Your First Leadership Role: How to Succeed | Video

How can you make a success of your first leadership role. That’s a question I’ve been asked a few times, so, let’s get into it.

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This is learning, so, sit back and enjoy

I’m Getting My First Leadership Role

Here’s a message I got from a student. English isn’t their first language, so I’ve edited it a little…

“First of all hearty congratulation for putting up such an insightful course on leadership. I really like the course name as everyday leadership is an hourly need and not just a conference discussion.“

Get 10% off Day-to-Day Leadership that Gets Results

“I’m at the cusp of a transition from my old company to a new company. And with the new company, my role is going to be more of a leadership role, and it is going to be the first time for me. So, I’m excited and at the same time extremely anxious about handling this situation. So, I wanted to understand from you how do I handle this situation and make an amazing mark not only on my team but also to senior management at large.“

This is an excellent question:

Many People are keen to do Well in their First Leadership Role.

There are many parts to the answer.

Managing Upwards

Managing upwards will be a big part of your success. Just because you are a leader now, it does not mean you are completely in charge. You still have a boss, and they will be the one to assess your success as a leader.

Pearson commissioned me to write about this for their low-cost Business Express eBook series. The book is called

‘Managing upwards Successfully: Build a successful and effective working relationship with your boss’. 

I’ll put a link to it in the description – and also to my free article, ‘Keep Your Boss Happy – How to Do it without Without Working Hard‘.

Here are some tips…

The secret is to set your relationship with your new boss off on the right foot and communicate well. 

Ask what they expect of you and how they want you to deliver. Your single most important objective is their trust. This means:

• demonstrating credibility and reliability, and 
• focusing on the needs of your organization and its clients/customers.

Get to know your boss as best you can

And find out their style, preferences, and priorities. Make it your priority when you are with them to listen hard, and ask good questions. This attitude will impress more than claims about capabilities you haven’t yet demonstrated. Then, deliver on the things that matter to them.

Take responsibility when you can and always deliver on time

For longer assignments, keep your boss informed of progress. Ask for feedback and listen without interruption. Act on what you learn.

Make yourself their ally and do what you can to help them succeed

Be proud of your own professionalism, but recognize that your job is to lead people to achieve the results you are set.

Now Think about the People You are Leading

Get to know each person and build a relationship with them. Find out what they are good at and what they want. This way, you can help them succeed. 

With your team as a whole, prioritize communication. Build a culture where everyone communicates effectively with one another. Share any information you get – but they should not rely on you for information they can share amongst themselves.

Do whatever you can, to make their lives easy. As a leader, you have just one job: to help your team succeed. Your role is all about them.

Protect Your Ability to Lead in Your First Leadership Role

But, also make sure you look after your health and welfare, so you are in a good state to serve your boss and support your team. This means plenty of:

• rest, 
• good food, 
• regular exercise, and 
• time with friends and loved ones outside of work.

Recommended Videos for Yor First Leadership Role

Carefully curated video recommendations for you:

• Top 7 Leadership Tools and Methods for Team and Project Leaders | Video
• Project Team Leadership: 5 Tips for Leading Your Project Team | Video
• Leadership Models Project Managers Need to Know | Video
• Five Project Leadership Tips: Be a Better Project Leader | Video
• Leading without Authority: How to Manage and Lead People | 

And some other videos that answer the question, ‘What is…

• Authentic Leadership?
• Situational Leadership?
• Servant Leadership? Project Leadership at its Best
• Transformational Leadership?

Recommended Articles for Yor First Leadership Role

• Project Manager to Project Leader: How Big is the Step?
• How Coaching Skills will Make You a Better Project Leader
• How Servant Leadership can Deliver Better Results from Your Project Team
• How to Get the Best from Your Project Team with Situational Leadership
• LEAD: Your Four Project Leadership Priorities
• The Four Essentials of Project Team Leadership
• Get Better Project Results with Personal Leadership

What Kit does a Project Manager Need?

I asked Project Managers in a couple of forums what material things you need to have, to do your job as a Project Manager. They responded magnificently. I compiled their answers into a Kit list. I added my own. 

Check out the Kit a Project Manager needs

Note that the links are affiliated.

Learn Still More

For more great Project Management videos, please subscribe to the OnlinePMCourses YouTube channel.

If you want basic Management Courses – free training hosted on YouTube, with 2 new management lessons a week, check out our sister channel, Management Courses.

For more of our Project Management videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management.

For more of our videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management.