My high school band teacher once told me "Just because you've been given an instrument, doesn't mean that you're a musician."
I think it was his way to remind me that I was going to need to practice the instrument I was assigned. And that I'd need to practice more if I wanted to move up in the band.
Being given a leadership role can be likened to moving through different chairs in an orchestra or band, each with distinct responsibilities and focuses. While the progression isn't always linear, understanding these chairs can help individuals navigate their leadership paths more effectively.
Chair 1: Non-management
In this initial chair, you maintain your status by excelling in your role. The focus is on creating excellent work and handling personal tasks efficiently. Success here is defined by individual contributions and expertise. While this stage could be considered a pre-leadership stage, many leaders stay within this stage many months or years into their leadership journey. This can be due to the reluctance to delegate or prioritizing these tasks over other stages - both of which can hinder further progress.
Chair 2: Basic Management
This stage involves conducting one-on-one and team meetings, addressing issues, and handling complaints. Leaders often find themselves in "firefighting" mode, ensuring day-to-day operations run smoothly. The leader in this stage prioritizes the belief that monitoring others is the key role of a leader, therefore getting stuck in reactive management, which prevents strategic thinking. Leaders can overcome this by setting aside time for proactive planning and encouraging team problem-solving.
Chair 3: Development Management
In this stage, leaders take on proactive roles within recruiting, hiring, training, coaching, and motivating the team. Effective delegation becomes crucial, empowering others to grow. A pitfall is failing to develop trust within the team, which can lead to micromanagement and burnout. To progress, leaders should focus on building strong relationships, fostering open communication, and providing regular feedback.
Chair 4: Strategic Leadership
In this final stage, the leader focuses on long-term planning and development. Leaders set strategic objectives, mentor others, and create succession plans to ensure organizational continuity. The shift from managing tasks to developing people has been made. While this is the final stage, leaders should commit to continuous learning, seek mentorship, and stay updated with industry trends to continue their growth within this stage.
It's essential to note that the progression through these chairs isn't always linear. Leaders may find themselves sitting in all chairs within the course of a week depending on the challenges they face. Flexibility and adaptability are key, as effective leaders navigate through different stages based on their team's and organization's needs.
Just because you've been given the title of leader, doesn't mean that you've reached the destination of a leader. But by understanding and embracing these chairs, leaders can better prepare for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
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