How To Advance From Doer to Leader

____

↗? If you are a high potential, new manager or mid-level working manager who is ready get out of the weeds and transform their role at work from doing to leading, enrollment is open now for my popular course, Advance From Doer to Leader !

____

As the summer is winding town and the back to school ads appear on TV, it seems unbelievable to me that it has been almost a full year since my husband and I sent our only daughter off to college.

As she left for school to live her own life, I was forced to reconsider all the places in her life I've been overparenting. Also, dealing with the discomfort of all the places I continue to overparent a fully capable adult. It comes from an empathetic, well-intentioned place because it's hard to watch her struggle or fail so I've jumped in to help her solve financial matters or make difficult decisions.

While this feels good in moment to relieve her of her struggles, I know this isn't preparing her for the real world. I've had to pull back and allow her to make small mistakes with money, schedules and life so she can build the independence and confidence she needs to thrive on her own. Easier said than done.

The same is true with leadership. I don't think we realize how often we overlead or overcoach our teams by jumping in and saving the day. I know when I was in corporate, we'd promote people from doer to leader and assume a magic transformation would happen - that they'd suddenly feel comfortable delegating, coaching and watching others struggle without stepping in. The struggle is where the magic of learning and building confidence in their skills happens.

To make the shift from doer to leader, we have to make the shift from being good at and motivated by performance excellence and rewards to excelling at and caring deeply about developing others’ potential. This mindset shift from doer to leader may be the hardest part of all.

Again, to shift from doer to leader, the mindset shift may be the hardest of all. We spend most of our lives earning accolades as the fixer, the achiever and the responsible ones. So, when we are promoted into leadership, we can choose to be the one who does everything and enjoys rewards as an individual contributor, or we can learn to delegate and embrace the rewards that come from coaching people through the learning process.

However, learning how to properly coach, delegate, and ultimately elevate, your team boosts everyone's peace, potential and paychecks.

Here are three ways to make the shift:

1. Notice your payoff from doing. The thrill of achievement provides a quick dopamine hit. But that’s something you need to resist to get to the greater fulfillment of having helped others improve.
2. Claim your leadership identity by getting clear on values. Ask yourself: What three words do I want people to use to describe my leadership style? For example: Do I want to lead with control, urgency, and expertise? Or, with patience, curiosity, and empowerment?
3. Be intentional about responding, not reacting. In the moments where you are triggered to step in, ask yourself: Would that be aligned with my values and who I want to become as a leader?

What would you add to these tips? Or, which one will you try in your journey from doing to leading? I'd love to know!

If you are a high potential, new manager or mid-level working manager who is ready get out of the weeds and transform their role at work from doing to leading, enrollment is open now for my popular course, Advance From Doer to Leader !

NOTE:?My public courses are for women, however, some of my clients desire to bring this course "in house" and offer it as a workshop to their entire employee base who fall into the high potential, new-ish manager criteria. If you'd like to chat about this option, reply or message me and let me know!

Kelli Thompson is a leadership & executive coach, award-winning speaker and author who is on a mission to help women advance to the rooms where decisions are made. She offers executive coaching , leadership workshops and keynote speaking to lead with more clarity and confidence.