Leadership Tip: Entry Level Leadership Is A Thing
Leadership is not reserved for people with titles. It's reserved for people with hearts. Whether you are an entry level associate or a C-Level executive, you can be a leader.
When I got my first job, I had a rigid image of what an entry level employee was supposed to be: humble, unquestioning, hardworking. “Leader” was not on that list. In fact, a lot wasn't on that list because I thought that someone as new as me, should know their place and stay there.
Wrong.
I didn't realize how wrong I was until I had two important experiences.
I had a boss tell me that I should spend more time learning and stop innovating.
I had another boss tell me that my ideas were valid and I should push to make them happen.
If I believed boss one, I would never have had the confidence to become the leader I am today! Boss two taught me that entry level associates have fresh eyes, drive, and the ability to be great leaders.
Whether you are an entry level employee or a VP, leadership starts with you. Here are 3 leadership tips we can all do to develop and empower every level in the organization.
Be Helpful
Be Thankful
Be You
Be Helpful
Make time to help. “I’m busy” culture is not conducive to leadership or innovation. Never be too busy that you don’t have time to help those around you. Instead, study your team, find gaps, and fill them. You don’t have to be a VP to see these issues.
When someone doesn't understand something, help them. You don’t need to impose yourself, but you can be a resource to them. Helpfulness encourages others to help. Once you fall into "that's not my job" culture, work becomes a nightmare.
Step up to help and those around you will follow.
Be Thankful
After you launch a culture of helpfulness, thank the people that step up. Thank them specifically and authentically for what they did to contribute to everyone's success. When you are specific in thanking someone, they know what they did well and are encouraged to repeat it. Simply saying "good job" gets you no where. Also, don't be fake... seriously. It is counterproductive to give an inauthentic thank you.
Once you have started to practice gratitude with your team, they will perform better. We are all better associates when we feel appreciated. It's not a secret leadership tip to be grateful, but it's one that we can benefit from hearing again.
Everyone can say “thank you,” there is no title required.
Be You
Leaders make others feel like they belong. If you are yourself, you give others the confidence to be themselves. Bring your quirks and live your values. Just because you are an entry level associate does not mean that you have to hide who you are. The same goes for high level VPs.
There is no value in moving up in an organization and losing yourself in the process. When management isn’t their authentic self, they send a message to the entire organization that no one should be themselves.
Leadership shouldn't make you someone you are not. In fact, anyone who encourages you to stop being yourself isn't looking to develop you. Good leaders develop who you already are, they don’t change you.
Leadership tips don't automatically make you into the leader you want to become. However, they remind us who we already are and are capable of becoming. If you are C-Level, entry level, or any level in between, it's time to ask yourself to be the leader you expect.
What did you learn from some of your favorite leaders? @zjellson
