Many executives find themselves stymied as they make the shift from top performing subject matter expert to senior level enterprise wide leader. Here are 5 steps to make that shift with ease:
- Your actions must change. No longer are you spending your entire day managing tasks across the finish line, managing people and their tasks, or managing the daily fire drills and problem solving. Now your job requires you to spend the majority of your time in strategic conversations, providing thought leadership, and examining trends to predict future innovations. Let go of the weeds. Delegate. Shift your to-do list from tasks to conversations.
- Your mindset must change. It’s no longer your job to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. It’s now your job to create space in which others can succeed, making room for others to get results. It’s not about you, it’s about them. Leverage your people. Shift to authentic influence.
- Your relationships must change. Build your alliances intentionally. Seek out the influencers, the connectors, the biggest contributors and cultivate those relationships. Find out what matters to them. Find out who they trust and why. Find out how you can help them or support what they care most about. Become a thought-partner and build key strategic relationships. Here are more strategies for you.
- Your network must change. Seek out advocates, allies, and champions both inside your organization as well as across your industry. As Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Choose wisely.
- Your communication must change. Executives at the highest levels speak differently. You can watch and learn. When speaking with senior leaders, start with the bottom line. Make a clear point. Have a clear and compelling leadership point of view. Manage your presence and learn how to own the room. Drive your career ambitions and let those who can create opportunities for you know where you want to go. Don’t keep it a secret. Here are more executive level communication strategies.
You won’t get promoted just by doing excellent work. Of course, you won’t get promoted without it, either. But adding these 5 steps to your repertoire will help you get there faster than excellent work alone!