Preparing for a Leadership Role

Matt Love-Smith • Feb 09, 2015
Taking on more responsibility at work is not always synonymous with career or financial advancement. The healthiest approach to securing a leadership opportunity is to assume there’ll be no monetary or status reward; take on the new challenge for it’s own sake, do it to the best of your abilities and the rewards will naturally follow.

By simply identifying a leadership opportunity, you’ve already demonstrated one of the key skills required of leaders: the ability to recognise opportunities when they present themselves. Evaluating and positioning yourself to take advantage of those opportunities are the next steps.

What I learnt from my own experience of working in a large blue chip company, and advancing from the ‘new starter’ to the Group General Manager, was that if you conduct yourself in the right way at work, leadership opportunities will come to you. So here is my take on five ways to present yourself as a future leader:

  1. Know Your Organization inside out. Make it your business to become well-acquainted with the day-to-day running of every department. The bigger your picture, the easier it is to spot opportunities, and the more understanding you acquire about your company and its people, the more prepared you will be to lead.
  2. Stand Out. Wallflowers don’t get promoted to leadership roles, so make sure people know who you are and more importantly what value you bring to the table. Figuring out how to make your presence felt without being obnoxious is one of the hardest skills to develop. If you can do it, you’ll win the respect of your peers and your managers.
  3. Be Easy to Work With. If you can’t take criticism or have a reputation for being difficult, people – and opportunities – will give you a wide berth.
  4. Solve Problems. Look for weak spots in the running of your organisation and devise practical solutions. If you save time and money for your employers, by identifying a better way of doing things, the value you add can be easily quantified. Again, this is something of a balancing act. Spotting the ‘weak links’ or barriers in a business could be perceived as criticising the work of others. So, be sure that you are always playing the ball, not the man.
  5. Work and act like a leader. Perception is reality, so the more you present yourself as an innovator and a safe pair of hands, the more opportunities will come your way. Management loves a volunteer. Be one.
Taking the Leap

As you move up the management hierarchy it can be tough to actually make the transition from team member to team leader. You were likely promoted because of your ability to get things done. Now, your job is to get those same results from others. Not everyone is capable of delegating, but it’s one of the identifying characteristics of a leader.

It’s essential that you trust the people you work with. If you can’t place your faith in the team you’ll be leading then either don’t seek out the leadership role or start to think about the changes you may need to make. As a mentor once told me early in my management career ‘If you don’t get your fingers burnt at least once a year, then you’re not trusting your people enough’. Effective leaders are confident enough to give people the freedom and support to realise their potential. It can be a hard lesson to learn, but as long as you don’t feel undermined by the success (or occasional failure) of others, the fruits of your collaboration will be richer. If you disagree with others, clearly communicate the reasons. But be truly open to ideas and you will learn to tell the good from the bad. As a rule of thumb, listen twice as much as you speak.

Above all, be authentic. Keeping up an appearance of what you think constitutes a strong ‘leadership style’ is untenable in the long run. The cracks in the facade will begin to show. By being genuine and honest, you eliminate that stress. Trust in your own leadership ability and the rest will follow!

Matt is a Director of The Talent Hive and leads the Engineering recruitment practice within the business. Originally from the UK he’s been living in New Zealand for 11 years. Matt is a retired ‘amateur’ athlete who has given up chasing great marathon times for chasing his young children around the park, a far more worthy (if not exhausting) pursuit.

At The Talent Hive we specialise in connecting IT & Engineering professionals with the right career opportunities. We encourage collaboration, socialising your success and sharing industry insight and expertise. Start the journey, connect with The Talent Hive today.

 

Temp & Contract Recent Trends

01 May, 2024
The economic conditions are influencing the contract employment landscape in several ways. Here are some of the trends Talent Hive has seen recently.  Demand Shifts NZ firms facing economic headwinds are hesitant to commit to FTE hires but with projects and deadlines still to deliver on, there is likely to be more reliance on temporary and contract solutions to manage workloads in the coming months. Available Talent Although not widespread, layoffs and restructures in the Tech sector could lead to a larger pool of candidates available for temporary and contract work, and Talent Hive has seen an increase in enquiries from people looking to understand how they might set themselves up for contract engagements. This has the potential to increase competition but could also provide businesses with access to qualified talent on a flexible basis. Tech Sector Specifics We are seeing an increase in demand for contract staff recently, particularly Software Developers, Integration and Solution Architects, and Business Analysts. This upswing in demand is reflected in the recent Seek job listings data. There are 207 Contract IT/Tech roles advertised on Seek today and 23% of those contract roles have been listed in the last 7 days. 52 of the 207 contract roles advertised are for Software Eng/Developers with 30 listed ads for Contract BA’s. Wage Control In Stats NZ’s latest update, New Zealand's salary rates actually increased by 4.1 percent in the year to March. That labour cost growth slightly outstripped inflation, which was sitting at 4 percent. Contract hourly rates in the Technology sector have stabilised in recent months as hiring demand has decreased and we may even see hourly rates come back a little, particularly for role types where there is an oversupply of contract talent. Hybrid Work Trend One trend we are certainly seeing in the contract market are fewer remote work opportunities. Increasingly there is a requirement for contractors to have the ability to work some of the week at a designated office and this is restricting the opportunities contractors are able to go for. Full remote work options aren’t completely gone but they are significantly reduced. Contract candidates must be open to in-office work for at least some portion of their engagement. Overall, the current climate creates a complex landscape for both businesses seeking talent and professionals exploring temporary and contract opportunities. Success for Contractors will depend on adaptability, flexibility around rates, and contract length. Talent Hive's Value Talent Hive's understanding of the current market dynamics, along with our strong network of skilled professionals, positions us uniquely to support both clients and candidates Addressing Uncertainty: For businesses navigating hiring uncertainty, Talent Hive offers flexible staffing solutions. We have access to contract talent that are ready to fill immediate skill gaps and help organisations manage fluctuating workloads. Beyond Just Tech Skills: We understand that finding the right technical expertise is only half the battle. Talent Hive's strong connections within the contractor talent pool allow us to identify professionals who are not only technically capable but also a strong cultural and organisational fit for our clients. This approach ensures smoother onboarding and a positive impact for both the contractor and the employer. We would like to share some of the contractors we’re working with at the moment. Click below to view some of the great IT talent we're working with to find roles at the moment.

We won at the SEEK awards!

05 Dec, 2023
We're extremely proud to say that we won at the SEEK awards: Small Recruitment Agency of the Year!

What do our candidates want in 2023?

04 Oct, 2023
Matt and Marc look back at some of the recruitment industry changes, and discuss what candidates are wanting in 2023.
Share by: