. Looking back with what I know now, I recognize a few things I would have done differently.
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1961-1963 United States President
Firstly, I would have talked to more people to learn how they handled their transition. This would have had the added benefit of deepening existing relationships and creating new ones.
Secondly, I would have experienced the discomfort. I do not like being bored, feeling idled during work hours. I could have used that discomfort to create awareness, fully define what I was now responsible for, and set clear expectations with my team. I would have also sat with the displeasure of feeling guilty because I was under the (inaccurate) impression that my team was working hard, and I was not.
Thirdly, I would have prioritized transferring my expertise to my direct reports. Like many others before me, I failed to effectively delegate tasks to my team because a) it was faster if I did it as I knew exactly what was needed; and b) there was a tight deadline. As I now know, this works in the short-term and it is detrimental in the long-term.
Lastly, I would have allocated the time previously used on specific tasks to shadow and learn from those in higher positions, whether in scope, rank, or both. This proactive approach would have provided invaluable insights into the broader concerns and responsibilities at each level, better equipping me for future transitions.
“No person will make a great leader who wants to do it all themselves, or to get all the credit for doing it.” Andrew Carnegie, American industrialist and philanthropist
One more thing before you go
Transitioning to a senior leadership position has been one of the most challenging things I have had to do in my career. Even harder than managing people for the first time. I am grateful for the lessons learned along the way, which I am now able to share with others navigating a similar path.
The higher we are in the organization, the more demands on our time and brain we receive. Attempting to address every task and request is counterproductive; we would quickly be out of balance and burn out.
We provide the highest value when we focus on the few things that we must personally execute such as building relationships, influencing at various levels in the organization, and removing obstacles for our team.
Embracing the intangible aspects of leadership – like relationship-building over preparing a PowerPoint presentation – opens new avenues for professional and personal growth. Cultivating attitudes such as self-confidence, motivation, and enthusiasm has been instrumental in sustaining my ongoing journey of learning and development.
How was the transition for you? Please, let us know in the comments.
As a leadership coach, I enable talent to achieve bold goals with high standards. My mission is to empower underrepresented women in the financial industry transition from mid to senior level leadership positions using mental fitness to achieve peak performance, peace of mind, and healthier relationships.