Temper promotion with patience

HarrishSairaman

“With great power comes great responsibility”. We cannot agree less! You’ve finally reached the summit, getting promoted; having a corner office and a hefty pay (if not literally, metaphorically or symbolically), life is seemingly set. It’s time to celebrate the efforts you have put in so far to reach your goal. But, is this it?

Is this where your journey ends? Is this your peak or plateau? Well, this actually marks the beginning of a new challenge. Growth as a leader, a mentor, an idol, that somebody can look up to. This is your time to be that person you always wanted to be. 

Being new to this role of the next level, you might get overwhelmed with the responsibilities and accountability that comes along. Well, you have a team to handle — people management, delegating tasks, controlling and observing discipline, avoiding loopholes and crevices, and most importantly, getting along with a new set of peers, who earlier had been above you in the hierarchy and are now at the same level. How can you work with them as an equal without being arrogant? How do you maintain the equilibrium between your teammates and yourself?

After being crowned as a leader/manager or a senior, you need to prove your worth to those who have always seen you as a runner-up. Michael Watkins in his expanded edition of The First 90 Days quotes, “You need to fundamentally reset how people see you.”

Here are some ways to prove yourself worthy of your new position:

Welcome responsibilities 

With position comes greater responsibilities and so does the pressure of handling such things well. It’s mandatory to keep yourself in check by maintaining the equilibrium of your mind and body. You might find yourself being pushed and pressured hard, but eventually, you’ll get opportunities to reinvent and rediscover a newer version of yourself, coming out of your cocoon and do something exemplary.

Upgrade yourself

In this era of digitisation, not only smartphones’ but even ‘smart people’need an up gradation for smooth operations. It’s mandatory to sharpen your axe on a regular basis in order to deliver your best, eventually contributing to your organisation. Introspect and find your shortcomings. Analyse the strategies and the approach you need to bring in your behaviour to get the desired results. Remember, this is the time when this approach and attitude of learning and growing is of paramount importance.

Bottom line, leadership is essentially a craft that develops over time. While it’s essential to be patient with yourself, you ought to start by acquiring and mastering job-specific skill set, develop people skills and build relationships that will eventually help you build your career. Remember, Rome was not built in a day and neither are careers. At end when you get promoted, do celebrate and celebrate for two reasons — once for the reward of what you have delivered in the past, and the other for taking a step towards a new future.

One step at a time

Giving all your inputs at one go may cause mayhem in your team, especially in the beginning. It would be wise to temper your enthusiasm and give yourself time and space to adjust to the tasks you have been endowed with. Find a suitable situation to assert yourself and focus on the best thing you can offer your team with.

Patience is the key

Forcing your decisions on your colleagues or expecting them to act accordingly would take time. Some might ignore you altogether, while some of your peers would take you for granted, so be prepared. It always takes time to get into the minds of the thick-skulled, and it is worth the wait. Till then let them test your mettle or ignore you, cultivate a powerful adaptive attitude and a belief that “You can! If not today, tomorrow for sure.”

Bridge the gap

Connect with your team over a cup of coffee and informal talk. Get to know their strengths, expertise, and learn about your areas of improvement. Improvise. This way you’ll be able to extract the best, thereby strengthening your bond with the team all the while boosting your output.

— The writer is a leading motivational speaker www.harrishsairaman.com