Avoiding the Third Rails to Leadership
Growing up as a kid in New York City, I quickly learned the ins and outs of staying safe while taking advantage of the wonderful things the big city had to offer. Riding the subway in NYC was a rite of passage that came with its own set of rules. Stay alert at all times. Keep your belongings close to you. Avoid direct eye contact. And, if you ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation of falling onto the subway tracks, steer clear of the deadly Third Rail! This advice was helpful and allowed me to navigate the city without incident.
Working with leaders over the years, I’ve learned that being given a heads up on the unwritten rules and third rails to leadership can make the difference between success and failure in business. We tend to be aware of the obvious career derailers, such as being overly arrogant, not performing or being politically inept, but there are several other “third rails” that are less obvious and have led to the slowing of many a career.
Not Developing Yourself. What could be wrong with being focused on getting your work done? At first glance, nothing. However, when we get in the habit of keeping our head down, we become incredibly proficient at doing today’s tasks, but will hardly be ready for the role we need or want to play in the future. To be seen as leader-ready, we must truly BE ready. If your company doesn’t ask you to pull together a development plan for the year, consider doing it for yourself. What would you like to be better at a year from now? What does the next level of your strength look like? What initiatives or projects would help to develop new skills?
Not Being Strategic. Few executives would admit to not being strategic, but the fact of the matter is, we cannot be strategic if we keep jam-packed calendars that are solely focused on handling the day-to-day needs of the business. Strategic thinking requires that we pull back and pause. It also requires a discipline around staying on top of industry trends and gaining comfort with challenging existing views and perspectives. The more we seek to understand what’s happening beyond our own function, division or company, the better we can be at asking the right strategic questions or reframing the issues so that our colleagues can see things differently and understand the long term implications of their decisions. To increase your strategic chops remember to helicopter up and look across the enterprise and across the industry. Challenge yourself and your team to proactively build different perspectives before making key decisions.
Depending on Your Favorite Skill. Yes, focusing on your strengths is a good thing, but overusing a strength or dependence on one particular skill can leave you ill-prepared for handling the complexity required in leading. This third rail can be difficult to digest because it is often what brings us success and visibility in the early stages of our career. The problem with reliance on a single skill or strength is that it will be limiting and isn’t enough to carry us into leadership roles. If this third rail sounds familiar to you, begin by taking a proactive role in your career development. Communicate what your goals and future interests are and ask for opportunities that help to move you in new directions. Select a new skill to focus on each year and develop a plan that includes reading about best practices and practicing the new skill.
Not Delegating. Doing the work ourselves can be faster and more efficient but often means trading long term opportunity for short term gain. It works for a while, and may even garner success early in our careers, but if we maintain the practice we leave little room for growth. How can we take on that important initiative if we’ve positioned ourselves as the only one who can make the day-to-day wheels turn? To enhance your delegation skills, start by understanding why you don’t delegate, get smart on best practices for effective delegating, and make a commitment to delegating a significant project by the end of the month. Delegate to whom? Look no further than that direct report whom you’ve been holding back and give her a shot!
Wearing Your Authenticity on Your Sleeve. Being genuine and practicing your core values is critical to becoming a leader who is comfortable in his or her skin, but just as important is the ability to connect with others. An “I am who I am – just deal with it” type of approach can often be a cover for not wanting to do the hard work of becoming an effective leader. If you find yourself saying “that’s just me”, dig a little deeper to determine if that aspect of you is bringing you closer to others or is building a wall between you and what you ultimately hope to accomplish.
Moving along the leadership pipeline can be challenging, but knowing the third rails can make the journey a smoother ride!
– Nina Bowman