Being a New Leader Is Challenging

Stepping into a leadership position comes with its own set of difficulties:

• Fear of Failure: The anxiety of making mistakes can be overwhelming, particularly since losing a leadership role comes with added embarrassment.
• Eyes Are Upon You: Your team's performance is now a reflection of your capabilities.
• Navigating Biases: You may encounter biases related to age, gender, or ethnicity. Personally, I faced challenges in gaining respect from older team members.
• Striking a Balance: It’s easy to adopt an extreme leadership style—either too lenient or overly strict—leading to a consistent pattern that defines your leadership identity.
• Wearing Multiple Hats: While managing people is your primary responsibility, you might also find yourself mired in processes and optimization tasks.

These challenges can be overwhelming, especially when trying to develop as a leader. Over time, many leaders gravitate toward what feels comfortable, which can sometimes hinder overall team synergy and performance.

For some individuals, the transition to leadership can seem like an easy path to a pay raise and authority, allowing them to avoid the mundane tasks. However, if you aim to lead effectively and support your team, the following lessons are crucial.

These insights are particularly beneficial for:

• First-time business owners hiring their initial team.
• Temporary leaders filling in until a permanent one is appointed.
• Individuals in dream roles that involve managing others.
• Those aspiring to lead in the future.
• Community or team creators.

These lessons will guide you through your first 30, 60, and 90 days—and beyond.

Here Are The Lessons

1. Understand Team Engagement: Not everyone will share your level of enthusiasm. Recognize that commitment can vary throughout an organization, and adjust your expectations accordingly.
2. Craft a Vision: Regardless of your position, develop a vision that resonates with your values and motivates your team to rally around a shared goal. Solicit feedback to ensure team involvement.
3. Identify Individual Goals: Everyone has personal motivations. It's essential to understand these and support them, even if it means individuals may eventually leave your team.
4. Set Clear Standards: Hold yourself and your team accountable. Establish non-negotiable standards that advance team objectives. Without clear expectations, inconsistencies can arise.
5. Lead by Example: Your actions must align with your words. If you want your team to be punctual, you must demonstrate the same behavior.
6. Be Available for Your Team: Dedicate time, even if brief, to engage with your team as a servant leader.
7. Own Your Responsibilities: When someone seeks your help, provide it. Afterward, coach them to solve similar issues independently in the future.
8. Acknowledge Your Limitations: It's okay to not have all the answers. A response like, "That's a great question. Let me find out and get back to you," can build trust.
9. Address Issues Promptly: Don't ignore conflicts. It's crucial to confront issues directly, especially if you prefer avoiding confrontation.
10. Seek Feedback: The best evaluation of your leadership comes from those you're leading. Be receptive to their feedback to refine your leadership style.
11. Maintain Professional Boundaries: While being friendly is important, avoid becoming too close with your team. This helps in making unbiased decisions.
12. Enhance Your Coaching Skills: Many leaders lack formal training in coaching. Invest in courses and workshops to improve your coaching abilities, which can significantly benefit team performance.
13. Cultivate Cultural Awareness: In a diverse workplace, understanding and respecting different backgrounds is key to leading effectively.
14. Be Adaptable: While it's important to remain steadfast in your goals, be flexible in your leadership approach to navigate complexities that may arise.
15. Embrace the Challenges of Leadership: Leadership is one of life's toughest roles. Mistakes will happen, and you will face criticism. Yet, the ability to lead well and learn from experiences is invaluable.

Leadership is a sought-after skill that not everyone possesses. As remote work and freelancing grow, the ability to lead effectively is more crucial than ever. Remember, AI cannot replicate the human elements of leadership like compassion and empathy. Strong leadership will be essential for future families and communities.

By applying these lessons, you'll swiftly advance from a novice to an accomplished leader.