Taking your Leadership to the Next Level

What does it take to move up the ladder of leadership?  That has been a frequent point of focus from a number of my coaching clients.  The questions often presume one best path to the next leadership level.  The challenge with charting the course, providing some advice, or giving clear answers is that there is no one right path.  This is particularly true in today's constantly changing environment.  What may have seemed a sure path to the c-suite yesterday gets confounded by organization restructuring, the loss of a key senior level support and mentor, or other significant change that makes a once well thought out path irrelevant.

All that being said, I believe there are a number of steps that can be taken to position oneself for the next level of leadership.  Moreover, many of these same steps remain relevant once a desired leadership position has been obtained, including that of CEO.  In no particular order, here is my Top Ten list of what to do to position yourself - and maybe hold on to - that next level of leadership.

One: Solidify your own personal mission, vision and values.  Be clear about who you are as a person and as a leader.  Develop a clear and intimate understanding about how you want to lead and what legacy you want to create.  Don't just focus on the "business" side of the equation.  Equally as critical in this process of personal introspection is going to be identifying for yourself how your personal and family life fits into your overall view.

Two: Be sure of your own motivations and commitments to becoming a CEO or other senior leader.  How will this role fulfill you? How clear are you on the benefits - and costs - associated with the next step up?  Are you pursuing the next role because others expect you to or want you to?  It's lovely to be courted and wooed as a leadership candidate but make sure you objectively evaluate your readiness and desire to take on the challenge.  Be true to yourself.

Three: Excel at your current role.  Personally, I find it hard to take somebody seriously as a candidate for their next desired role when they are not blowing me away in the performance of their current duties.  Paraphrasing a baseball term, "Keep your eye on the ball".  In this case that means doing an outstanding job where you are right now.  If you neglect your current role because you are too busy sizing up the furniture in your future fantasy office I suggest that you'll slip on your own stardust.

Four: Connect with other leader's in your targeted role.  Learn from them - both good and bad.  What was their path?  What steps did they take?  What mistakes did they make?  Keep in mind that their path should not be your path (particularly in the mistake category).  These won't be your answers but they will help inform your options and decisions.  Have the humility to listen and learn and you may find a few gems that work for you.

Five: Related to point four above, be open to learning from anyone and everyone - even those who are not in defined or recognized leadership roles.  Those who are being led can give you as much value and insight about what makes for a good leader (and what makes for a poor leader) as any formal leader will.  All perspectives are valuable. 

Six: Network, network, network - find ways to become known (for all the right reasons).  You might be an excellent leader in the making and have excellent leadership characteristics but that's only of value if others know that.  Many of us are shy about networking or personal marketing but it is a critical skill to master.  I guarantee that in any competition it is of more than passing consequence to be known beyond what shows up on your resume - which is on pile with a host of others.

Seven: Get involved in relevant professional and community ventures - community causes, charitable organizations, professional association, etc.  I believe this is only effective if done from a place of genuine and authentic interest.  Do not engage with a venture simply for personal gain and the exposure that you might get as a result.  Do it because you believe in the particular cause or venture.  Your passion and integrity will shine through and I believe you will showcase your skills and abilities to a greater degree as a result.   

Eight:  Continue to learn and develop.  I have often said that remaining relevant is directly proportional to one's ongoing energy and enthusiasm for continuous learning, development and improvement.  I'm not just talking about formal education that can come from a university, college or one's professional association.  Your mind and your leadership perspective is likely to benefit from a change of pace and opportunity which will arise by learning how to swim, how to use a telescope, climbing a mountain, or learning a musical instrument.  Plus, by undertaking new activities you'll learn to overcome your anxiety in taking on new challenges and more than likely meet people with perspectives quite different from your normal experience.

Nine:  Look for leadership opportunities no matter how small.  You want to build a track record of success that might look good on a resume, will help build your confidence, stretch your abilities, expand your perspective on future leadership opportunities and demonstrate to others what you are capable of.  As with point seven, there is a need to be strategic in targeting, selecting or volunteering for leadership opportunities.  If you don't have a passion for a particular initiative your lack of enthusiasm is likely to show through in your effort.  You also want to make sure that the opportunity is aligned with your personal plan for where you are headed as a leader.

Ten:  Continuously and consciously evaluate your strengths and weaknesses as a leader.  As leaders, we may be doing an OK job in looking at our organizational financial statements and other metrics on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.  As leaders or aspiring leaders we need to apply the same vigor to an assessment of our leadership skills and plan.  Nobody is perfect.  There is always room for improvement.  There is ongoing need for adjusting and modifying plans based on a variety of changes in our personal and organizational demands.  This real, introspective work takes humility, courage, and discipline, but it is also a mark of an excellent leader.

Eleven:  OK, I said Top Ten but here's a bonus action to consider.  Get yourself an Executive Coach.
I've had the privilege of acting as an Executive Coach for a variety of clients and for over the past 3 years I have benefited from having a coach myself.   A coach can support your leadership development - either in moving to the next level of leadership or maintaining efficacy in an existing role - by surfacing and challenging assumptions, helping to clarify required actions, or simply by providing space to listen.  In how many other places can a leader be assured of complete confidentiality and unbiased perspective as they explore their own doubts, misgiving, hopes and dreams?

There is no one right path to the next level of leadership and what you see here are only my humble musings on what it takes to move up.  As a leader, let me know what resonates with you or what advice you would provide to others to chart their path.
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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
TEC Canada Chair/Executive Coach/Senior Consultant
hadubiak@wmc.ca

Helping leaders realize their strengths and enabling organizations to achieve their potential through the application of my leadership experience and coaching skills. I act as a point of leverage for my clients. I AM their Force Multiplier.