Congratulations! All the effort you poured into applying and interviewing has paid off. Take a moment to celebrate your success. You’ve earned it.
But once the champagne’s gone flat, it’s time to shift gears. The skills and experiences that got you here may not be the ones that will help you thrive in your new role. The transition can feel awkward—as though you’re wearing ‘L’ plates all over again.
From Peer to Leader: My Story
I remember being promoted internally from team member to team leader. Elation quickly gave way to discomfort. Suddenly, I was managing people I used to have coffee with. I was signing off annual leave requests, not swapping weekend stories. The power dynamic had shifted, and I had to recalibrate.
It took time. If I’d anticipated the mindset shift earlier, I might have become a better manager faster.
Reflect on Your Development Needs
Before diving into the day-to-day, take time to assess your development needs. Look at the Person Specification for your role and score yourself honestly on each skill—1 to 10. If you’re not at a 10, ask yourself “What would I need to do to get there?”
This exercise will help you build a focused development plan. Here are some ways to tackle it:
1. Training Courses
A good employer will offer induction support and perhaps a buddy system. You’ll also learn informally from colleagues. For more structured learning, explore internal courses—especially around IT and leadership. If these aren’t available, take charge of your own development. There are plenty of free or low-cost online options. See my previous post for information on some of these.
2. Observe Excellence
No one is perfect at everything, but most people excel at something. Watch how others lead meetings, handle difficult conversations, present data, or stay calm under pressure. Be a people-watcher. Ask questions. Most will be flattered and happy to share their wisdom.
3. Try It On
Think of your new role as a ‘dressing-up box of behaviours.’ Try different approaches. Some will feel clunky at first. That’s normal. You’re moving from conscious incompetence to unconscious competence. With practice, some behaviours will become second nature. Others won’t work for you, and that’s fine. Keep experimenting.
This might even extend to your wardrobe. What feels right for you in this new role? What helps you show up with confidence?
4. Practice and Reflect
Fast-prototype your new skills. Try, tweak, repeat. After each attempt, reflect: What worked? What could be better? Feed this into your appraisals. Make the implicit explicit—your manager may not see everything you’re working on.
5. Seek Support
Leadership can be lonely. Build relationships with peers across your organisation. Better still, find someone outside your organisation for perspective. I used to have a management buddy who worked in a different organisation. We would meet a few times a year to co-coach each other through big challenges. It was cathartic, insightful, and refreshingly honest.
6. Find a Mentor—and a Sponsor
A mentor can guide you through the growing pains. A coach can stretch you further. And if you’re ambitious, seek a sponsor—someone senior who’ll champion you and open doors to influential networks.
7. Pay It Forward
As you grow, share what you’ve learned. Mentor junior colleagues. Help them navigate their own transitions. Good leaders are generous—and the cycle of learning continues.
To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. Henri Bergson