From the course: Transitioning from Manager to Leader

The shift from manager to leader

From the course: Transitioning from Manager to Leader

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The shift from manager to leader

- If you've reached the manager level, I'm guessing you're dependable, hard-working, and competent. Those are great qualities and they've gotten you where you are today. But it's easy to get stuck relying on them. To become a leader, you have to change your mindset, to proactively shift into higher gear, to adjust the way you think and work so that you earn a whole new set of adjectives. Higher caliber, power descriptions like strategic, innovative, influential. Those words indicate that we've elevated our performance on a number of levels and multiplied our impact. Before we explore specific ways for you to make the shift from manager to leader, let's take a closer look at how those labels actually differ. Let's start by contrasting management and leadership. They look different, they feel different. Management is task-oriented, leadership is a practice. Understanding the difference isn't just an exercise in semantics. Think about colleagues and coworkers who display some of the attributes on this chart. Managers are knowledgeable, leaders are insightful. Managers are known as action-oriented, leaders get tagged as visionary. Managers are informed, while leaders step that up to be influential. Managers focus on the tactical, leaders are strategic. Leaders are on a much different track. They influence and inspire. They strategize and set the agenda. They cultivate talent, engage their stakeholders, and build powerhouse teams. The mindset is different. I've put together a list of ways that leaders and managers differentiate. And I've provided it to you in the exercise files. I encourage you to review the list. You know, organizations depend on strong leaders to pave the way for the future. But if you're not ready, and in position, somebody else will step forward to take on that challenge. You'll be hidden behind a mountain of untapped potential. Your contributions to the organization will be limited. Your followers won't grow and thrive. Your impact on others, your ripple effect will be severely diminished. With that in mind, you can see why navigating the shift from manager to leader should be a top priority for you and your organization. And that's my goal for you in this course. I want you to build on your past accomplishments and existing skills and add in that essential leadership dynamic that magnifies and extends your results. You've got everything you need. This course will show you how to leverage it.

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