Tips for Emerging Leaders

• • • • There’s no right or wrong way to build a career, and it’s more important to have goals than plans

      • There are classical, well-trodden career paths, but some of the most interesting careers we’ve seen are unusual in some way

      • As you grow in seniority, building a broad set of leadership and commercial skills is key; you can grow as much through lateral moves as through promotions 

• • • • Most successful careers align with the Japanese concept of ikigai, so do something you enjoy, you’re good at, that gives you purpose, and that you can earn a decent living from 

• • • • As every cell in your body changes every seven years, what you want out of life in seven years’ time versus today will almost certainly change, so your career needs to evolve with you 

• • • • Good values, a sense of purpose, being motivated by the work to be done and its impact on the world 

• • • • Caring about and developing others 

• • • • Being able to build trust and consensus 

Mindset / Courage
 

• • • • Being authentically ambitious for your organisation, your team and yourself  

• • • • Achieving outstanding results, year in, year out, and being able to make the tough calls 

• • • • Being courageous, positive, mature, self-assured, keeping your ego in check, and being resilient and adaptable 

Skillset / Smarts
 

• • • • Being a strategic, long-range thinker with good commercial judgement and street smarts 

• • • • A high EQ, self-awareness, being able to set a vision, communicate briefly and brilliantly, and build a team with a complementary set of skills 

• • • • Having good career judgement: understanding how the internal and external job markets work; knowing when to say yes and (perhaps even more importantly) no to opportunities 

• • • • Be clear on how you want to positively impact the world and those around you: having a true north helps you in key decision-making moments, and in tough times  

• • • • Find an environment that supports your passion, vocation and purpose 

• • • • Don’t try to swim against the tide, or be a square peg in a round hole: it’ll be hard yards! 

Kindle Relationships
 

• • • • Work with people that inspire you 

• • • • If you want to get on, you need people to like and respect you: you can push, but you need pull, so be a good follower 

• • • • As you move up the career ladder, your success depends increasingly on the quality and effectiveness of your team, having a broad network and being supported at home 

Learn and develop continuously
 

• • • • To keep up with the pace of change you need to learn continuously  

• • • • Build your own and others’ skills, particularly leadership and communication skills 

• • • • Focus on delivering your highest contribution; help others to do the same 

Be savvy 

• • • • Nail the basics: prepare, manage time well, prioritise, focus, have a to-do list (and a not to-do list), dress and act appropriately 

• • • • Everywhere has politics: don’t be naïve; understand how the game is played 

• • • • Make a note of, and subtly broadcast, your achievements… without annoying people 

• • • • Be assertive, but not aggressive 

• • • • Be realistic: you’ll have to bend to your organisation’s wishes most of the time 

Think long term
 

• • • • Careers are marathons, not sprints 

• • • • Extend any time horizons you have, and you’ll be less disappointed 

• • • • You can’t lead on empty (certainly not over the long haul), so build stamina, and prioritise your physical and mental health