Handing over the baton: when do you know it’s time?

Like most sons, I’ve learnt a great deal from my dad.

A working-class Englishman, Dad came out to Sydney in the 1960’s enticed by a sense of adventure, opportunity and a fresh start.

For most of his career, he happily sat behind a workbench as a skilled tradesman using his hands to build things in order to build a life for his family. Dad was in his element. It’s where he was most comfortable.

It wasn’t just about work though, he thrived off the camaraderie and banter that greeted him on the workshop floor every day.?

Eventually, dad was forced to down tools when he got promoted to a desk job at the business. Despite his love of the trade and the atmosphere out on the workshop floor, taking a managerial role on better pay was a no brainer.?

Interestingly though, the minute he took off his dirty overalls and changed into a clean shirt, he noticed a shift in his workmates’ attitudes towards him. He was still part of the team of course, but they were more guarded in his presence.?

Dad didn’t know what to do at first — he wondered whether he had made the right call as imposter syndrome started to creep in. But after a while, it became clearer that this was just a case of handing over the baton. It was a natural progression.

Wanting to let go vs needing to let go

As dad experienced firsthand, it’s normal to have reservations about not wanting to let go when you’ve been doing something your whole life, but time doesn’t really care about sentiment.?

Across the spectrum of my own career, I’ve been the young upstart and I’ve also been the leader. Good bosses know when you’re ready to get thrown into the deep end, and I’m grateful for my mentors for backing me when the time was right — even if I didn’t realise it at the time.

The genius of it all was how they created an environment where failure was okay as long as we all learned from mistakes and kept growing. It's a nuanced thing, but it’s hugely important in the formative years of a career to have that room to experiment.?

The David Brent Effect

On a lighter note, now that I’m the guy making those calls, I’m forever indebted to Ricky Gervais for creating the world’s worst boss in David Brent.?

Knowing what to do is one thing, but knowing what not to do is just as important when you’re walking that fine line between colleague and leader. Self-awareness is a valuable tool when people look to you for leadership.

(But it’s made all the more precarious if you don’t mind whipping out a guitar on group Zooms as I’ve been inclined to do...)?

I think the takeaway here is that you can’t be everything to everyone. But you can? (and should) put your energy into the growth of young people, albeit subtly, when the time is right.

Good leaders understand that change is inevitable, the next generation needs those who have been through it all to clear the way for their own growth.?

At the end of the day, when you’re a part of a team, handing over the baton is the only way you can cross the line together.?