Are you leading your team orโjust following the daily routine? In the fast-paced business world ofโtoday, there is a significant distinction between these two behaviours. Both are important, but the transition you can take fromโmanager to leader can change the path of your career and make all the difference to your teamโs success.
It has been well researched and documented that people tend to leave โbadโ managers not jobs. So letโs look at six tell-tale signs that it could be time for you to make this critical transition.
1. You are focused on Day-to-Day Tasks, Not Big Picture Thinking
As a manager, you can easilyโget lost in the day to day. Youโre likely excellent at scheduling tasks, hitting deadlines, and generally keeping the gears turning. But hereโs the twist: Leaders look further than the immediate horizon.
Leaders are always asking where the team is going, not just where it is today. Theyโare charting the course for the future, thinking about how decisions being made now will affect longer-term objectives.
ActionableโTip: Take a little time each week to reflect on your teamโs long-term goals. The first questionโshould be, โWhere should we be in six months? A year? Five years?” This easy practice will help you zoom out from daily operations to overallโstrategy.
2. You Prioritise Efficiency Over People
In fact, it is what most managers are orientated towards โ they want to get things done fastโand efficiently. And while that matters, leaders knowโthat the members of their team are their greatest resource.
Good leaders know they build relationships, and that every person on the team has varying strengths and weaknesses, and that they need to helpโeach other grow and develop. It should be a scenario where people feel appreciated and are inspiredโto work to the best of their abilities. Great leaders also spend time ensuring that their team comprises of the best people they can find โ not just the people who can churn out the deliverables.
ActionableโTip: Set the time aside for regular one-on-one conversations with your team members. Ask about their ambitions, the challenges they face,โand how you can help them succeed. So, expect to see more productivity and efficiencies in your teams with this investment in your people.
3. You’re Dependent on Hierarchical Structures
Some managers still lean on traditional top-down structures to accomplish mission objectives. They may tell themselves: โIโm the boss, so peopleโshould do what I tell them.โ Leaders, however, understand that the strongest ideasโcan come from anywhere in the organisation. โWhile hierarchy may make some managers feel powerful and in control, the data suggests it’s actively undermining team unity and effectiveness.โ
Goodโleadership means collaborating, fostering teamwork, and building an environment where everyone is comfortable to speak whatโs in their hearts and minds.
ActionableโTip: Create a “no-rank” brainstormingโsession surrounding the problem, where all ideas are treated as equal. You mightโbe surprised at the out-of-the-box thinking that occurs when people feel free to weigh in without the threat of hierarchy.
4. You lead by Authority, Not by Influence
Managers frequently, with their power, reinforceโrules and get things done. They couldโsay, โDo this because Iโm your boss.โ Leaders, by contrast, inspireโand motivate their teams. There are some that lead by example,โbuild trust and respect.
When you lead by influence, people follow you when they want to, not because theyโย have to. All ofโwhich allows for a more positive and productive work environment.
ActionableโTip: The next timeโyou need a task to be done, explain the why! Share your vision andโhow this task contributes to the greater objective. When individuals know the observations that guide their work they tendโto be engaged and motivated in their work.
๐ Learn how to lead with influence and impactโsee our Strategic Leadership Training Courses
5. You’re Resistant to Feedback
Feedback may come across to managers as a challenge to their authorityโor a demonstration of weakness. Leaders have a different relationship with feedback; they see it as a learning opportunity and a path to growth.
This makes your team feel like youโre committed to being better every single day by being open to something that isnโt working. It also builds an environment in which people feel safe to speak up about their ideas and their fears.
ActionableโTip: When youโre next in aโmeeting with the team, request feedback on a topic. You might respond with:โโIโm focusing on my leadership skills. What is one thing you think I couldโdo better?โ Do remember to listen without being defensive and thank people forโtheir honesty.
6. You Keep Decision-Making to Yourself
Some managers frequently make decisions alone, believing that itโs quickerโor signals strength. But a leader that involves others in decision-making not only creates buy-in but also garners better results.
One way to increase your likelihood of success is to include your team in the process. Thatโs because peopleโare more likely to buy into decisions that they had a part in making.
ActionableโTip: For your next major decision, use thisโtechnique: Share the problem with your team, solicit their input, and guide the conversation. Your decision will be guided by yourโteamโs collective wisdom, but you will still have the final say.
FAQs
Q1: How do I knowโif Iโm managing vs. leading?
Examine how you spend yourโtime and energy. Are you spending your time focusing on the tasks and processes you manage, or are you spending yourโtime developing your team and planning for the future? Peopleโand long-term strategies come first to true leaders.
Q2: How do Iโevolve my leadership style?
The firstโstep is becoming more conscious of what you currently do. Then work to make your approach more big-picture, improve the way you solicit feedback and moveโfrom giving just direction to inspiring and empowering your team.
Q3: In what ways do leadership courses help me growโas a leader?
Another way to develop your leadership abilities is to take a leadership course that offers freshโinsight, teaches you useful skills and allows you time to think about how you lead. So you can learn from other peopleโs experiences and keep up with best practicesโaround leadership.
Discover our Leadership and Management Courses
If you are looking for leadership courses, be sure to remember LCT International, our various programmes tailored to help you become more than just a manager, but a leaderโas well. Out Upskilled courses are designedโto reflect what modern leaders need, ensuring you take away practical skills that you can implement right away in your place of work. If you want to develop your strategic competence, or to master the capacity to inspire and excite others โ LCT International has that course for you.
๐ Browse our full suite of leadership and management programme to find the one that suits your goals!