I don’t necessarily agree with this, but it’s part of corporate culture, almost everywhere. You do a really great at a job, and because you do really great, you get promoted. Eventually, through great performance, you’ll be promoted to a position of leadership. That’s when ‘it’ happens…
“You’ve changed!”
“You aren’t the same person any longer!”
“You never would have done that when you were one of ‘us’!”
Doesn’t matter what organization, large, medium, small, public, private, government, profit or non-profit, people who know you best are going to treat you differently when you rise to a position of leadership.
They’ll say it’s you. The problem is, it won’t feel like you. It’ll feel like them.
You’re right, it is them.
People will make you feel like you’ve changed, when in reality it’s how they look at you that has really changed. Before you were ‘just’ one of them. In the trenches everyday working it. Now you’re you, the leader. Their new perception of you, thus their reality, is that you can now do something for them. Before you couldn’t. Now you can. But you don’t. You keep being you. That’s not what they want. They want you to be the new you. The ‘you’ that can get them something. Maybe it’s a better job. Maybe it’s more money. Maybe it’s getting out an hour early on Friday, who the hell knows.
What I know is that it’s not you. It’s them. But you’ll say it’s you, because you’re the leader.
Tim,
First, I enjoy reading your posts. I’ll continue to visit your page as it is informational, as well as, educational. Thanks!
This is a topic that I’m passionate about. Leadership, more importantly, motivating and inspiring a workforce, a team, or just one individual. It’s within many organizations culture to promote certain individuals into leadership roles because of the success they’ve achieved within their current or past role. Although this is important, many people promoted into leadership positions have no business leading a team, as they don’t possess the qualities that of someone that can lead, motivate, and inspire a group of people. Sometimes the best person for the leadership role may not be the most successful ee (in terms of performance or goal achievement).
Leadership qualities don’t exist with every successful individual. The process of selecting those that get promoted into leadership roles is a very tricky/difficult thing. Anyway, we could go on and on.
I end with this. A good/great/successful professional athlete sometimes makes the worst coach or general manager. Just because he/she was great at their trade, doesn’t necessarily mean they will make a great boss. 🙂
Take care. Thanks for all the great posts!