Being new to the job can be scary, especially when you’re a school leaver joining the grown-up world of grey suits and red diary dates.
And just because you’ve worked your way up and now want to land an executive or management role among the vacancies on s1jobs doesn’t mean the nerves have gone completely.
In fact, if anything, taking on a senior position can be more daunting than starting out. With the new title come much greater responsibilities and, if you’re going to make it, you need to know these five things.
Born leaders are rare
The CEO who comes into their new role like a natural is rarer than incarnations of the Dalai Lama. The truth is not everyone knows instinctively how to manage people. Trial is bound to meet error but learning is faster this way – so when you get it wrong, learn quickly, revise your position and move on.
Boss is a noun not a verb
Being over-assertive backfires because it makes people instantly defensive. This is especially true when you find yourself managing colleagues who until now have been peers. You can be authoritative without being authoritarian. It’s all about being firm and fair, leading not pushing . . . and not ‘growing too big for your boots’.
Close but not too close
If you’re the kind of person who needs to be liked all the time, senior management could be extra challenging. Informal banter is great and after-work drinks are fun for team bonding but you should never put yourself in a position where the need to be everyone’s friend hinders your primary mission: the company’s bottom line.
Let’s talk about it
In management good communication is the fabric that holds everything together and lets the magic happen. Detailed discussion leads to clear objectives that lead to tangible outcomes, with everyone singing from your hymn sheet. Remember when you thought meetings were a waste of time? You’re about to learn why they’re so important.
There’s no manual
A final thought. No one is expecting you to do everything by yourself and there isn’t a magical manager’s action plan for every situation. This means the best leader is one who’s never afraid to ask for help – and when you’re new to the boardroom chair this will be often. When he joined the Enterprise even Captain Kirk had to ask where the canteen was.
If you’re ready to take the step up, take a look at the Executive & Management positions on s1jobs