Do you remember how difficult it is to be a new leader?

It can be more challenging than expected to transition from being an employee to becoming a leader—to go from?contributor to distributor.?

When I first took on management responsibilities around the turn of the millennium, I was a rather insecure and conflict-averse leader. It simply takes time and effort to shift from delivering results yourself to ensuring that others deliver results. The learning curve is steep.?Suddenly, your perspective is entirely different. You now must chart the course and guide others—authentically and effectively—so that you are both understood and respected.?As a leader, you quickly realize that your words carry more weight. You become the bridge between senior management and your team, which means you must ensure that your leaders communicate clearly and directly with you—so that you can, in turn, communicate effectively with your team.?

You also have to prioritize your tasks differently to avoid becoming a bottleneck. If your team relies on you for direction but you’re not available or decisive, they can't move forward with their work and achieve your shared goals.?

This role requires you to be both structured and decisive, able to navigate difficult situations, and address not only professional but sometimes personal challenges among your employees.?At the same time, you must?embrace vulnerability?in your new role—both with your manager and the people you lead. You were likely used to frequent recognition and praise in your previous role, but now you are in unfamiliar waters. Everything is new.?

As a leader, you will always need guidance and coaching. Therefore, it's crucial that your superior creates a space where you can ask for advice and get help with prioritization when needed. You must also have the?courage to be open about these challenges instead of pretending that you have everything under control.?

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The Need for Leaders to Practice and Adapt?

As a company, you can either hire experienced leaders or develop them internally. We do both at Delegate primarily because new perspectives from outside the organization are valuable. However, we are also deeply committed to promoting from within—not just as a way to retain ambitious employees but because they already understand our culture, values, and ways of working.?

For internal promotions to be successful, we must not underestimate how challenging this transition is. Some leaders never feel comfortable in the role—either because they lack the necessary leadership skills or simply don't enjoy it. But for everyone else, it takes time, practice, and adaptability before they truly settle into the role and earn the acceptance of their team.?

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The Need for a Long-Term Perspective?

Challenges with new leaders are not new, but they arise regardless of how much effort is put into smoothing the transition.?

Some time ago, I was involved in promoting a highly skilled leader, and I soon noticed that some aspects of their leadership were not working well. Perhaps they were still too occupied with their previous responsibilities? We had an honest conversation, which ultimately came down to planning and structure. For example, they sent emails to their team late at night before an important meeting—making it difficult for team members to prepare appropriately.?This was not a serious flaw in their leadership—just a fundamental but solvable issue. But the basics are crucial when others rely on you. No matter how skilled or inspiring a leader you are, your team depends on structure.?

Moving from?contributor to distributor?requires you to challenge yourself and see the bigger picture. Leadership is not about you—it is, first and foremost, about the team.?

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It Is Never Easy to Transition into Leadership?

Many incredibly talented professionals with strong human qualities have struggled with the transition to leadership.?

At Delegate, we provide ongoing leadership training and create opportunities for leaders to collaborate with peers and senior leaders. However, we—and especially I—can do even more to ensure that new leaders are given the right tools and a clear expectation of the challenges they will face.?

The transition to leadership is never just about the title—it’s about learning to enable your team to thrive and deliver their best work.?

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Remember the Basics?

Over the years, I have promoted many employees. Yet, I have often fallen into the trap of assuming that new leaders instinctively understand what is essential - including both the practical and strategic aspects of leadership.?

Again and again, I’ve learned that this assumption is wrong.?

If it took me years to develop into a capable leader, why should I expect my newly promoted colleagues to grasp it overnight??

And if they struggle in their new role, or if the expectations are too high, then?that failure is mine—because I was responsible for setting the ground rules for their leadership journey.?

Final Thoughts:?

• Becoming a leader is one of the most challenging career transitions a person can make.?

• No leader succeeds alone—support, structure, and guidance must be in place.?

• Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about empowering others to succeed.?

This is a journey. And as leaders, we must do better in preparing the next generation.?