What got you here, won't get you there.

I have spent almost 20 year working with Senior Leaders and Executive teams and I feel that this experience has given me a pretty good insight into what a successful senior leader looks like and how to become one.

There is no perfect archetype for a great senior leader and there is not a single pathway to senior leadership BUT there are key areas you can concentrate on during your path to senior leadership that will enhance your success at that level.

In the early stages of our careers we are generally rewarded for being technical or functional experts in the area we have chosen to work. High levels of performance and demonstrated leadership potential will usually result in us being promoted into management roles, giving us teams of technical or functional experts to manage.

For those of you that aspire to move into senior leadership roles I have some news for you: What got you to where you are is unlikely to be the key to getting you to where you want to go. Here are some things that you need to think about as you ready yourself for the transition into senior leadership:

You need to take an Enterprise view

As you move into senior leadership the expectation is that you are able to contribute more broadly than just your technical or functional area. You need to be able to understand the 'system' that is your organisation and the role of all the functions that exist within it.

Being too focused on your technical or functional area can be a trap for those new to senior leadership (and beyond if you aren't careful). Being able to demonstrate a broader perspective and put the needs of the Enterprise first, rather than the function you've invested so much time and effort into, is critical to success.

Having an enterprise view is also vital when engaging with the senior leadership team as a whole. So many dysfunctional executive teams I have worked with are dysfunctional because the leaders see their functional teams, rather than the senior leadership team, as their number one team. This focus keeps them looking downwards into the organisation, instead of up and forward. It often drives siloed behaviour and can create an environment where senior leaders are defending their 'patch' rather than looking at enterprise wide strategies, challenges and solutions.

You need to be able to look across strategic horizons

Strategic horizons in management (as per management scholars and practitioners such as Peter Drucker and Michael Porter) refer to different levels of planning and decision-making within an organisation. These horizons typically include operational, tactical, and strategic levels. Operational management focuses on day-to-day activities and short-term goals, tactical management involves medium-term planning and resource allocation, while strategic management deals with long-term vision, goals, and overall direction of the organisation.

Each horizon plays a crucial role in ensuring the success and sustainability of the organisation, however senior leaders need to be predominantly focused on the strategic horizon, i.e. the long-term vision and goals.

For many new senior leaders the focus on long-term strategy and vision is vastly different and sometimes a little scary. This shift requires a change in mindset to working in uncertainty, away from the comfort of the tried and tested methods and thinking we are used to in our area of expertise.

You need to get out of the weeds

Another common challenge is stepping away from the operational and tactical deliverables of your function. The operational and tactical work can feel like a safe place, it is familiar and you generally know how to solve the problems and challenges that arise. Dipping down into the operational or tactical space works against a senior leader in two ways - firstly it takes their eye off strategy and the long-term goals of the organisation, which is the value you bring as a senior leader. Secondly it disempowers the leaders the level below them, who own the operational and tactical responsibilities. It can often create angst and frustration as decision making for operational issues becomes bureaucratic and ineffective; and clarity regarding task and activity ownership diminishes.

You need to lead leaders not just technical or functional experts

As you progress into senior leadership roles you will often find that you will also be leading people with technical or functional expertise that is different to yours, you may even find yourself leading people in areas that you have little to no expertise at all.

These individuals will likely already possess leadership skills and experience, so your focus in leading them needs to shift. Your efforts would be best spent focusing on aligning them towards a common goal and providing strategic guidance. This requires more emphasis on collaboration, vision-setting, and team development.

To be effective in senior leadership you need to trust and support your people to do their jobs and lead their teams. This approach will empower and engage them while ensuring you stay out of the weeds.

The good news is, recognising these possible challenges allows you to assess your current position and identify the skills or experiences you may need to develop. This preparation ensures that when you attain your desired role, you will achieve success and growth that is sustainable over time.