Question
So, I have been working at a company that is small but old (around 25 employees). Basically, the company was founded many years ago and got stuck in a niche market. But there is a new product that we started selling and it has a huge potential (it has patents and clients are impressed).
There are two groups in the company, one that my boss is part of and consists of some old folks from this first generation and they are pretty much "settled" - they have been working for the company for many years, never got good raises or mentorship and at the same time they were never asked for goals either, so they just work for a paycheck. Some people even started businesses on the side.
The second group is the new folks who are younger, motivated and we are pushing this new product really well.
I'm working very close to the product manager and he really likes my work. I'm not junior but I'm not also a manager, but I really wanted to demonstrate leadership as I already know more than my boss (he is sort of a marketing manager / general manager). He has a good relationship with me and I don't to screw that up, but at the same time he doesn't care much about my development and he gives me work to do that should be done by interns (like filling documents or making updates on the website).
The product manager already wants me on his team to work full-time as a product designer / front-end developer. I also developed respect from other developers, I have this unique skill in the company which is the understanding of front-end, design, and human behavior. Everybody likes me, but I don't want to be seen as the "nice guy", sometimes I actually think I'm too nice.
The owner is true decision-maker and he has a good relationship with my boss who has been working at the company for 10 years. So, I'm basically thinking on ways that I can demonstrate leadership to expose me to the owner, such as doing hackathons, or special projects like something for business intelligence, but I really don't know what would have the highest impact. On the other side, I can do things such as changing design process, usability studies, and a lot of things that will improve my knowledge, but might not get exposure and that might never lead me to management. I understand that from a business perspective what makes employees valuable is what kind of value that they bring to the company, so I'm thinking how I can do something that it will truly expose me as a leader? Note: we are not data driven, so many things are decided on feeling.
Unfortunately, I don't have natural leadership skills mostly because of my disability - I have ADHD and I struggle with oral communication). I'm also not an English native speaker, but I improved a lot recently because I was coached by a previous manager at another company that I worked for. I also started taking medication which improved my speech glitches a lot (I used to forget words all the time and get nervous), now it's much better, but I still have some baggage - years of low self-confidence behaviors that shaped my personality.
Answer
Hello there ~ Thanks for your question.
Being a leader isn't just about the title you have in the company. It's about how you show up: doing great work, being a person of your word (do what you say you're going to do), and showing initiative above and beyond what is expected of you.
If you're looking to expand your visibility as a leader, here are 4 keys to keep in mind:
1. Identify what your natural leadership style and strengths are and work towards expanding the use of those strengths.
2. Keep your eyes and ears open to see where there are challenges/opportunities in the organization that your natural skills can be assistance with and begin to take initiative to help solve those issues.
3. Speak with your manager/boss to find out what areas they need your help with and how you can grow your skills to assist in those areas to further expand the success of your team/organization.
4. Ask for what you need. If you don't feel challenged enough by your work, then ask for additional assignments that will expand your skill sets and allow you to be of greater assistance to the team.
Bottom line: It's about being a positive force for good in an organization by asking questions, taking the lead even when it's hard or uncomfortable, and developing trust and collaboration among your colleagues. Inspiring others along the way as you help the team to move the ball forward.
If you'd like to talk further, we can schedule a time to speak to see how you can further expand your leadership capacity and increase your career success.
Kind regards,
Michele Molitor
