6 Challenges Engineers Face as New Leaders

Drawing on over a decade of experience supporting companies and their leaders, I am thrilled to share insights tailored for those engineers transitioning into leadership roles for the first time.

1. Shift in Perspective:

Overcoming the challenge of moving from a technical expert to a leader involves adopting a broader perspective. Learning to see the big picture and understanding the unique needs and skills of each team member is crucial. Focus on team development, celebrate collective achievements, and recognize that your success is now intrinsically tied to the success of your collaborators.

2. Technical Profiles:

Engineers often have highly technical profiles, excelling in specialized areas. However, ascending to leadership may highlight gaps in skills such as communication, emotional intelligence, and leadership—essential components when managing people.

3. Difficulty Delegating:

Engineers tend to engage in tasks they excel at, leading them to focus on habits that brought success in the past. Despite potential work overload, they may find it easier to "do" than to "have others do" (delegate or distribute tasks through their team).

4. Perfectionism:

Perfectionism is common among engineers, potentially hindering delegation and leading them to handle tasks themselves, becoming bottlenecks in certain cases.

5. Lack of Time:

Managing a team often brings a sense of overwhelm due to various factors such as interruptions, failure to delegate, new responsibilities, and difficulties in prioritization.

6. Becoming the Boss of Peers:

Transitioning from being a peer to leading former colleagues can be uncomfortable or advantageous, depending on how the situation is approached. Appointing a mentor or "right-hand person" among more experienced colleagues can be beneficial for both the new leader and less seasoned team members.

What Can Be Done?

To navigate the challenges of leading people, consider the following measures:

- Leverage the experience and willingness of team members with more experience.

- Seek mentorship from superiors, acknowledging the learning curve of transitioning from an individual contributor to a team leader.

- Invest in leadership and team management training for a smoother transition.

- Develop emotional intelligence and social skills.

- Explore methodologies to enhance time management and productivity.

All these skills (leadership, time management, etc.) can be acquired through in-company training or self-directed learning (books, video courses, etc.).

It's Achievable.

Yes, I assure you. Throughout my professional journey, I've witnessed engineers evolve into exceptional people leaders by honing their leadership, emotional intelligence, and essential soft skills. Overcoming these challenges in team leadership is not automatic or easy, but it's possible.

In summary, the transition from engineer to team leader is an exciting journey with its unique challenges. Embracing these challenges, continuous learning, and focusing on personal and team growth are key steps toward success in leadership roles.

#Leadership #Engineering #ProfessionalDevelopment

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Inma Ríos has been guiding leaders and teams to achieve their goals through training, mentoring, and personal development for over a decade. She is an engineer with over 25 years of corporate experience in various countries. She is also a business trainer, international speaker, and certified Agile Coach Professional. Top Women Leader 2022 Award.

More information at www.inmarios.com