Be Humble. Give Credit. Listen.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with the General Manager of a large online retailer about their leadership training process. I was specifically asking about leadership training for those transitional roles of managers in training. The short answer? There was none. There seemed to be some great training in place once you attained the official ‘manager’ title but there was little (or none) for these managers of tomorrow.
Here are my top three things every new leader needs to know, inspired by the ones not doing them.
1. Be Humble
It’s very easy to be proud of yourself for you new position and you should be. But it’s not your team’s responsibility to fill this cup for you. Many leaders (not all, of course) find themselves in their new positions because they are confident in their abilities and are pretty good at self-promoting. When you’re in a new position of authority, it’s a good idea to temper these self-promoting tendencies.
New leaders are watched closely from up and down the chain of command. Stay off your pedestal. You need to understand that a large part, if not all, of your success as a new leader, will come from how you serve those around you. Like Theodore Roosevelt said, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Recommended Reading: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
2. Give Credit, Don’t Take Credit
I once had a new leader introduce me to someone this way: “This is Chuck! He’s a great guy! I trained him!” to which I sarcastically replied, “You trained me to be a great guy?” Never give these reverse compliments. This person spoke such nice words and then snatched them back for himself.
Instead, introduce people with a complimentary (but not overly personal) fact about that person. That little shared fact may lead to a shared conversation between the newly met colleagues or at the very least, it shows everyone that you are paying attention. Here’s an example: “This Chuck! He’s a great guy and he loves to read! What are you reading now, Chuck?”
Another leader was introducing me to a colleague and they were discussing a new exciting initiative. He was giving me far too much credit in coming up with this new idea. In fact, I felt like I needed to correct him, saying “You know, I think I was there when the idea was generated, but I don’t think that was my idea.” They said “Oh well, I’ve been telling everyone it’s your idea.” Now I only pray it’s a good idea…
Recommended Reading: The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey
3. Share Your Story, But Only After Learning Theirs
I knew a manager that would remind me constantly what a great team builder they were, citing the many awards for engagement and culture they had won in their previous role. Because this manager had read a book or two about leadership, they would also ask questions. Great! But those questions felt scripted and designed to lead to even more tales of glory. People will be less likely to share their story if you only want their story as a springboard to your own.
Your people want you to know their story, (on their terms, don’t pry) so be there to listen to their wins as well as their challenges. Your story will come out organically through these conversations but make sure theirs comes out well before yours does.
Recommended Reading: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
If I had a bonus 4th piece of advice (and apparently I do) it would be this: Don’t apologize for the organization.
I hear many new leaders, to maintain their credibility with their coworkers, apologize for the organization or having to abide by this policy or that process. You are in a unique position because you know how some policies and processes are sometimes received by others. Apologizing is a spineless way to handle these interactions. It’s difficult, but new leaders have to find their new voice in their new role and if you disagree so strongly about the organization’s policies, why did you seek out your new role?
There is a dichotomy in leadership and I have yet to read a better book about this than Jacko Willink’s and Leif Babin’s book The Dichotomy of Leadership.