Classroom Leadership to Corporate Management: How Educators Can Transition into Operations and Team Leadership Roles

As an educator, you have spent years honing your classroom management skills, refining your lesson plans, communicating with diverse audiences, and strategically planning your day. These skills which you thought were only applicable to teaching can actually transfer to the corporate world and position you to be a strong operations manager or team leader. If you are burned out from teaching or simply ready for a change, here are a few ways you can leverage your management abilities into another profession .

What Teaching Skills are Transferable to Corporate Roles?

Regardless of what grade or subject you taught, teaching is not for the faint of heart. You need to be organized and ready to adapt in the blink of an eye. You never know what each day will hold or what challenge you will be faced with next. But those experiences can serve you well as you transition into operations and team leadership roles.

Leadership. Your class is like a small team that you are responsible for. You must move everyone toward a common goal and get them to buy into why what they are doing matters, whether that’s working with fractions or learning about Newton’s Laws of Motion. The same applies in an office. Your department’s contributions to the larger company play an integral role in the business’ success.

Another similarity is setting expectations. Teachers are great at managing behaviors and letting students know what is and is not acceptable. For projects and assignments, you have to outline specific requirements and how they will be evaluated. Corporate projects must meet certain standards as well, and employees must know what is expected of them.

Organizational Skills. Teachers have a lot to accomplish in a short period of time. That means having to quickly prioritize tasks and balance workloads to meet deadlines. You have to keep track of progress toward goals and adjust your lessons and schedule accordingly. In a corporate setting, this might involve delegating assignments to different employees or teams, making sure they have the necessary materials and resources, and following up to ensure they’re on track.

Operations managers also focus on improving efficiency. Teachers excel at getting things done quickly and accurately. They know how to streamline processes and procedures to be as productive as possible. They are also incredibly resourceful, figuring out how to do more with less and still achieving established goals.

Communication. This is central to teachers’ daily lives. Every day, you communicate with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. You must know how to adjust your messaging based on the audience and the situation, and the same is true for being a team leader in the corporate world. You meet each person where they are at and explain complex concepts in terms that they can understand. Plus, as a teacher or as a manager, you are constantly replying to emails, answering questions, and providing clarification.

Teachers also excel at motivating their students, and employees need motivation as well. Both groups benefit from constructive feedback, positive reinforcement, and the occasional reward for a job well done. You know how to boost morale and create a respectful, welcoming environment.

Problem Solving. Not everything goes as planned, and as a teacher, you must always be on your toes and figuring out how to adapt. You not only have a plan A, but a plan B, C, D, etc. Team leaders and operations managers are tasked with overcoming obstacles and devising creative solutions as well. You have to be confident, decisive, and change course when necessary, all while bringing your team along.

Many teachers are also part of committees at their schools that focus on addressing various issues, whether that is improving test scores, increasing engagement with families, planning events, or researching new curriculum programs. Businesses also have committees where employees must work together to come up with ideas to solve problems and drive continuous improvement.

Conflict Resolution. Students argue and disagree with one another all the time. Perhaps there are teachers on your grade level team or within your department that don’t see eye to eye either. These same situations occur in the corporate workplace as well. Teachers are good at diffusing tensions and reaching mutually agreeable solutions. They know how to bridge gaps and get people to work together, even when they don’t share the exact same opinions or perspectives.

Revamp Your Resume to Transition into Operations and Team Leadership Roles

You can leverage many of the same skills you use as a teacher for management positions . Your experience is more valuable and applicable than you may realize. It is just a matter of adjusting your resume to highlight these abilities and show how you have made an impact. Not sure where to start? Contact Grammar Chic at (803) 831-7444 or [email protected] to schedule a consultation and work with a professional resume writer to update your resume for a career change.