3 Lessons Leaders Must Learn

The most important lessons on leadership aren’t learned in the classroom. Most of these, you learn through experience.?

I shared before that my leadership journey had a rough start. Transitioning from a high-achiever and go-getter individual contributor to a people manager was a steep step I had to make. Internally, it meant not just knowing how to lead and manage, but also being a leader. I battled with my inner gremlins of self-doubt and also reframed the way I perceived goal attainment.?

In this edition of Career Agility Newsletter, I am sharing with you three (3) important leadership lessons that I learned through experience, and through amazing and inspiring leaders that I’ve worked with.?

Leadership requires time investment

One of the activities that consumed not just my time but my energy when I was a people manager? conducting regular 1:1 sessions with my team. I’d do this fortnightly or monthly on a case-to-case basis. On top of the 1:1 sessions to talk about progress updates and career development, I’d also have mentoring sessions individually, especially if they’re working on extra projects or assignments with time constraints, and need more guidance.?

On top of these, I also had to set aside time for training - company mandated ones as well as those that are part of my development plans. Then there were emails, administrative requirements, meetings, and more.?

Yes, it does take time. But instead of thinking of these activities as time consuming, it’s best to think of them as time investments. When you coach, mentor and guide your employees, you are not just spending time (i.e. using, giving away), but actually setting aside time so that you have something to reap in the future.?

This is the case with developing people. What we invest in terms of time and effort now, we reap later in the form of better performance, or maybe even your team’s next leader or successor.?

Leadership involves letting go

A few weeks back, I was in a coaching practice session with some leaders who attended the Essential Coaching Skills for Leaders Program which I facilitated for their company.A participant shared that he was feeling bittersweet because one of his employees was moving to a different department as a promotion. He added that he was also the one who interviewed, hired and supported this employee during his career.?

I am not immune to this experience. Just recently, I invited someone to join a project and unexpectedly, she declined. I wasn’t prepared for it. I was her first mentor when she was starting out in the industry and I bore all the challenges of supporting her as she stumbled along the way. Taking a step back, I realized that though it hurts (somehow), more than anything else I am proud and grateful of how far she has come. Actually, the reason she said no, was because she had other new projects to handle.?

Yes, we invest then we reap. But someday, though bittersweet, we also need to allow them to spread their wings so they can reach greater heights.?

Leadership is not about having all the answers

One common fear of leaders is not having the answers to their employees' questions. They take it upon themselves to be all-knowing and to be the source of all information. This is a recipe for failure.?

Why? First, it’s not realistic nor sustainable for leaders (you’re human beings, not gods) to bear all the burden and to be a walking book of knowledge . Second, this means you’re hindering your team’s growth by not allowing them to think for themselves and contribute to finding solutions. And lastly, it shuts the door to creativity and innovation because of lack of openness to ideas and answers from others.?

So dear leaders, let me tell you, it’s okay not to have all the answers. Leave a little room for your own growth, a little room for mistakes, and a little room to be real and vulnerable. Your team will see you as more human and inspiring.

What’s the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned?

The 3 lessons I shared are very real in my own leadership journey. But there’s one other lesson that I learned the hard and literally expensive way.? Trust must be earned. It seems like a very simple fact that we hear and say a lot especially when it comes to personal relationships. But sometimes, when we are in a position of authority, we rely so much on it that we think it’s enough to win people on our side. It’s definitely not.?

What about you? What’s the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned through experience? Share them below.

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Coach Kurly de Guzman is a Career and Leadership Coach and one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices based in the Philippines. She continuously seeks ways to help coaches, leaders and teams thrive through her newsletter, leadership and career development workshops as well as group and 1:1 coaching sessions for clients.

To work with Kurly, send an email to [email protected] or book an exploratory call to discuss your organization’s needs here.