Ruth Agbaji - Speaker, Author, Consultant

When I think back to my early career, one thing stands out: leadership wasn’t something that was offered to me; I had to seek it out. I had the technical skills, but leadership? That seemed reserved for the people at the top. But here’s the truth: leadership isn’t about a title—it’s a skill that should be nurtured from day one. #LeadershipDevelopment #Lead4Success #ManagementTraining #CorporateLeadership #HumanResources #BusinessTransformation #ProfessionalDevelopment

“Before my promotion, I was a good-to-excellent chemist. Now, I’m only an okay chemist and an okay manager.” That’s how one first-time manager described the letdown of being promoted from individual contributor to being a formal team leader. She’s finding that the skills and attributes that made her successful before aren’t very helpful for leading others, and she isn’t sure what to do differently. The numbers prove it: - 20% of first-time managers are doing a poor job, according to their subordinates. - 26% of first-time managers felt they were not ready to lead others to begin with. - Almost 60% said they never received any training when they transitioned into their first leadership role. No wonder 50% of managers in organizations are rated as ineffective. Senior leaders and talent professionals know a frontline management role can be tough. They see new managers falter — or fail. Without an attentive boss and supportive organization, first-time managers are on their own. Some figure it out, but many don’t. What can organizations — and senior leaders — do to strengthen their leadership pipeline by developing new managers? Read to find out more!

Going from a high-performing individual to managing a team was a rough transition for me. I learned so many lessons along the way. For any first-time manager—whether within a corporation or starting your own business, as it was in my case—intentionally flipping the switch from getting things done yourself to getting things done through people is absolutely critical to success. Leadership development can significantly shorten this learning curve, helping high-performing individuals evolve into high-performing leaders who inspire and empower their teams. #LeadershipDevelopment #EmergingLeaders #FirstTimeManagers #LeadershipGrowth #TeamLeadership #HighPerformers

Retaining women in tech, especially at mid-career levels, is a significant challenge. Join me as I share my personal leadership journey from big tech to the startup world, and building a woman-majority team. Discover how my V.O.I.C.E Framework can help support and advance women in their careers. Hosted by SheCanCode, an amazing community committed to working together to tackle the tech gender gap. ???? What to Expect: Insights from my transition from big tech to entrepreneurship Practical strategies to retain and advance female talent Link to register in the comments

Active listening is an extremely powerful skill that first-time managers need to excel in their roles. This visual does an excellent job of breaking it down. #LeadershipDevelopment #Lead4Success #ManagementTraining #CorporateLeadership #HumanResources #BusinessTransformation #ProfessionalDevelopment

?? Early Career Leadership Development for Women in STEM can help fix the leaky pipeline. Just like teaching girls to code early gives them a foundation for success in STEM, leadership development should start at the beginning of a career—not at the midpoint. As a former Microsoft software engineer who transitioned to founding and leading a multi-million dollar company, I’ve seen firsthand how early investment in leadership skills can change career trajectories. Investing in leadership skills changed my life, and it made all the difference for me as Code Wiz grew. Now, with Thrive Leadership, I’m harnessing my passion for women in tech to empower the next generation of leaders. I recently hosted a webinar for HR leaders, DEI managers, and Learning & Development professionals, focused on building a strong leadership pipeline for early-career women in tech using the VOICE framework: **Value, Opportunity, Identity, Confidence, and Empowerment**. For anyone interested, the webinar is now available on demand! Let’s get more women in tech into leadership positions—starting early can make all the difference! Click to watch the on-demand webinar - https://lnkd.in/eiii9ktn #LeadershipDevelopment #WomenInTech #EarlyCareer #HRLeaders #LeadershipPipeline #WomenEmpowerment #DEI #LearningAndDevelopment #ThriveLeadership #VOICEFramework #TechLeadership #CareerGrowth #EmpoweringWomen