Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • March 19, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 25 EXPERTS CORNER You're a leader, so now what? By Karen Hinds T he thrill of a new promotion into a leadership posi- tion can be quickly eclipsed by feelings of disillusion- ment and a sense of failure if you are not prepared and are not strategic in your transition. Too many new leaders hit the ground run- ning only to realize that, although they possess the requisite technical skills to get the job done, their ability to lead people is inadequate. Often- times companies equate an individual contribu- tor's excellent performance as a sign that they are ready for leadership — and nothing can be further from the truth. New and even existing leaders should con- sider the following as critical must-do actions to support a strong leadership career. See the organizational big picture The minute you are pro- moted, you can no longer be only concerned with just your job at hand. Take the time to understand your organization on a deeper level. Know the strategic goals and objectives, read the annual report, know the challenges the organi- zation is facing, get even more familiar with the politics and know the key stakeholders and influencers. When attending interdepartmental meet- ings, pay attention to what's going on in other departments instead of just focusing on your area. Be aware of how your organization's com- petitors and external issues affect your organi- zation's success. Build your circle of influence The stronger your network, the quicker you will transition into leadership and claim some wins. If you took this job as a stretch assignment, sur- round yourself with the mentors and influencers who can guide you through the organizational landmines that can slow your progress and even derail your career. Lean on this circle to cut your learning curve but also allow them to be your eyes and ears in places you cannot access. This circle should be a combi- nation of people within your organization whom you trust but also reach outside the organization and even outside your industry. Work on your leadership confidence and executive presence The pressures of leadership can be daunt- ing, especially in the first few months. You are trying to gain a clear understanding of your job, learn more about your team and yet appear confident, competent and in control. New leaders stumble when they are not able to read people and situations quickly; they are hasty to prove themselves and may come off as brash. Learn the delicate dance of listening to the needs of your team, valuing their input, building trust. Prepare to lead your friends and coworkers As an individual contributor, you may have spent hours complaining about management with your friends and co-workers, but your promotion into leadership essentially means that the dynam- ics of these relationships must change. Be careful not to appear to have favorites. Put a healthy distance between yourself and those you manage, especially with those you had a close relationship with. It might be a bit lonely at first, so seek refuge in other leaders who have similar experiences. Get comfortable with conflict Conflict is inevitable when you are working with people but most leaders try to head it off. No leader wants to be at the helm of the team where there is always in-fighting and chaos is the rule of the day, but you also don't want to be the team where ideas are squashed often and certain personalities make it a toxic environ- ment in which to work. Conflict can be healthy. It is possible for teams to disagree yet respect each other and even use conflict as a problem-solving tool. Enroll in a leadership program If you are to be an effective leader, it's essential for you to know how to coach your employees to higher performance, manage conflict, negotiate on behalf of your department and team, delegate and think strategically, among other skills. Although some skills can be learned on the job, it will be to your advantage to dedicate the time to hone those skills through a combination of a formal leadership program and mentoring. Design your personal policies and procedures that govern your life Every leadership position comes at a price. Late nights, early mornings, missed personal events and opportunities that sometimes make it easy to compromise your values. Decide what boundaries need to be put in place to maintain your integrity and your sense of self as your power and influence grows and your earning capabilities increases. Think inside the box and out of the box So much emphasis has been placed on out-of- the-box thinking that time and energy is wasted on things that are simple and straightforward. Yes, out-of-the-box thinking has its place and can revolutionize an organization, but it does not apply to everything. There are solutions that simply require common sense. Schedule personal thinking time It's rare that new leaders take the time to actually sit and reflect on the wins and learn- ing lessons on a regular basis. Developing this habit early in your leadership journey will afford you the creative energy to be objective regardless of what is before you. Karen Hinds is an author of four books, international speaker and CEO of Workplace Success Group LLC, a boutique talent development firm. Contact her: Karen@workplacesuccess.com. Karen Hinds BIZ BOOKS Tips to perform better under pressure By Jim Pawlak "Crunch Time: How to Be at Your Best When it Matters Most" by Rick Peterson and Judd Hoekstra (Berrett-Koehler Pub- lishers, $19.95). Peterson, who helped many baseball pitchers achieve stardom, and Hoekstra, a VP handling leadership consulting at the Ken Blanchard Companies, combine their "people" knowledge to show man- agers and employees how to reframe high-pressure situations into opportunities to shine. To set the stage, think about listening to the radio on your way to work. You've preset stations based upon your likes. You press a preset and it's playing one of your favorite songs; you sing along and turn up the volume; negative thoughts disappear. The next song isn't one you like. What do you do? Change stations because the song evoked a negative thought. Changing stations was your positive reaction to the negative thought. You reframed the situation. At work, you often self-inflict pressure for three negative reasons: 1. You think you have little control over the situa- tion. 2. You don't think you can handle the assignment. 3. You're thinking about the consequences of failure. Your woe- is-me approach means you're trying not to lose. That's a game you can't win because the negatives create a reflexive bias on your approach to the situation/ task. By dumbing-down your ability, you've become "your own worst coach." The "conscious thinker" takes a positive approach by identifying what can be controlled — your ability to apply your skills. Doing so creates confi- dence in your ability to explore and assess options while preparing for/working on the task. This playing-to-win mindset sees problems as opportunities to showcase and hone your skills and produce results. To think consciously, slow things down. Before diving in, question assumptions you're making about the situation and possible outcomes. Filter out the negative ones and remember that you've faced similar situations and won. Create a "how will I use my skills" game plan. Key takeaway: Thoughts drive actions. Jim Pawlak Book Review HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM POLL LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULT: Would lowering income taxes and boosting the sales tax make Connecticut more competitive? NEXT WEEK'S POLL: Has this winter's inclement weather negatively impacted your business? 41.4% No 58.6% Yes

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