Talking with people in authority positions recently, I’ve discovered a major frustration. It is another COVID related issue. (Aren’t there a lot of those?)
Some things will never return to normal “due to COVID”. This may very well be one of them.
A major frustration for some in authority:
Good managers have been forced to be leaders.
One reason some in leadership positions today are frustrated is they didn’t sign up to lead. They were expecting to be managers.
They found jobs in organizations that weren’t looking for a great deal of change.
The job they held had clearly defined rules and boundaries.
Paths forward were carefully and strategically planned for them.
COVID changed that for all of us. Recently, I posted “Why It Has Never Been a Better Time to Be a Leader”. This is a season in our organizations and cultures where all of us in positions of authority are forced to do things we’ve never done before. We have to go places we never thought we would have to go. As a result, people look to us for answers that don’t come easily.
That’s leadership.
If you were hoping to manage what has already been built it will be very difficult to thrive in today’s organizational cultures.
That’s frustrating. Some people having to lead today – in a very complex leadership environment, simply didn’t “sign up” for some of what they’ve been asked to do. That’s nothing against them. It simply isn’t in their previous “wheelhouse”.
If this is you, what can you do? Well, simply put I can think of a few options:
Remain frustrated – that’s always an option.
Change careers – but that’s going to be hard to find a place where leadership is not required today.
Learn to lead – and I think you can.
Check out my new website design and my 5T Leadership offerings. One thing I love helping leaders do is managing the transitions in their leadership and life. Let me know if I can help you.
