In my work as an employment attorney and mediator, employees frequently ask me how important leadership experience is before they seek promotion to management. To many, it seems a management title and higher pay are rewards for good performance, regardless of leadership skills and experience. If your employees generally believe that about your management team, there is probably trouble brewing, or you’re already experiencing it. Here are a few articles that might help with that:
- Employees Aren’t Interested in Business Growth for Growth’s Sake
- Building a Business: Lessons from Starbucks and Hiring Your First Employees
- Effective Employee Management: Lessons from a Concrete Manufacturer
Preparing to Lead
This post will address how employees can prepare for a promotion at work by adding valuable skills such as:
- Budgeting (time, money, and other resources)
- Communication
- Conflict resolution
- Data analysis
- Emotional intelligence
- Marketing
- Organization
- Strategic thinking
But First, the Basics
Like most people in Louisville, Kentucky (where I grew up), I worked for large corporations in the early years of my work life. From Taco Bell and Kentucky Fried Chicken to Things Remembered and United Parcel Service, I learned the minimum requirements for continued employment:
- Reliable attendance
- Consistent performance
- Willingness to contribute
I wouldn’t have put this in the same language back then, but it’s what I now call employment partnership. Employers offer job candidates pay, benefits, and various protections in exchange for their attendance, performance, and contributions to mutually beneficial goals. They need each other. Keep that humbly in mind, whether you are the hiring manager or the new employee.
Finding Your Ceiling
I understand the challenges of climbing the career ladder. Promoted relatively quickly to operations and human resources supervisor at UPS, I was passed over multiple times for further advancement—with good reason. I had not yet developed all the skills I needed to lead at the next level:
- Budgeting
- Complex conflict resolution
- Strategic thinking
Volunteering in leadership roles could have bridged that gap for me sooner. Learn from my early mistakes. Take initiative, serve your community, and watch your leadership skills (and career) flourish. Whether it’s serving on the board of directors for a not-for-profit organization, leading a fraternity, or managing a homeowners association, you can prepare for supervisory positions long before your co-workers. You can become the obvious candidate. But you will still need to toot your own horn.
Lifting the Ceiling
Leadership is often perceived as a position of power and prestige, but those who have served know that much of the work happens behind the scenes. From organizing events to managing budgets, and from strategic planning to conflict resolution, leaders are constantly juggling multiple responsibilities. Employees who are comfortable with this behind-the-scenes experience will often transition more easily to management. Yet again, you will need to make sure your management team is aware of your comfort in such roles. Polite persistence still gets you noticed.
The Crucial Skill of Conflict Resolution
One of the most critical skills developed in leadership roles is conflict resolution. There will be disagreements over budget allocations, differing visions for the organization’s future, and personal conflicts among members. Effective leaders must navigate these with tact and diplomacy, much like managers in workplaces. By developing these skills in volunteer leadership positions, you can often practice without great consequence to yourself, the organization, or the communities you serve. It’s often a safer option because there is great need for people to serve in these roles, despite the invaluable training and personal benefits, such as self-confidence and a supportive community.
A Call to Action
Volunteer leadership positions give employees with management aspirations a place to learn and practice skills. However, not all roles are the same. Take the time to determine which skills you need to develop and what you have to offer in exchange. For example, if you hope to manage day-to-day operations, you might select an ongoing role where you lead a small team of volunteers. Alternatively, if you are seeking a project management position, you might choose a short-term committee appointment.
Regardless of your economic or social status, title, age, or career aspirations, you can lead. As my former coach, Author Dan Miller, often said, we’re usually just a few steps ahead of the people we can help. That’s more than enough for all of us to benefit. Just be careful not to expect magic. The path to success is rarely straight, and your ability to persist through the challenging and mundane times might make all the difference on your path to promotion.
Continue Reading
- Sample Employee Performance Oath
- A Guide to Forgiveness for Managers and Employees
- How to Use an Employee Handbook