You perform well in your professional field. You get promoted into a management role.
Maybe you go even further and make it into a leadership role.
Some accountants and professionals make that transition almost effortlessly. Others find it more of a struggle.
What you need to understand about managing or leading
We often are presented with this image of the super leader or manager. The type of person who seems to be just a natural. The person who is able to do it all by themselves.
Therein lies the problem.
In reality these apparent super leaders or managers understand something really important.
Their success is as much about the team that they build around.
It’s about hiring good people, making it clear what you are looking to achieve and giving people the opportunity to go and make it happen.
The real challenge for accountants and professionals is learning to let go, to trust others and live with the uncertainty.
Easy to say but not always easy to do.
After all getting professionally qualified and progressing up the ladder is a competitive process. There are winners and losers.
Chances are you may even have been promoted based on your ability to get things done maybe through your own efforts, drive and determination.
One would think that professionals would be assessed in terms of readiness for the next level. Sometimes this will be the case. Yet in some cases it won’t be the case.
The big assumption is that consideration has been given to the drivers of success at the next level and that you have been benchmarked against these drivers.
What’s clear is that if you are going to succeed, you have to get the very best from each and every member of your team.
Find out what makes them tick at work. What gets them giving that extra effort, what do they enjoy doing and what type of work plays to their strengths.
Then allow them the freedom and autonomy to do their best, shine and help you to succeed.