What do leaders do? Or simply, how does one become a leader?
I read somewhere that, ‘The reason why too many women are being overlooked and missing out on leadership roles is because they get caught up “doing” the work.’
When it come to leading at work, women need to realize that while the work they do is to the highest standard, it will not get them noticed, heard or seen as a valued effective leaders.
Simply because the people who get paid the most, or get the most interesting opportunities, or influence how organizations are led and operated don’t spend their time doing but leading.
Leading is all about influencing. Influencing how business is conducted or ensuring that the overall stakeholder’s experience matches the expected outcomes so as to yield the desired results—productivity, performance and profits.
To lead effectively, you will therefore need to be focused and creative if you expect to come up with competitive strategies that deliver the expected KPI’s.
Effective leaders are known for their big picture thinking that drives real results to confront prevailing business challenges.
I recently worked with a very talented and ambitious client whose career trajectory took a steep climb headed for the C-Suite but suddenly stalled—and with it her presence and sense of self-worth.
What she didn’t know was that she was seen as a “doer.” As it turned out, she was the go-to-person in her unit due to her dependability preparing contracts, risks and mitigation documents, compliance guidelines and completed tasks that no one else cared to do.
The only problem is that she felt burned out, stressed, undervalued and demotivated with zero time to engage in the type of work that she deemed meaningful to keep her challenged and inspired. Worst of all, she felt unseen and unappreciated when she learned that she was no longer in included in the leadership team meetings.
The good news is that it’s never too late to repair your professional reputation to be seen as—a high valued contributor who is capable of leading others and getting the work done.
The shift from doing to leading
Your professional reputation shift from a ‘doer’ to a leader can be swift and effortless if you know exactly what to do.
1. Know what you want
The late Stephen Covey would say, ‘Start with the end in mind.’ This means you will need to have the clarity of thought to know what you want, why you want it and how to get it.
Simply, you will need to create time and space to think through your vision and purpose. Note, to get to where you want to be, you will need to embrace the mindset of being in that position before you actually get there.
2. Be Strategic
Let’s face it! We all have 24 hours in a day. Meaning it will take intentionality and discipline to get the mundane work done as well as work on the most meaningful projects that will accelerate your dreams and career forward.
Otherwise, you will find yourself busy being busy and getting the mundane work done, but stuck in a position you later resent because the returns don’t match the impact you expected.
So, look through your portfolio of projects to do, and ask yourself what one project if completed within the next 3 months will bring you the most desired results?
Once you make the pick, curve out some time from your calendar and commit to doing it daily/weekly till you accomplish it. The goal here is to showcase your contributions and add value to the rest of the team, and overall business goals.
3. Be Visible
Now that you’ve figured out how to become more valuable, it’s time to get yourself out there and be known for the great work you do. Simply, own it—your presence and your value add!
Think about the best leaders you know. They don’t hide themselves away. They are visible and have a strong network they call upon for support, guidance and collaboration.
Developing and maintaining a network of strong relationships is the secret to success. So prioritize, schedule a call or a brief zoom chat with your sponsors, mentors and those you look up to in your organization to learn and share your goals.
Remember, you were hired because you bring value and add value period! So, own it, maximize it and make the impact you’ve always desired to make—and you will be on your path to fulfillment!
Carolyne helps professional and organizational brands gain CLARITY for better results—productivity, performance and profits. To connect with her, send an email at carolyne@vpfstrategies.com
PS.
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