Most people associate leadership with age.
“I am 5 years into the company, so I should be in a people manager role.”
But great companies promote not based on age but instead based on behavioral maturity.
Here are 5 ways you can start demonstrating behavioral maturity and position yourself as the go-to leader for your next $200k+ leadership promotion:
Think there is a looming problem with your project? Inform management of the issues before they hear it from the grapevine. There is nothing that your senior leadership hates more than being blindsided. When you escalate correctly, your leadership will appreciate the added notice to take action and course correct.
When escalating, don’t just focus on the problem but instead bring solutions.
Here’s an example:
Problem-oriented: We are not going to meet the launch timeline for the project.
Solutions-oriented: We are behind on the launch timelines for the project. We have three options that can still enable us to meet the timelines:
Option 1: Borrow an SDE from a sister team
Option 2: Hire a short-term contractor
Option 3: Cut out feature X
I recommend option # 3 and would like your feedback.
Mentoring, coaching, delegation, and giving feedback are foundational skills expected of people managers, and it’s easy to start building those skills today. It demonstrates that not only can you take accountability for your own deliverables, but you can also drive other employees to contribute effectively to your organization’s success.
Most people I meet talk about their work in terms of responsibilities, but leaders always connect the dots between their work and the value it drives for the organization. Leaders are always thinking, “How does my work drive the top line or the bottom line for my company?”.
Here’s how you can start talking about your work in terms of results instead of responsibilities today:
Responsibility: I collaborate with technical stakeholders to evaluate and build automation frameworks.
Results: I collaborate with technical stakeholders to evaluate and build automation frameworks to increase team productivity by 75%.
Leaders take ownership. They never say "It’s above my pay grade"; instead they find innovative and collaborative ways to find a solution. When you are willing to buckle up and solve much-needed problems that no one is owning, it shows initiative and the willingness to go the extra mile to enable organizational success.
This is also a great way to build social capital and sponsorship that pays rewards for years to come!
Finding yourself stuck in your career despite the education, experience, and education? Here are 3 ways I can help.
