The transition hits most new leaders like a ton of bricks. One day you’re excelling at executing tasks, meeting deadlines, and delivering results. The next, you’re expected to set the vision and direction for your entire team. You’ve grown used to being praised for getting things done yourself. But now, you have to shift to getting things done through others. This shift is one of the most challenging aspects of stepping into leadership – and it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed.
Here are some ways to start making this shift:
1
Schedule regular time to think strategically
Even 30 minutes on your calendar can help you step back from the day-to-day execution to consider bigger picture questions. Don’t worry if this feels weird at first. You are so used to “doing” that thinking while others are doing almost feels like cheating. But it’s not. You are doing the leadership work of making sure things are heading in the correct direction.
2
Practice delegation as a leadership development tool
When you’re tempted to jump in and do the work yourself, pause. Ask yourself: “Who on my team could grow from taking this on?” Yes, you could likely do that work. And it may seem quicker to just do it yourself. But doing it yourself now is what your team will see as “micro-managing.” And worse, it doesn’t allow your team to grow. So you’ll be doing your job and parts of everyone else’s too.
3
Be open to "different" approaches
When team members tackle problems differently than you would, it’s natural to get defensive and want to correct them. After all, being right is what got you promoted. But leading doesn’t mean knowing all the answers. And your way isn’t necessarily the only way. Instead, get curious. Their fresh perspectives may lead to innovations you hadn’t considered.
4
Start each week by reviewing your team's key priorities and how they align with organizational goals
This helps maintain your focus and the focus of those who report to you. Getting tasks done is good. But being busy just to be busy isn’t the goal. Reviewing your priorities with organizational helps make sure your team’s work is moving the organization forward. Not just spinning wheels.
5
Build in debrief time after projects
After finishing a project, it’s easy to immediately rush to the next one. But take some time by yourself and with your team to analyze what worked, what didn’t, and what strategic insights you can use going forward.
This shift from executing to vision-setting isn’t about abandoning your work responsibilities. It’s about living into your new responsibilities of working at a strategic level. Your experience in execution becomes the foundation for understanding what’s possible and setting realistic yet ambitious directions for your team.
This is where working with a coach can accelerate this transition. A good coach helps you:
- Have a safe space to explore your new responsibilities without risking losing the confidence of your boss or your team
- Recognize when you're falling back into “executing” mode
- Make the most of your attempts to step back and take a broader view
- Provide questions that help you build confidence in your strategic thinking abilities
- And think through what you’re going to say to your team before you actually say it to them
As a coach, the most rewarding moments come when new leaders have their “aha” moment: realizing that their role isn’t to be the best “doer” anymore, but to create an environment where their team can execute brilliantly. This mental shift gives them the calmness and confidence to actually grow their team. Which naturally increases their team’s performance.
