Transforming from "Accidental Manager" to Intentional Leader

I remember the moment when I was first approached about stepping into a leadership role. My boss approached me in the middle of a conversation with some of my colleagues. After excusing myself to some awkward looks, he pulled me aside and after some brief pleasantries, he cut to the chase: "Cameron, we'd love to offer you the opportunity to step up into a leadership role". 

I remember this moment like it was yesterday...

I felt like all the blood rushed out of my body and It felt like time stood still. My palms got sweaty and i'm sure for at least 10 seconds I looked like i'd seen a ghost. Despite my mental gymnastics going on seemingly in slow-motion, I distinctly remember taking a gulp and with a dry mouth managed to utter the words "I'd be honoured".

My boss stuck out his hand. "Congratulations", he said, holding his hand out. I shook his hand, still in a mild state of disbelief. "Let's chat later this week", he said, and then he left almost as fast as he came. I remember after accepting the role, thoughts, questions and concerns began to bubble up over the next few days...

To be honest I was quite happy in my previous role.

I was good at what I did. 

I was getting paid well.

I liked the people I was working alongside.

Are they sure they want me to do this? 

I don't have any leadership experience. What am I meant to do in this new role?

Why did they pick me? 

What if I fail?

How will this affect my current relationships at work?

I knew my next steps involved discovering some answers to these and many other questions as I ventured into this new role. Thus began my journey from "accidental manager" to Intentional Leader. The last 20 years of my life have been spent discovering some of the answers.

In today's landscape, stories like mine are not uncommon. Many individuals ascend the corporate ladder due to their technical prowess or functional expertise. But let's be real—having great technical skills don't automatically make you a leader who can ignite passion, foster collaboration, and rally your team around a common vision. 

This leadership gap can often be glaring at first, and unfortunately, many organisations don't provide the training and support pathways for new leaders to develop the key competencies necessary to transform these technical experts into impactful leaders.

The reality is, transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager or supervisor isn't a walk in the park. You don't get that honeymoon period where you can ease into the role. One day, you're solely responsible for your own tasks and projects, and the next, you're tasked with driving the productivity, performance, and engagement of your team members. 

According to an insightful survey from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), this shift is arguably one of the most significant transitions professionals will encounter in their careers. It's a complete transformation, where not only your mindset but also your behaviours must undergo a profound shift.

So, what does it look like to shift from "accidental manager" to intentional leader?

I believe there are 3 key areas that new leaders need to see a shift in order to increase their effectiveness. 

The Leadership Shift involves intentionally developing your competence, deepening your convictions and discovering new commitments as a leader.

So, how do you transition from an "accidental manager" to an "intentional leader"? 

Here are three core competencies, convictions and commitments you can cultivate that will help you to successfully lead with integrity and intention. 

I hope this helps you!

3 Core Competencies:

1. Develop Self-Awareness: Understand the effect you have on team dynamics. I've heard it said "YOU are the first problem you need to solve in leadership". The more you know yourself, the more you can lead yourself in a way that positively impacts those around you. 

2. Develop Compassionate Communication: Compassionate communication is the power tool for energising leaders and teams. When you develop the ability to listen to and understand where another person is coming from, and then communicate and behave in compassionate response to that, this can begin to build a culture of trust and openness, boost productivity, and promote feelings of inclusion.

3. Develop Adaptive Leadership: Adaptability is key in today's ever-changing landscape. In fact, Australian respondents to the LinkedIn Learning Workplace Learning Report 2021 ranked resilience and adaptability at number one in the top ten most important skills. You'll never regret developing this skill. Whether it's providing more hands-on guidance for a team member who's struggling or stepping back to let a high-performer soar, adaptive leadership is about being versatile and responsive to the ever-changing dynamics of your team.

3 Leadership Convictions:

1. Servant Leadership: As you step into leadership, one of the most important things to remember is that your role is to empower, not control.  Your goal is to serve, not to be served. One of the best ways to get the best out of your team is to ask yourself the following questions: How can I help my team succeed? What are their challenges? How can I reduce friction for them? When you genuinely seek to meet the needs of your team, this will foster a culture of mutual respect and shared responsibility. 

2. Authenticity: This one is short but sweet. Be yourself, imperfections and all.  Authenticity is the cornerstone of trust. It's better to be a leader who is always real than one who is "always right".

3. Sustainable Growth: Although it's important to establish some quick wins when you're first starting out in a leadership role, it's equally if not more important to ensure that you can see beyond short-term gains and focus on long-term goals that bring sustainable growth. Be prepared to play the long game and let the long term results speak for themselves.

3 Leadership Commitments:

1. Continuous Learning: This one is straight forward: make personal and professional growth a priority. Your team can only grow as much as you do!

2. Team Development: One of my favourite leadership quotes comes from Brené Brown who said "I define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential." Invest in your team's growth and well-being. You'll reap the rewards in the long run!

3. Transparent Communication: Be open with your team. Be committed to telling the truth. This goes a long way to fostering a culture of trust and accountability, and can add to your own credibility.

In conclusion, the journey from accidental manager to intentional leader isn't a quick sprint; it's a marathon requiring sustained focus and commitment. Focusing on developing these competencies, deepening these convictions, and discovering these commitments, will ensure you're not just filling a leadership role. Instead, you'll be embodying impactful, values-driven leadership. 

Ready to make the shift? 

Your journey starts now.