Day_10_In_Sales: Setting Context

#memoirs #2

I have always believed that leadership and parenting have a lot in common, since they are both tethered around the central idea of taking care of someone else's needs over ourselves. This may be the reason that I tend to draw a lot of parallels between how I parent my seven-year-old and how I lead my team of thirty-somethings! :) Today I want to talk about the importance of context setting and drawing boundaries as a leader, at the very onset of the leadership journey with any team - because all human beings (no matter their age or stage in life) crave Consistency. The (absolute!) worst thing about being in a new relationship is not knowing what to expect from the other person. This lack of predictability is what increases stress in the system and creates fear or insecurity in individuals and teams; and the quickest antidote is to short-circuit the learning curve when it comes to figuring out - "What is this new boss all about!?" Interested in knowing more? Read on....

#theFirstDateWithMySecondBaby

Ten days into my new role, I had my first team meeting. And as all first dates go, I wanted to impress and knock my team's socks off. It was important that I leave a good first impression because this was the first time that they were being introduced to me as their manager. The experience of preparing for this meeting took me back to my first "meet the manager" meeting with my previous team.

In 2017, as a newly minted Pre-sales manager, I was rearing to go after having spent THREE long and patient years for the role as a Team Lead. I had been waiting for this day and once it actually arrived, it was important that I set the ground rules, establish rules of engagement and also communicated clearly on what my leadership style was going to be. A lot of the presentation was about the question - "How do we operate as a team this year?". And as I look at the snapshots of my messaging as a first-time-manager, I can't help but notice the similarities between that meeting in 2017 and how I did context setting with my new team in early January this year. Someone asked me recently - "so what do you think is the difference between being a tech manager and a sales manager?" and my response to them was - "Nothing much! People are people ..." Now I know that this response may sound flippant to many ... but what I meant by that was no matter what the context, the way we lead teams remains the same because like parenting, the tenets of raising a child/team remain the same even though no two children/teams are the same. Also, the mistakes you make with your first child/team become your "Do not repeat" mantra with your second. :) It becomes easier with your second kid, they said!

Fast forwarding to 2020, after being battle hardened, my messaging was a lot simpler this time around and it revolved around my leadership journey, principles and vision for the team (and of course better presentation skills! :) ) But what I also did this time was to be introduced as a person. Some very wise person once said that "You bring your whole self to work" and when people see you for who you are, they respond to you better.

So here are my mantras on preparing for your first team introduction meetings:

• Establish credibility: Establishing a story-line of your professional and personal accomplishments is crucial in ensuring that a new group believes that you are actually prepared for the job at hand. What have you done before that has prepared you for the role you are about to play?
• Start with the 'Why': Reflect upon your reasons for entering 'leadership' in general. Our reasons to mentor, coach, guide and ultimately to 'serve' are driven by deeply personal motivations - because anyone who has ever lead teams or herded a group of toddlers will tell you this - "Having a baby is like getting a tattoo on your face. You better be committed!" Why did you choose to lead when it is so much more easier to follow?
• Lay out the Non-negotiables: Our principles in life define not just who we are as people but also what we co-create with our teams and organizations. Setting boundaries about what you will NOT stand for is as important (if not more important) than what you will work towards. Remember, boundaries are not about establishing authority but are a starting point for creating psychological safety with a new group of individuals. When we know what the ground-rules are, we operate better with each other and ideas, opinions and debates are more fluid. What ethical boundaries will you not cross?
• Be human. Be fallible. : As leaders we can sometimes feel the pressure of the world on our shoulders. Being (or projecting to be) perfect, fearless and unbreakable - all. the. time. is hard and also unnecessary. It's okay to be vulnerable, to admit our shortcomings and to ultimately come across as a "work in progress". It is not our Perfection that makes us great leaders, but our ability to be acutely aware of our fallibility and still strive for Greatness. What are your greatest failures in life and how have they prepared you for future success?

Thank you for reading! :) If you liked what you read, hit the Like or Comment section and tell me about it!