Most
people near the starts of their careers aren’t typically thought of as leaders
in the workplace. Not only do they inhabit a low spot in the office hierarchy
and lack experience and skills, but also many are too timid and insecure to
assume a leadership role. But with the right attitude, an observant eye and a
desire to learn, any young professionals can prevail early on.
The first
hurdle to overcome is getting your colleagues to see you as more than a
fresh-faced, immature college grad. Instead, demonstrate that you’re capable of
leading without stepping on any toes. Once you do that, there are many more
things you can do to become a successful leader in the early stages of your
career.
Career
experts and authors Al Coleman, Jr., Alexandra Levit, Ryan Kohnen, and Dr.
Katharine Brooks weigh in on why senior employees don’t often regard their
young colleagues as pathbreaking workers and how those newbie’s can emerge as
leaders.
“Most
people view a leader as someone who can direct, guide or facilitate because of
previously successful experiences,” says Al Coleman, Jr., author of Secrets to Success: The Definitive
Career Development Guide for New and First Generation Professionals. Since most young or new
professionals haven’t successfully managed others in the workplace before, they
aren’t always taken seriously that way.
Ryan Kohnen, the author of Young
Professional’s Guide to Success, points out another challenge: “Young
professionals can definitely be perceived negatively by their more seasoned
counterparts [because] the culture we grew up in of video games, internet,
iPods, and Twitter has contributed to shorter attention spans and extreme
multitasking, which is sometimes a positive and sometimes a negative, and this
can be perceived as unreliability or irresponsibility.”
Alexandra Levit, the author of Blind Spots:
The 10 Business Myths You Can’t Afford to Believe on Your New Path to Success,
offers an additional thought: “I think older colleagues are wary of young
professionals [as] a result of many years of new college grads coming into a
workplace and trying to take over right away. Today’s young professionals have
been humbled by the recession and come across less entitled and more eager to
learn, but negative perceptions still linger.”
Assuming
a leadership role without crossing any lines can be a trying task, but if as a
young employee you get the lay of the land before you jump in, you can better
understand what’s acceptable at your particular organization, says Dr. Katharine Brooks, director of Liberal Arts Career
Services at The University of
Texas at Austin and
author of You Majored in What? Mapping Your Path from Chaos to Career.
Kohnen
agrees: “The young professional is the new employee, going into an organization
where people have a lot more experience and seniority in the organization,” he
says. “It’s their responsibility to get to learn how things work in an
organization and learn about the existing employees. Then they’ll find
themselves in a much better situation than the traditional ‘Look at me, I’m
here!’” Lesson learned: Get familiar with the culture of your new workplace to
avoid rubbing your colleagues the wrong way.
While you
don’t want to come off too strong, flaunt your ego, or step on any toes—you
shouldn’t withhold or be too hesitant, either.
“Those
who are hesitant understandably feel that they don’t yet know enough to take on
a leadership role and would rather take a few years to absorb the expertise of
those around them,” Levit says.
Kohnen
agrees. He says young professionals are often cautious because “they don’t
exactly know what a true leader is, or they are unaware of how best to take on
a leadership role in the workplace.”
Kohnen
and Brooks both say you have to define leadership within the context of your
specific field or organization. “It doesn’t mean just taking over, or jumping
in with solutions to every problem that is brought up,” Brooks says. “That can
quickly result in your ideas being dismissed as ‘already tried; didn’t
work.’ Many student leaders worked with clubs or organizations where the
student members didn’t always follow through, and as a result some of those
leaders assume that leading means you take charge and run the show
yourself. That style of leadership probably won’t work in most new work
settings—unless that’s what the new employee is instructed to do.”
Rather,
leadership that is more aligned with being an active part of the team,
communicating and respecting others’ opinions, listening, recognizing
opportunities to help out and do the necessary work–even if it’s
less-than-glamorous–and offering to take initiative to get things done are more
appropriate ways to “lead” in the beginning, Brooks adds.
Coleman
says studies have shown that leaders in the workplace—regardless of age—enjoy
lower levels of unemployment, higher salaries and more opportunities for
advancement in their organizations. “All of this leads to a generally happier
and more engaged employee,” he says. So you might as well assume a leadership
role early on.
Here are 10
steps you can take to become a successful young leader in the workplace:
1. Start
preparing before you enter the workforce
Volunteer
in social or nonprofit organizations or clubs where you can develop or hone
your leadership skills, Coleman says. “Start with groups such as your church,
synagogue, chamber of commerce, or a neighborhood or alumni association. These
groups are full of opportunities to lead at the board, subcommittee, special
projects or events level.”
Do this
while you’re still in college or before you enter the workforce. “If students
have cultivated their leadership skills while in college or worked in the field
previously through internships or other experiences, they have more confidence
generally in their ability to handle situations,” Brooks adds.
2. Do
your homework
While
most of what you’ll need to be a good leader you’ll learn through practical
experience and observation, you can’t go wrong reading books or taking
professional development courses on organizational leadership, Coleman says.
“There are numerous resources out there for free or low cost that will help you
to gain the tools and skills to begin practicing effective leadership in the
workplace.”
3. Take
time to assess the culture of the organization
Listen
and observe how staff treats new workers—and learn what their expectations are,
Brooks says. “If you’re not sure, ask. It’s appropriate to ask your new
supervisor what his or her expectations are about your work.” Note your
supervisor’s style. Is she more casual or formal? Does he want details and
daily reports? Is she only interested in periodic feedback? Learn and adapt,
Brooks adds.
Kohnen
agrees. “Soak it up!” he says. “Learn about your teammates; learn their
responsibilities, roles, professional goals, and business philosophies. Be a
sponge.”
4. Keep a
learner’s mind
Always be
curious and eager to absorb new information. “Try not to judge situations
too quickly or make quick assumptions that may not be accurate,” Brooks says.
“It’s okay to be a little overwhelmed at first. Just do the best you can
and ask for help when you need it.”
5.
Identify areas where you can provide new insight or help.
A young
new worker might be savvier with social media than the older staff, Brooks
says. “If so, that would be a place to offer suggestions or ideas.”
Levit
says you should act as a change agent, “aiming to fix something that’s broken
with your unique perspective and skills.”
Meanwhile,
Kohnen suggests challenging the norm. “Look at problem areas on your team or
company. Sometimes there are ‘norms’ in organizations or teams that haven’t
been challenged or where people haven’t looked for a better way of doing things
for a long time. Usually there’s something that people complain about. That is
a great opportunity to come up with a new solution or idea for a new way to do
things.”
6. Offer
your help
If as a
new worker you start with an ‘I’m here to help’ attitude, it can help you move
into a leadership role more quickly and smoothly. “Look for ways to serve
even if you’re not asked to do so,” Brooks suggests.
Volunteer
for stretch assignments or committees that will allow you to acquire leadership
and management skills before you officially lead a team or a group, Levit adds.
“There
are countless opportunities during meetings where someone is needed to lead a
project or a specific section of a project,” Coleman says. “Step up and
volunteer to take it on. If it’s too large or something that you have little to
no experience with, you can offer to partner with a more established leader to
gain the skills and knowledge to lead on your own the next time around.”
7. Do
your work and abide by the rules
Some
young professionals get so wrapped up in everything else that they fail to
execute their basic required tasks. “If you’re given a deadline, respect it,”
Brooks says. “Try to turn in the item early if possible. Don’t ask for
extensions. Find a way to get it done. It’s also important to remember
that your first few work assignments will likely not be glamorous—but it’s
imperative that you do a good job. If you don’t do the basic tasks well,
no one will trust you with more complex tasks.”
Also pay
attention to the rules and policies of the office, both written and
unwritten. Show up early and stay late. Don’t be the last one in and
the first to leave, Brooks adds.
8.
Communicate and connect
“Take the
time to meet your co-workers and get to know them as people, not just
co-workers. This will take a little time, so don’t be in a hurry,” Brooks
says.
You
should also communicate assertively and broadcast your results in order to get
your value proposition across, Levit adds.
9. Give
credit where credit is due
“Ask
advice when you need it, but also try to complete your work as independently as
possible,” Brooks says. “If you complete a project and are complimented on it,
and someone has helped you, mention that.”
10.
Establish relationships with superiors and find a mentor
You’ll
want to create mutually beneficial relationships with senior managers, mentors,
and colleagues, and emulate their successful behavior and approaches, Levit
says.
“Find a
mentor who’s successfully viewed as a leader within the organization and ask
for opportunities to shadow that individual or work on a project with the
individual to see firsthand how they successfully lead projects or groups,”
Coleman says.
