The Battle of Repositioning: From Teammate to Leader

One day you're a member of the team, cracking jokes, and grabbing lunch with your coworkers. The next, you're their boss.

That title switch changes everything!

And it’s not just new for you; it’s a whole new deal for your team, too. They still see you as one of them, and it's hard for them to adjust.

While you might have trust equity as a friend, you’re starting from scratch as their leader.

Therefore, your first battle as a new leader is to reposition yourself.

It’s not about showing off your skills or flexing your title. It’s about stepping up in a way that shows you’re serious about leading.

It starts by stacking up small actions that demonstrate you are reliable and they can feel safe with you. It's creating a vision that makes your team excited for what’s next.

My new book, due out at the end of November, dives deep into 7 rules for mastering this transition:

1. Stack your bricks of trust
2. Create a palpable picture of tomorrow
3. Plant your flag in the ground
4. Spin the web, don’t catch the fly
5. Water the flowers, pull the weeds
6. Mend the cracks before they split
7. Build a championship team

Over the next 7 weeks, The Commercial Leader will cover all 7 rules. If any of it resonates with you, or you think your team can gain value, think about creating a personalized, branded copy.

For the price of a Starbucks latte, you can give your new leaders the best chance of success. DM me to learn more.

The leap from teammate to leader isn't an easy battle. But if you want the best commercial results, it's one worth fighting. With the 7 rules in 'Welcome to Leadership", it’s a fight that can be won.

If you want to give your new managers the best start possible, I run workshops - virtually and in person - to prepare new leaders for success.

Schedule a call today and let's work together.

About the author: I have 3 decades of corporate experience including serving as CEO of Best Western Hotels Great Britain for almost 4 years. I now reside in the US training, coaching, and speaking professionally on the topic of commercial leadership.