Resources
Building a Pathway for Leadership in the Field
Job Seeker
Anyone can be a leader, whether it’s within your official job title or not.
If a leadership role is what you’re seeking, there are ways to build
your own path to success. The best way to start is by becoming the best
possible employee, however there are a few defining characteristics of
leadership that will help you stand out and build your pathway to a
leadership position.
Ask for Clarification
One
tool that will always set you up for success is to ask questions. In
most new or important business situations there tends to be a lack of
clarity. If you aren’t 100% sure of what the bigger picture is, how are
you supposed to prioritize your tasks and projects? As an employee, and
eventually as a leader, you owe it to yourself to seek clarification
anytime you are overwhelmed, confused, or misunderstood by others.
Be Resourceful
Your
manager and coworkers are great resources to ask questions but don’t
fall into a trap of making your boss the first go-to answer for all
problems. Do some research of your own and come up with some ideas of your own before asking your boss for a solution. You want to showcase to those around you that you are a critical thinker.
Master Your Skills
Is
there a portion of your job you, or others, really struggle with?
Rather than spending countless resources making up for any shortage,
make a conscious effort to master the skills yourself. This could be
both a hard skill or
a soft skill, both types are needed to be a true leader. Try seeking
out a mentor, enrolling in a course, or attending a relevant seminar.
Taking this initiative, and investing in yourself, shows great
leadership potential.
Take Ownership of Your Role
There’s
a major difference between disengaged employees who simply check things
off their to-do list and those that are actively invested in their
role. Taking ownership of your role and responsibilities is not part of
the job description, it’s a state of mind. This means you have genuine
interested in the company and take initiative rather than just clocking
in and waiting for direction. Over time, your boss will feel comfortable
handing over more responsibility without the need to micromanage your
work. Taking ownership will help guide you into a leadership role over
time.
Seek Out Accountability
Actively
taking initiative is one part of the job. Keeping yourself accountable
is another part that helps measure the success of your efforts.
Regardless if there is a review process in place at your company, keep
track of your actively and deliver the report to your manager on a
regular basis. This will encourage constructive feedback for you to
improve and continuously get better as an employee. It will also help
set up best practices for when you are a manager yourself.
The
truth is, leadership isn’t easy and it’s going to take some extra work
on your end. As an employee, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut of blaming
others for shortcomings around you. Rather than going that route, taking
initiative to better yourself will set you up for a foundation of
success and ultimately be more rewarding in the long-run.