To lead or not to lead – is that the question?
(With apologies to the Bard, Will Shakespeare.)
And, yes, that is, or should be, the question. Because too many people accept a promotion to leadership who don’t really want it. Too many people accept that promotion not really wanting the responsibility and, yes, burden, of true leadership.
They take it because most of the time, it’s the only option available if they want to advance, feel successful, and – of course – make more money.
And that’s why middle managers struggle; why there are books out there about how not to be a “bad boss”; why it’s true that people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers; and why managers are burning out at a higher rate than other employees.
Do you want to lead?
Leadership is different from anything you’ve done as an individual team member. It’s a constant gray area, with only occasional, and rare, certainties. It’s a lot of “it depends,” and a lot of needing to care for your people, not just the tasks at hand.
And in this time of constant change and disruption (which isn’t getting any easier or less frequent), it also means understanding how change impacts different people at different times – including yourself.
If you want to lead because you want to be a better manager than, perhaps, you’ve ever had, or because you want to support the people on your team in becoming better at what they do while also becoming better humans – then go for it.
And if you’re willing, in the process, to become a better human yourself (which requires self-awareness and that dreaded thing called “vulnerability”) – then go for it. Because good leadership demands this of us – and requires that we learn how.
But if you don’t want to lead, try asking your manager – your leader! – what other options there are for career growth. There may not be any – in too many companies, the only path forward is into management and leadership. But there might. And if you’re good at what you do as an individual, you just might inspire your manager and your company to create an alternative career path.
The tools of change leadership are the tools of all leadership – and really, the tools of how to do life well. Here’s my contact form. Let’s talk.