Kathy! I really enjoyed reading your reflections on this mindset shift from IC to leader.
For me, one challenging part of the shift is redefining and reimagining what success looks like. When you're early on in your career and operating as an IC, the goals/milestones/outputs are more well defined. In leadership, part of the ambiguity is not only articulating (and creating buy in for) your vision, but also defining what it looks like for the team to be successful, and what it personally means for you to be successful as a leader.
Hi Amy! So wonderful to have you here! Thank you for expressing this particular challenge. You're 100% right. As leaders, we need to not just deal with uncertainty or ambiguity, we have to help our teams make sense of it, move forward despite it. Your point about defining success for your team is so important. Teams are so much more successful when everyone is pulling in the same direction and has a common vision for what they are pulling towards. For me, that has always been more effective when I put it into the context of the company's broader goals. It helps everyone connect the dots when they can see how they will contribute to the larger company vision.
And I love your point about personal success. Understanding the why is key to motivation and we humanize ourselves as leaders and create trust when we reveal what motivates us to our teams.
This was thought-provoking and insightful. It's so easy to fall into old patterns and behaviors - where it's comfortable. This mindset shift is critical. The "how to" is very helpful in determining what I can do now, and what I will do later.
Thank you so much, Maria! I agree about the old patterns and behaviors. What has been rewarded feels safer and more comfortable. It's so easy to stick to those.
Thanks for the feedback and for weighing in -- always love your perspective!
My challenge is always being decisiveness. As a leader, you need to make the hard decisions and be ok with them. While I think collaboration is the key to running a successful team, ultimately someone needs to take charge.
Yes, decisiveness is critical to great leadership and the hard decisions are often the most important. But all the more reason to make sure you are delegating and prioritizing your time well so that you have the space as a leader to review the key factors and percolate on them. As an IC, so much of our value is driven by our productivity but as a leader, it’s less about how much you did and more about did you direct yourself and others to the highest impact actions.
Kathy! I really enjoyed reading your reflections on this mindset shift from IC to leader.
For me, one challenging part of the shift is redefining and reimagining what success looks like. When you're early on in your career and operating as an IC, the goals/milestones/outputs are more well defined. In leadership, part of the ambiguity is not only articulating (and creating buy in for) your vision, but also defining what it looks like for the team to be successful, and what it personally means for you to be successful as a leader.
Hi Amy! So wonderful to have you here! Thank you for expressing this particular challenge. You're 100% right. As leaders, we need to not just deal with uncertainty or ambiguity, we have to help our teams make sense of it, move forward despite it. Your point about defining success for your team is so important. Teams are so much more successful when everyone is pulling in the same direction and has a common vision for what they are pulling towards. For me, that has always been more effective when I put it into the context of the company's broader goals. It helps everyone connect the dots when they can see how they will contribute to the larger company vision.
And I love your point about personal success. Understanding the why is key to motivation and we humanize ourselves as leaders and create trust when we reveal what motivates us to our teams.
Thank you for sharing!
This was thought-provoking and insightful. It's so easy to fall into old patterns and behaviors - where it's comfortable. This mindset shift is critical. The "how to" is very helpful in determining what I can do now, and what I will do later.
Thank you so much, Maria! I agree about the old patterns and behaviors. What has been rewarded feels safer and more comfortable. It's so easy to stick to those.
Thanks for the feedback and for weighing in -- always love your perspective!
I love the content and format of your posts Kathy. So many ideas bubbling away.
Great overview of how hard that switch is.
Saying no to yourself when you're a perfectionist or busy-bee is so tough.
But important to do so you don't burn out and become more effective as a leader.
I'm building out my team in my day job and had to get better at delegating. Was so used to doing it all myself.
It's paying off though but had to sit through the discomfort to get there.
That resonates so much, Sabrina, and I faced the same challenges. It’s one of the top issues my clients face.
Kudos to you for having the courage to delegate. Your team likely appreciates it and your results will show the impact of your strategic thinking!
Thanks Kathy. They seem happy and I always check and listen.
I want them to leave with skills and projects they're proud of. That means they need to own stuff, which they want to.
No idea how people find time to micromanage others! No!
My challenge is always being decisiveness. As a leader, you need to make the hard decisions and be ok with them. While I think collaboration is the key to running a successful team, ultimately someone needs to take charge.
*being decisive
Yes, decisiveness is critical to great leadership and the hard decisions are often the most important. But all the more reason to make sure you are delegating and prioritizing your time well so that you have the space as a leader to review the key factors and percolate on them. As an IC, so much of our value is driven by our productivity but as a leader, it’s less about how much you did and more about did you direct yourself and others to the highest impact actions.
Wonderful insights, Kathy!
Thank you so much, Mike! So happy it resonated.