The Lone Wolf Trap: You're the Employee of the Month, but, You're Not a Leader

The Lone Wolf Trap: Why Star Performers Fumble Leading the Pack

Ah, the “Lone Wolf”!

Every company’s golden child, strutting through corporate corridors with the confidence of someone who’s cracked the Matrix. They’re the corporate ninja who single-handedly slays targets and ticks off KPIs as though they’ve got some sort of cheat code.

You know the type: the star player, the powerhouse, the one who can sort out problems before anyone else has even had their second coffee.

Their personal metrics are dazzling, they get the job done in half the time, and their reputation?

Glowing brighter than the corporate mission statement nobody’s ever read.

We’ve all met that person at work, haven’t we?

But then, in a moment of what can only be described as misguided optimism, they get promoted to lead a team. And suddenly, it’s like watching a fish trying to climb a tree. “What happened?” you wonder, as the lone wolf stumbles around, desperately trying to herd the team like a cat in charge of sheep.

Why does this happen?

How does a top performer, previously unshakeable in their own role, morph into the corporate equivalent of a toddler trying to play chess?

The harsh reality is that success as an individual contributor doesn't automatically translate into success as a team leader.

What got you here won’t get you there!

So, let’s dive into the anatomy of the Lone Wolf Syndrome and figure out why star performers often trip over themselves when transitioning from being a corporate soloist to a team conductor.

The Individual Contributor: An Ego Wrapped in Results, with a Side of ‘I’ll Do It Myself’

Let’s call it “The Lone Wolf Syndrome.”

When you’ve been raised on the belief that your value is tied to individual success, it’s hard to let go of that mindset.

Your ego gets puffed up by personal achievements, and here’s where the trouble starts. It’s a game of personal KPIs, milestones, and ensuring you’re the name dropped in quarterly results presentations.

You’re the sprinter in a world of marathon runners, quick, nimble, decisive and efficient. In this world, your ability to deliver fast is what sets you apart. You’re the knight on the corporate chessboard, single-handedly slashing through obstacles.

They are conditioned to chase personal success, and in doing so, they often develop a ‘me-first’ mentality. After all, it's what’s gotten them this far. They’ve learned that their worth is tied to their ability to produce results, and fast.

But the same sword that earned you glory can slice your leadership dreams to pieces.

When thrust into leadership and forced to transfer that mindset, that “me-first” mentality becomes a big red flag.

A big one.

You’re no longer racing alone; you’re supposed to be managing a relay team and spoiler alert: it’s no longer about how fast you can run anymore.

A F1 Driver to a Jumbo Jet Pilot: Why the Skill Set Doesn’t Translate

Here’s the problem in a nutshell: leading a team isn’t about personal success anymore.

it’s about the collective success.

The transition from individual contributor to team leader is like the difference between playing solo guitar and conducting an orchestra. The latter isn’t about showing off your killer riffs; it’s about ensuring the entire ensemble plays in harmony.

It’s also a bit like putting a Formula 1 driver in the cockpit of a jumbo jet. Sure, both involve sitting behind a wheel and pushing pedals, but let’s not kid ourselves. Leading a team isn’t about driving a finely tuned sports car; it’s more like captaining a clunky old bus, where everyone’s arguing over which way to go while the satnav’s gone bonkers.

Welcome to leadership, where technical mastery is as helpful as a chocolate teapot if you can’t deal with the emotional baggage of your team.

So, let’s break down some of the key traits of a high-functioning individual contributor and why they don’t work when leading a team:

1. Self-reliance vs. Delegation

If you want something done right, do it yourself!

The classic mantra of the lone wolf, right? And while that’s lovely when it’s just you and your PowerPoint deck, but it’s a disaster when you’ve got a team to lead.

A leader must delegate, trust others with responsibility and give them the space to grow; but for the lone wolf, delegation feels like handing over your pristine sports car to someone who’s just passed their driving test in a dodgy old banger.

Their ego screams, “I’ll just do it faster,” but leadership whispers, “Trust them, even if they crash at first.”

Delegation isn’t offloading; it’s unlocking the potential of others.

2. Technical Mastery vs. Emotional Intelligence

So, you’re a technical wizard, the Gandalf of spreadsheets, the Yoda of coding, but guess what?

Leadership is a different kind of wizardry. It’s about people, and people are messy, unpredictable, and annoyingly emotional. People can’t be solved with a formula or a hack.

The lone wolf thrives on technical skills. They’re the best at what they do, have spent years perfecting their craft and they know it. But step into a leadership role, it’s not about being the best; it’s about getting the best out of others.

And that requires emotional intelligence, the ability to read the room, motivate different personalities, and manage conflicts.

Unfortunately, many high performers are about as emotionally aware as a brick wall.

They’re focused on the task, not the team. The classic case of “leading with the head and forgetting the heart.”

Leadership isn’t about leading with your head, it’s about leading with your heart and mind.

3. Personal Metrics vs. Team Outcomes

Here’s where things get really sticky.

As an individual contributor, you live and die by your own KPIs. Did you hit your targets? Did you complete that project on time? All about you.

But in leadership, those metrics don’t belong to you anymore and certainly no longer about your individual brilliance; it’s about how well the team performs. Your success is now a by-product of the team’s success.

It’s like a sprinter being asked to coach a relay team, sure, you can run fast, but can you ensure the baton gets passed smoothly without someone dropping it on the way? How well you can get the entire team across the finish line and they must decouple from their instinct focusing on their own leg of the race, forgetting that it’s the baton hand-offs that win championships.

Leadership isn’t about running fast, it’s about ensuring the whole team crosses the finish line together.

4. Perfectionism vs. Progress

Ah, perfectionism! The Achilles heel of every lone wolf. High achievers obsess over getting every detail just right.

But leadership?

Leadership is messy, imperfect, and often about making decisions based on incomplete information.

The lone wolf who can’t let go of perfectionism becomes the bottleneck that slows the whole team down.

In leadership, you’ve got to know when to say, “That’ll do for now,” even if it makes you cringe a little inside.

Teams need to move forward, and sometimes, that means making decisions based on incomplete information or letting someone else make a mistake so they can learn from it.

For the individual contributor, this feels like torture. They struggle to let go of their need for perfection, slowing down the entire team in the process.

In leadership, good enough today beats perfect tomorrow, because tomorrow’s already too late.

The Transitioning of Lone Wolf into a Pack Leader

So, what’s the cure for the Lone Wolf Syndrome?

Is there hope for the individual star to transform into a genuine leader? Absolutely!

But it involves an ego check the size of Big Ben and a willingness to grow in ways that’ll make you squirm.

1. Shift from ‘Me’ to ‘We’

The most significant leap you’ll need to make is from personal glory to collective success.

As a leader, your win isn’t tied to your individual performance anymore. it’s all about the team. You’ve got to learn to take pride in others’ growth, to celebrate their wins as if they were your own.

Think of it like directing a film, nobody cares if the director was also a brilliant actor in their youth, It’s all about how well the entire cast performs under your guidance.

2. Master Delegation

Delegating isn’t about offloading tasks you can’t be bothered to do, in fact, far from it. It’s about giving your team the space to develop, make mistakes, and ultimately grow. If you’re still rushing around trying to play hero, you’re not leading, you’re micromanaging.

Think of delegation like teaching a kid to ride a bike; you can’t keep running behind them forever. You’ve got to let them pedal off, wobbles and all.

3. Develop Emotional Intelligence

This one is crucial! Leadership is more about people than just tasks.

Emotional intelligence, being able to read the room, handle conflict, and motivate different personalities, is your ticket to leadership success.

You can’t just barrel through like a bulldozer; you need to understand what makes your team tick. Some will need a gentle push, while others might thrive under direct, no nonsense feedback.

Learn the difference, or risk leading a team that’s out of sync.

4. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection

Perfectionism is the silent killer of team morale.

Leadership is about moving the ship forward, even if the hull’s got a few dents in it.

Yes, you want excellence, but sometimes, getting things done is better than waiting for perfection. As a leader, you need to encourage progress over paralysis.

After all, perfectionists may build beautiful sandcastles, but progress builds empires.

The mantra here? “Done is better than perfect.”

5. Check Your Ego at the Door

Let’s be brutally honest: if you’re still chasing after personal glory, you’re not leading, you’re grandstanding.

Leadership requires humility.

Be ready to admit when you’re wrong, be open to learning from your team, and understand that the loudest leader in the room isn’t necessarily the best. The best leaders? They’re the ones who lift others up, not the ones standing on top of them.

6. Foster a Culture of Feedback

Feedback is the fuel of growth, both for you and your team.

Create an environment where feedback flows in all directions. Encourage your team to give you feedback on your leadership. And be willing to give constructive feedback to your team, not just when they mess up, but when they do something right.

As a leader, you’re both the coach and the player. You need to be constantly improving your own game while helping others improve theirs.

Wrapping Up: The Pack Runs Faster Together

The transition from individual contributor to team leader is one of the toughest moves to make in any career.

It’s like learning to ride a unicycle after years of driving a Formula 1 car, it’s awkward, unfamiliar, and occasionally, you’ll fall flat on your face. But with a willingness to adapt, to shed that lone wolf mindset, and embrace the pack, you can grow into a leader that drives the team to greatness.

The transition from individual contributor to team leader is one of the trickiest moves in any career. It’s like trying to ride a unicycle after years of driving a sports car. But with the right mindset and a willingness to evolve, even the most hard-nosed lone wolf can learn to lead the pack.

So, next time you’re promoted, don’t just focus on how fast you can run. Look around and ask yourself: how can I get everyone across the finish line? After all, leadership isn’t about being the star player, it’s about making sure the whole team shines.

The pack runs faster than the lone wolf; especially when the wolf learns how to lead.

Cheers.

Minn Tun

September 2024