The Sunday Mail
Women & Leadership
Maggie Mzumara
ONE of the greatest challenges for women occurs when they have just been appointed to leadership positions.
That transitioning process from being a non-managerial staffer to a manager, team leader or head of department — is fraught with daunting moments for most women.
While for some women assuming leadership positions may come more naturally, for others that is not the case.
Missing the plot
The most unnerving aspect for women is taking leadership.
Many women transitioning into positions of leadership expect the reins to be handed over to them, which is where they lose the plot.
Women would do well to learn to take leadership and not wait for somebody else to hand it over to them. Piece by piece, task by task, situation by situation or moment by moment.
It is best to stand guided and buoyed by those terms of reference that come with one’s new position of leadership.
One should realise that the baton stick is now theirs and they need to run with it.
Some new women leaders expect somebody else, a third party, to be telling them what to do every step of the way.
Be guided by policy documents
No one will tell you that it is time to lay down the law, that it is time for you to communicate certain announcements or that it is time to discipline that unruly colleague.
As long as your terms of reference and employee code of conduct and whatever other policy documents you go by state it, allow it or make provisions for it, run with it sister.
Manage the situation, manage the position, but more importantly, manage your subordinates.
You know what else? Manage the self.
Do not, as a manager, put yourself in a position or present yourself in a manner that seems as if you actually need to be managed, as if you need handholding forever.
Rock the leadership robe
Wear those managerial robes and rock them without making any apologies. But, of course, you will need time to familiarise yourself with the expectations of the position, the culture of the department or company, if you are new, and even the individuals you will be working with so that you do not jump in headfirst without being aware of where or what you will land on.
Ignore and overcome limiting beliefs
There are those internal and external voices or other limiting beliefs and behaviours that make one feel like they need to belittle themselves or apologise for wielding so much more power than before.
One needs to learn to quiet and overcome these voices and/or beliefs or at the very least ignore them.
Not doing that may see one second-guessing oneself at every turn.
And that is the last thing that one wants to do or exhibit as they assume their new position of leadership.
Doubt stinks and is a sure turn off.
Take it all in the stride
At this transitioning stage it is a great time for women to learn use the word “I” and “my”, and own the authority that these words denote.
Many new leaders, particularly women, struggle with saying “my department”, “I would like you to do a, b, c, d”.
Often times some women hide or dull their leadership, control and power in the word “we” — “we would like you to do a, b, c, d”.
Wear the authority.
The buck stops with you. You might as well learn to acquaint your shoulders with shouldering the responsibility and accountability that comes with your new position.
Mentors and role models handy
Not sure how?
Find some mentors to ask or role models to imitate.
This may help till one gets into one’s own preferred or more comfortable personal style of leading.
As one fumbles on trying to find and get into the routine, and level of the new high chair, one ought to learn how to keep their grace, especially under fire.
The more one can keep their doubts and fumbling private, the better.
Outwardly, one must try as much as possible to present a graceful, in control confidence.
If one must fake the confidence till one makes it — so be it. If you fake it often enough and well enough, it will with time become second nature.
Maggie Mzumara is a leadership, communication and media strategist as well as corporate trainer. She is a strong advocate for women leadership and is founder of Success in Stilettos (SiS), a leadership development platform for women. She can be reached on [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> or followed on Twitter @magsmzumara
