Are You A Leader? (OR Do You Want To Be One?)

Are you a leader? Manager? Or do you just like doing the work yourself?

I was a manager for some time, I felt like if I didn’t take on the management role, they would hire someone else (pay them more than me) and I’d end up having to train this new manager anyways.

So I took the role on myself.

Out of fear of the alternative.

When they asked me in my interview for the promotion:

Why do you want to take on the role as a manager?

The truth is I didn’t. But I felt I had to.

I answered with:

“Helping a team of people get their work done effectively is more valuable to the company than me just running around doing everything myself.”

Which sounds really good – However we still need that super star person who is doing everything herself. (Maybe not everything).

But you get the picture.

My language, words and framing of the situation got me this job. But my heart wasn’t in it, and I later found out, after being a manager for about 2 years. I didn’t like it so much.

I missed doing the work myself. I liked getting into it and solving the problems and having the satisfaction myself. I didn’t want to delegate everything to others.

Maybe it was a bit of ‘control freak’ nature. But after sometime I concluded that I don’t want to be manager first and doer second. I want to be a doer first and manager or leader second.

Now Delegation is a skill we all need.
 

Even the best doers can’t get everything done, no matter how amazing they are.

And let’s face it there were things I really didn’t like doing that I was actually happy to delegate (like anything related to accounting or numbers etc.)

Delegating is needed, so that you can get into doing other, more important, more challenging tasks! We all get tired of the same things all the time.

I also realized that I didn’t need to become a Manager, Director, VP or President of a company to be successful in my career.

What I did realize though was that I still needed to learn those people skills that Managers, VP’s and Directors have.

Those skills I’m referring to are Leadership skills.

You need those skills in life, even if you have no interest in becoming a world leader. You need them to function in situations where no one is stepping up. You need leadership skills as a parent or as a grown up in general. There will always be situations where you need these skills in your toolbox! Even if you’re not the CEO of a company or even close to it.

You’ll need to know how to talk about your own leadership skills in an interview when you’re asked: What are your leadership skills?

I hope you enjoy this post that I’ve made on just that topic brought to you by one of my readers who was asked.

Are you a leader or a manager or do you aspire to be? Or do you love being in the field playing the game yourself and learning along the way?

I suggest a mix and effort of both, makes you feel the most empowered but you don’t have to aspire to be a leader to be successful.

Stand in who you are, and embrace the things you enjoy!

In Conclusion

There you have it: Are You A Leader OR Do You Want To Be One?

Now I’d love to hear from you! Have you ever had an epiphany, of something you were doing that may have been preventing you from moving forward in your career or your life? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

If you’d like to dive deeper with me, click the link below to download my Free Guide “How to nail an interview you’re unqualified for.”

In this guide you’ll learn:

• How to identify the questions they’re really asking you (things are not always as they appear).

 

• How to tell captivating stories that trigger the interviewer to remember you above all other candidates.

 

• How to proactively identify an interviewer’s concerns, even when they don’t voice them out a loud.

 

• How to steer the interview in the direction you want it to go.

 

• What I say at the end of the interview to wrap it up and seal the deal.

 

Do you know one person who could benefit from the information I shared? If so, help someone out by sharing with them.

And remember, the current way in which most of us look for our IDEAL job these days isn’t perfect by any means, but I know you can outsmart it.
 

I know you have what it takes and I’ve got you covered.

I’ll see you next time and I can’t wait!

In Work & Life
 

I’ve got Your Back
 

-Natalie