When I first started as a leader, it was as a manager of a restaurant. This was a fantastic experience for me, and I found that I took to the role naturally, although I didn’t know at the time that leadership was what I was doing. It would be many years before I would understand the importance of this experience. Throughout my five-year tenure at the restaurant, I began to understand my strengths and opportunities for growth. I was building a foundation, planning a career, and marketing emerged as the thing I enjoyed the most. When a formal marketing role became available, I jumped at it. I was finally on a path.
It is said that leadership is a journey. To me, the implication here is that the journey itself is the goal. If it’s true that you can always improve as a leader, then there is no destination, but rather a series of peaks. When we reach each new peak, we stop, look around, figure out how to make it to the next one, and keep moving. But how do you determine your own path? And how do you move along on your leadership journey? If you are having trouble building on your foundation or don’t know where to start, I offer some suggestions.
Uncover Your Sweet Spots
The aspects of the restaurant role I enjoyed the most were organizing concepts into tangible projects, then leading their implementation. I coordinated how we would implement a major dining room renovation. I implemented a more efficient system of numbering our tables. I began to develop new menu designs and promotional nights. And I enjoyed every minute of it.
My first formal marketing job was also a leadership position- and it was a great job. I knew I had a pretty steep learning curve, so it was daunting and exhilarating at the same time. I learned about comfort zones and found that I was adept at working outside mine. This was an international organization with a comprehensive leadership development program. I was exposed to advanced business concepts and tools I never knew existed. Through this exposure, I learned something else about myself: I enjoyed structured environments where I could develop and improve upon existing processes and procedures. And I learned that I preferred to lead teams in a collaborative environment.
That first marketing role was a breakthrough for me in terms of helping fine-tune my career path. I knew what I liked and didn’t like. What my skill sets were and the types of roles and companies that didn’t make sense for me to pursue. Thanks to the restaurant manager job, which led to the marketing job, I had found my sweet spots. Growth is a cumulative process, so subsequent roles allowed me to further hone my skills and move to each new level in my career.
It’s critical to have a firm handle on your strengths and areas for growth. As my teams grew and I was given higher levels of accountability and responsibility, having a solid foundation to build from allowed me to navigate the often-murky waters of leadership.
Must Haves: Mentors, Allies and Coaches
This period of greater focus coincided with me obtaining a mentor. And it was completely by accident. I was sitting in a meeting, where the discussion had become contentious over a topic we’d been debating for a couple of weeks. In an instant my eyes locked with this person, as if to say, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Later, I found out the answer to the question was yes. There is a term: micro moments. Not the marketing concept, but the idea that there are these flashes of recognition two people can have, where for that split second, they are connected. This was that type of moment, and it sparked a mentorship that still exists today. My mentor provided guidance, unvarnished feedback, and unconditional support. I credit this person for giving me that final push I needed to move to the leadership peak I had been struggling to reach for a few years. Sometimes you simply need a second opinion, to be told what you don’t want to hear, to be praised for something praise-worthy, and ultimately, to be counseled on what it will take to meet your goals. Having mentors is crucial to career growth.
Then there are allies. These are the people in your organization, sometimes superior to you in rank, though not always, who support you and will go to bat for you if it’s ever warranted. This could manifest itself in supporting you for a promotion, backing a project you’re working on, or simply helping you network within the organization. Allies have been an important part of my leadership journey. In my formative years as a marketer, there were two allies who ensured my voice was heard. They saw the passion I brought to my work and made a space for me to excel. This enabled me to get a promotion. I’ve learned how to expand my sphere of allies, and how much more enjoyable my work has become as a result. Allies are another key component to advancing your career. And they’re all around you. The more adept you become at determining your sweet spots, the more opportunities you will have to meet allies.
It can’t be overstated that the relationship with both mentors and allies needs an authentic foundation. There must be something real that connects you, and a mutually beneficial reason to perpetuate the relationship. At their core, they are relational, not transactional, partnerships. The allies and mentors I’ve spoken to have said that they get as much from these connection as the person who they are supporting.
Leadership coaches are wonderful. They are completely objective, since they typically don’t work within your organization. They are trained to assess you as a professional and tell you how you can improve your performance. I’ve never had a session with a leadership coach that wasn’t right on point. I’ve been fortunate to work with leadership coaches at a few of my organizations and it has been career-changing. If you are ever presented with the opportunity to have a session with a coach, whether solo or in a group setting, I highly encourage you to take it. Even though it’s sometimes hard to hear an assessment of areas that need improvement, if you can put yourself in a growth mindset, it will help you excel.
Leadership is a deliberate choice. It’s a long, wonderful journey with no end but rather a series of wonderful peaks. Being clear about your goals and building solid relationships will help you go farther.
Christina Deidesheimer 