How do I develop leadership qualities because this is holding me back in my career?

[Carrrs]

I'm finding it really hard to progress in this next stage of my career. Prior to this, I gained excellent academic qualifications from prestigious universities and it was fairly straightforward to get my next two jobs. I've now been in my current position 5 years and am stagnating a bit in terms of career development. I know it's time to look for something new, with more responsibility and more challenges.

I have had three interviews for positions which require more responsibility for projects or people, two outside of my organisation and one inside. From one I was rejected, and not given feedback. Another I was offered a job but at a lower level than I applied for - apparently my technical knowledge and personal qualities were well received, but I lacked commercial awareness.

In my current role I don't manage anyone. I lead individual projects, but not more than one at a time. I am naturally quiet and find networking hard. However I'm a great team member and recognised as a technical expert. It's hard to put myself across as a leader as I can't demonstrate it on my CV and I probably don't have enough confidence in myself for people to believe me in an interview situation. Has anyone got any tips to turn this around, as it's getting difficult to keep feeling positive and continue applying for things. I know I need to stay resilient and be brave, but emotionally it's difficult to keep applying. The applications and interview prep are time consuming and the interview process is generally rigorous.

If you lack commercial awareness, is there a finance course you can do?
I know some people who joined toastmaster training so they become more confident with public speaking and have more gravitas.
Sorry, not much more I can suggest. I’m in a career wilderness period too.

I would be looking to try and develop leadership experience - and you may need to do this outside of work. So taking the lead within community projects/PTA/local club whatever.

Within work, make sure you're putting your hand up for any "extra-curriculars" that are outside of your core reponsabilities - think recrutement drives, mentoring programs, test groups for new initiatives etc

From your post it doesn't sound like you particularly want to be in a leadership role, but for some reason you feel like you 'should'. Is that true?

People who are great team members are absolute gold for everyone around them – and it's such a shame when they then disappear from teams to chase something else, simply because it's what's expected.

People in leadership positions who don't want to be there are really not a good thing... not good for them and how they feel at work every day, not good for the company, and certainly not good for the people they're leading.

What would actually feel exciting and energising for you as a next step in your career, that isn't leadership focused? [disclaimer: if I was way off in how I read your post, ignore!]

ladybird how did you come to the conclusion that I don't want a leadership role, is it because I said I was quiet? Because I definitely do want more responsibility for either projects or people, rather than having a small defined role within particular projects. There is also nowhere else for me to go technically now.

Sometimes I think people self-define or other people define them as unable to be a good leader, or that they wouldn't enjoy it. Is that true? Can you learn to be a good leader? Are quiet people generally not good leaders or do they generally not enjoy it? This kind of thinking is what undermines my confidence.

I would love some feedback from others who have made this kind of transition or had to work hard on this aspect of their career.

Become a school governor
www.inspiringgovernance.org

Leadership skills are something that more and more organisations are requiring. I work for a local council and they are very big on it, it featured heavily in a job I applied for recently; in the advert, JD and interview. There is lots of information online, google emotional leadership styles, Goleman is well recognised. It’s also becoming recognised that women make better natural leaders than women. I’ve done a module on leadership for my degree and it’s very interesting stuff. I agree with a pp, leadership doesn’t necessarily have to be experienced in the workplace, it can come from different environments. I don’t think being a quiet person stops you from becoming an effective leader, I think being self aware is important; knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are and using them effectively.

You were given very specific feedback that you lack commercial awareness OP, and I don't think that's referring to people management.

I've seen a similar thread before, and it was the same issue. My suggestion was that the OP then didn't appreciate the 'big picture' and only concerned themselves with their part of the process, possibly holding things up until they were satisfied with their element, not appreciating the knock-on effect that it had on others or the end product/clients.

Management will involve co-ordinating more than one process, balancing the elements and keeping to timescales to deliver the end product at the right time to the end user/customer. Is there anyone at your current company that could mentor you or that you could shadow for a bit to get a wider view of the business? Is there a project that you could take on/lead that would give you some experience in that field?

ChicCroissant - that is very sound advice.

lacked commercial awareness.

An MBA fixed that for me.

@Carrrs not because you're quiet at all – I wish more leaders knew how to be quieter!

It was just in the tone of your first paragraph – mostly "I know it's time to look for something new, with more responsibility and more challenges."

There was almost something that sounded resigned about it, like you felt like you had to because that's what 'progress' looks like in a lot of careers. People climbing up the career ladder to leadership roles they don't really want, because that's The Next Step – or because they feel like there's 'nowhere else to go', rather than what really excites them and feels fulfilling.

But like I said in my original post, if I was way off in how I interpreted it, do ignore it! Always hard to 'read between the lines' in written formats like this. Definitely didn't mean to leave you feeling like I didn't think you COULD do it – just wondered if you really WANTED to.

Could you look at a Chartered Management Institute qualifications? Depending on your previous studies as to what level you can start at, but could give you more knowledge to feel more confident with leadership.

How to progress: make sure you're a man. Preferably a white man. Then spend your entire career having doors held open for you despite mediocre performance whilst the women with true leadership qualities are marginalised as bitches or unreliable because they have the temerity to want a family as well as a good job.

Then the company wonders why the entire senior leadership team consists of white middle aged men. And makes fluffy noises about encouraging diversity whilst perpetuating the cycle.

I agree with prior poster, look for management certification or qualification of some sort. I went back to uni part time while working full time and got an MBA myself. (Already had PhD)

Being quiet is an advantage as a leader. Leading is 90% listening to others and only 10% giving advice or direction.

I think it’s hard to give specific advice in a forum like this because so much depends on your personal background, the type of company you work for, potential opportunities for progression.
Do you have a mentor at work, or someone that you could approach to do some coaching with?

Can you find a mentor in your company?

I would also spend time being inquisitive - where I work having lunch with a distant colleague is common in order to get to know each other. These lunches don’t come easily to me, but I always learn something and it REALLY helps to build relationships.

Read up about influencing and stakeholder management.

Always have the bigger picture in mind and find an angle that is new for people.

Give credit to others publicly, lift them up. Thank people, give feedback to senior leaders on their people.

Maybe you’re not visible enough? Perhaps you just need to be noticed more?

I would also recommend self reflecting on what it is about leadership roles you really want. And how that fits in with developing your expertise. Quite often leadership roles are less about technical, deep, skills and more about broader more generic comms and influencing skills. Are you willing to step away from the expertise and become more generalist? And how are you perceived in that regard internally? If others see you as a specialist you might need to broaden your exposure a bit...

And me @FinallyHere

I enrolled in the OU and did an MBA and it seriously accelerated my career. It was definitely not the qualification that made a difference. The learning and the exposure to different ways of thinking and working was absolutely invaluable. My confidence increased tenfold, I learned how to put together a cogent case for propositions, and became adept at writing concise, informative reports. I was working full time and a single parent so time management was critical.

Hugely expensive (largely self financed but did get one employer to contribute in lieu of a pay increase) but probably trebled my earnings as well as my career opportunities and job satisfaction. Well worth the time and money investment imho.

(Graduated in 2006 and still regularly in touch with classmates)

I hear you OP
I feel invisible and have spent my whole career being nice and now have little to show for it finanically.
I think my DP is in a similar situation

@CleanYourTeeth thanks that is really constructive advice. I have tried to do some of these things already.

The idea of an MBA is intriguing. It might be overkill, I don't know anyone in current or past jobs who has an MBA except right at the very top. I will certainly give it some thought though. In a way, I think I just need on the job practice really.

@ladybee28 ok I understand. No, I really do want to move on, definitely. I have gone through so many bouts of looking for new positions over the past 18 months that I am pretty clear that there is a drive from within. And like I said, I know I want to look at projects, and the portfolio of projects, on a bigger picture basis. It's harder to imagine leading a large team, but I could imagine leading a small team of a handful of people and finding it rewarding and being proud of leading their achievements.

I should add that the main thing that has held me back from making many applications over the past 18 months, is having two small children. I currently work 4 days and have a generous annual leave allowance, whereas everything I apply for is full time.

I don't know anyone in current or past jobs who has an MBA except right at the very top

I don't think any of the people I work with know I have it. The actual degree wasn't that important, it's the learning and the discussions involved in the study that helped me. There are probably other similar courses but I was on my own with two young DCs and a FT job and the OU suited me.

@OllyBJolly fair enough, and I think you're right that I would get something out it it. Even if not a full MBA, then some type of management course. Thanks for your advice.