In my last performance appraisal, my boss walked me through my progress and areas of development as I rose up in management. Over the years in IQPC, I transitioned from a senior rep, to an OIC and to an official team leader role supporting the Director of Sales. Early last year when he moved on, without a director to report to, I became directly under the GM of sales and marketing.
I know the ins and outs of the inbound sales department being among the pioneers of the revamped function in 2008. So I thought it should be a ‘walk in the park’ to be solely responsible for the unit. But I was wrong.
Reality was far from expectation. It is true that when you ascend to higher places, air runs thin, gravity pull is stronger and the weight gets heavier. You feel the strength of a blow now that you don’t have a shock absorber in front of you. You experience heat like you never did when someone gets grilled harder before it reaches you.
Nevertheless, in my 360-degree feedback I was commended for my ability to manage the team, the efficient day-to-day operations of the overall sales floor and effective coordination with related departments. Our team’s performance in terms of revenue is also well-sustained given the down market conditions. Team stays solid and thriving with a 15% increase year-on-year in terms of average revenue per event.
One key area of focus for my development plans was centered around LEADERSHIP – becoming a great leader, not just a good manager. My superior listed out the qualities and descriptions of a manager in comparison to a leader. We then went through them one by one to see how I am doing in those.
While I pretty much ticked the items in the MANAGER column, there are important qualities and duties I missed out in the LEADER side. Clearly there were areas of improvement I must intentionally work on if I want to become a successful leader in the marketplace.
And so this year, my main theme relating to my role as team leader states, “FROM GOOD TO GREAT: transitioning from a good manager to a great leader.”
More than ever before, I’ve seen myself begin to take courageous baby steps in:
- being more vocal and visible (I’m not fond of having the spotlight on me but the good reasons for being ‘seen and heard’ outweighed it)
- confronting an issue as soon as it occurs
- speaking to authorities and putting up a business case (I used to just flow and say yes to everything. I’m a good executor of the plans anyway)
- engaging in crucial conversations (and mindful of the RIGHT way of communicating)
- sternly addressing poor performance while encouraging a good bounce back
- challenging mindset and low perspective
- consciously avoiding the temptation of TELLING when I can ASK
- being more responsible for my mistakes or lack of action.. and not blaming others for it
- experimenting new ways of doing things
- doing whatever I can to come up with options & strategies to solve the problems highlighted and not just pointing them out, leaving them as it is
I am still a work in progress. I still screw up here and there. All I got to do is get back up from where I have fallen and keep going. Along the way, I’ll still get a little bit wiser and stronger anyway. It’s still better than remaining the same.
Outside the management trainings I get in-house, I do extra reading on my own. This book by Max Landsberg, “The Tao Of Coaching” is totally insightful. I’ve put them into practice and even in that short period, I’ve seen a greater glimpse of potential coming out. Greater things are yet to come!
