Leadership going through the levels

No matter what level of manager you are, a team leader or first line manager you will need leadership skills to succeed. The transition from ’employee’ to team leader or supervisor/ manager is often a difficult one. The management in the business do not see you as part of their team. The employees from where you have been promoted no longer see you as one of the girls (or boys), and now part of “the management”.

You are in the middle ground. One your own!

Identifying what leaders need at different positions, scopes and roles is an important one. However this infographic from Skillsoft highlights the problem faced by many business and HR people alike…

What is leadership?

It seems that global leader Skillsoft does not differentiate and believes that:

leadership = management

This is such a shame, and it is no wonder that purchasers are confused.

From a management skills perspective this is a useful piece – but for leadership development – the phrase “could do better” comes to mind.

Leadership going through the levels

It is true that the skills of leadership are required at all levels in an organisation. Being a leader is not just the job of those at the top of an organisation. Indeed it could be argued that increasingly, with flatter organisations more of us need to demonstrate leadership ability just to ‘get the job done’.

True leadership is about enabling people to buy in to the direction or vision. To understand their role, and want to contribute. Often people ‘follow’ others because they trust them. Not because they are ‘superior’ or hold higher rank.

You are only really showing leadership when people follow you. People chose their leaders. Businesses hire their managers. Hopefully the managers that an organisation hires has leadership potential. Once in post it is up to the individual to show they can be trusted, and that it is “safe” and rewarding to follow them.