It’s exciting to be promoted to a leadership position after putting in a lot of hard work and effort. However, positioning oneself as a leader among more experienced peers can be more difficult than anticipated.
New leaders may feel they’re behind in skills or lacking in experience compared to their senior colleagues, resulting in low self-confidence and possibly poor leadership. To avoid these outcomes, see the advice below members of Forbes Coaches Council. Here, 15 members discuss things new leaders should (and shouldn’t) do if they hope to boost their reputation among other members of the leadership team.
Forbes Coaches Council members share tips to be seen as a leader among peers on the leadership team.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Don’t Be A Know-It-All
Rather than be a know-it-all, listen, engage and learn. Acknowledge that you’re new and looking forward to learning from your peers. When at a meeting with other leaders, let the more experienced leaders speak first; consider what they’re saying, and then add your comments. Saying something with impact and value will quickly help you gain respect and be recognized as a worthy colleague. - Kim Neeson, Kim Neeson Consultancy
2. Never Give Up
If you want to be seen as a leader among your peers, there is one thing you should definitely not do: Give up. Showing grit and determination in the face of adversity will prove to others that you have what it takes to be a leader. So don’t give up, and you’ll be on your way to becoming the leader you’ve always wanted to be. - Anna Tan, Coaching Go Where
3. Don’t Stop Learning
Recognize that leading is more about learning than knowing, more about listening than speaking, and more about enabling than instructing. To become a leader, you’re likely to have demonstrated many of these skills already. Don’t stop! Lean into them. - Nick Bolton, Animas Centre for Coaching
4. Be Ever Curious
As a new leader, be ever curious. This involves listening intently and observing other leaders. Invest time and effort in forming relationships and understanding the inner workings and dynamics of the leadership team. There will be time later for you to speak and be listened to. - Rittu Sinha, The Balanced Bandwagon
5. Don’t Talk About Your Direct Reports
Leaders should never talk negatively about their direct reports, even if goals are not being met. More experienced leaders will interpret overly negative language as insecure and reflective of poor leadership skills. Remember, leaders need to give their teams the tools they need to succeed and not blame others for their own failures. Always lead from a place of humility, kindness and positivity. - Michael Timmes, Insperity
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6. Learn To Read The Room
New leaders looking to build their reputations should learn to read the room, with the understanding that great leadership is a continuum. Additionally, new leaders must nurture relationships, seek to make others better and learn how to continually operate from an improving or growth mindset rather than a proving or fixed mindset. - Dr. Flo Falayi, Korn Ferry
7. Avoid First-Person Language
The one thing an aspiring individual ought to do is forfeit entirely any usage of the words “me,” “my” or “I” in any correspondence. Look—the world of commerce is now driven by teams, where, of course, there is no letter “i.” Always look to deliver a sincere compliment to another in any given scenario, and providence will take care of the rest, assuming you do your job well. - John Evans, Evans&Evans Consulting
8. Take Care Of Your Direct Reports
Leadership is an art. Leaders need to begin to recognize and kind of brag about their employees’ accomplishments out loud. Leaders, take care of your direct reports and they will bend over backward. This will result in boosting your reputation among senior colleagues. - Jay Garcia, Jay Garcia Group
9. Ask Great Questions
It is most critical to demonstrate that you understand that asking great questions is far more valuable than having answers. It is natural for new leaders to want to appear knowledgeable and able to take control. This is a rookie mistake. Seasoned leaders benefit from the knowledge of others—and simply know how to leverage their teams to accomplish the things that matter most. - Philip Liebman, ALPS Leadership
10. Never Disrespect Colleagues
New leaders need to ensure they never disrespect senior colleagues. Senior colleagues have earned, and carry, a lot of wisdom. No matter how antiquated an idea seems from a younger leader’s perspective, they must check their attitude and remember the history that preceded them. If not, they’ll miss out on building relationships moving forward, undermining their own transition into leadership. - Lisa Marie Platske, Upside Thinking, Inc.
11. Pace Yourself
Quality leadership is demonstrated over a period of time. Hence, pace yourself. Avoid rushing to make a mark or trying to gain immediate visibility among your new peer group. Emphasize and work at building collaborative relationships, as that will pay off for you in the long run. - Krishna Kumar, Intrad School of Executive Coaching
12. Balance Demonstrating Capability With Learning
No one wants a leader who doesn’t seem to know what they are doing. A new leader needs to strike a balance between demonstrating competence and capability and, at the same time, being able to listen to the team with respect and an appetite to learn and facilitate. - Michele Cohen, Lead to Growth Coaching
13. Avoid Talking More Than You Listen
Leaders shouldn’t talk more than they listen. Experienced colleagues have a lot to teach if one is willing to listen. No leader knows everything, including experienced leaders. So I advise younger leaders not to pretend to know more than they do; instead, tap into the expertise of the mature staff. It builds goodwill when one asks mature colleagues, “What do you think we should do about X?” - Randy Shattuck, The Shattuck Group
14. Never Undermine A Co-Worker
Your more experienced co-workers have had their journey, and their contributions must be recognized as you build a career for yourself. Make those around you who have more experience feel acknowledged for their unique strength and contribution. One can’t build a long-term career over the graveyard of others’ careers. Once recognized, over time they will become your strongest advocates. - Devika Das, CORE Executive Presence
15. Don’t Take Credit For All The Successes
One thing a new leader shouldn’t do is take credit for all the successes. It’s important to be humble and acknowledge the help of and assistance from others. Leaders should also be open to feedback and willing to learn from their mistakes. Trying to act like you know everything will only make you look foolish and will not win you any respect from your peers. It earns you disrespect. - Giorgio Genaus, Genius Institute
