Lead Like a Pro: From Individual Contributor to Effective Leader with Eric Girard

By Andy Storch | September 19, 2023

"Being a successful manager is not just about being knowledgeable and skilled in your craft, but also about being able to effectively lead and develop your team."

Making the transition from an individual contributor to a leader can be both exciting and challenging. It requires a shift in mindset, skills, and behaviors. In this blog post, we will explore practical steps to help you navigate this transition successfully and become a confident and effective leader.

Step 1: Define Your Leadership Style and Values

As you step into a leadership role, it's important to have a clear understanding of your leadership style and the values you want to uphold. Reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, and the type of leader you aspire to be. Consider the values and principles that guide your decision-making process.

Step 2: Seek Mentorship and Guidance

Find mentors and seek guidance from experienced leaders who can provide insights and advice. Look for individuals who have successfully made the transition from an individual contributor to a leader. They can offer valuable perspective, share their experiences, and provide guidance as you navigate new challenges.

Step 3: Enhance Your Communication and Relationship-Building Skills

As a leader, effective communication is key. Develop strong communication skills to ensure clarity, transparency, and understanding among your team members. Enhance your active listening skills, practice empathy, and cultivate a supportive and open work environment. Building authentic relationships with your team members will foster trust, collaboration, and engagement.

Step 4: Delegate and Empower

One of the critical aspects of leadership is learning how to delegate tasks and responsibilities effectively. Trust your team members and empower them to take ownership of their work. Assign tasks based on their strengths and provide the necessary support and resources. Delegation not only helps distribute workload but also fosters growth, development, and a sense of ownership within your team.

Step 5: Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning and Development

Leadership is an ongoing journey of growth and development. Encourage a culture of continuous learning in your team by providing opportunities for training, skill development, and cross-functional experiences. Invest in your own professional development as well, attending workshops, webinars, and seeking new knowledge and perspectives that will benefit both you and your team.

Step 6: Embrace and Navigate Change

Change is inevitable, and as a leader, you'll encounter various organizational changes and transformations. Embrace and adapt to change with a positive attitude. Communicate the significance of change, address concerns, and provide support to your team during uncertain times. Help your team navigate through change by providing clarity, guidance, and reassurance.
Transitioning from an individual contributor to a leader requires self-reflection, continuous learning, and honing essential leadership skills. By defining your leadership style, seeking mentorship, enhancing communication, delegating effectively, fostering a learning culture, and embracing change, you can successfully make this transition and thrive as a confident and impactful leader. Remember, leadership is an ongoing journey, so stay curious, adaptable, and always open to growth opportunities.

Eric Girard has over 30 years of experience helping improve the performance of managers and employees. He specializes in the development of new managers, focusing on their successful transition to their new role and on their team management skills. He has a high-energy and engaging facilitation style.

Eric is a passionate, lifelong learner. When not designing or delivering training, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and twin 14-year-old daughters and is a PADI Open Water Instructor pursuing the rating of Master Scuba Trainer. 

He is the author of the new book, Lead Like a Pro: The Essential Guide for New Managers.

 

1647552072264

Listen to the podcast episode here:

Join us in the Think Tank Community!

The Talent Development Think Tank Community is where talent development professionals come together to share best practices, discover the latest trends, hear from experts and solve challenges so that they can perform better in their jobs and help their companies develop their people more effectively. If you are looking for new ways to engage and develop your people and accelerate your career success, this is the place for you. We have two levels to accommodate the different phases of where you are in your talent development career and journey.

GroupPhoto
Join us in the community!

About Andy Storch

Andy Storch is an author, consultant, coach, speaker and facilitator on a mission to get the most out of life and inspire others to do the same. He is the author of the book, Own Your Career Own Your Life, which is designed to help professionals stop drifting and take control of their futures. Andy is also the host of three podcasts, including The Talent Development Hot Seat; Own Your Career; and My NFT Journey. He is the co-founder and host of The Talent Development Think Tank Conference and Community as well as the host of the Talent Development Virtual Summit. Andy has consulted and taught strategy, sales, leadership, finance, and innovation to business leaders all over the world including companies like Salesforce.com, Oracle, Google, Toyota, State Farm, Red Bull, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, HP, Sony, Cisco, Tiffany & Co and others. Andy holds an MBA from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business where he served as President of the MBA program and a BS from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) His purpose is to love and support his family and to impact the world by inspiring people to stop drifting, take control and live life with Intention. He is a husband and father of two kids and lives in Orlando, Florida, USA.