Here are a few of the tips we recommend in making sure you make it to the senior role you’re looking for!
As a singular contributor at an organisation, you’re already doing a great job. Often, you’re generating and pitching ideas, sticking to briefs, working with a team, and working independently. You’re doing exactly as stated in your contract, and usually for average pay. But if you’re someone who is driven by ambition or itching for more authority, here’s how you can progress.
Start Small
It might sound obvious, but start small. Many people go into roles immediately thinking about ways to get to a senior position. However, by doing this, you’re already shooting yourself in the foot. If you can’t produce the basics of your junior role then how do you expect to progress to a senior?
Starting small doesn’t have a time limit. You may only stay at entry level for a year before progressing. The main tip to take from this is to make sure you’re an expert at that position. At this point, it doesn’t even necessarily mean breaking your back to be seen. It’s about producing the material required of you, on time. Stay an active and participative member of your workforce. You’d be surprised by how much praise just doing your actual job will get you. It shows consistency, reliability and that you have the mind of someone who is focused and devoted to your role.
Go the Extra Mile
By now, you should have made some good progress in your role as an independent member of the team, toward a more ‘coordinator’ position. By which point, it’s time for you to step up to show that you can eventually make it to a team leader position. Some of the best tips we suggest looking at to prepare are CareerVids on YouTube.
A series created by Richard McMunn, who sets up faux interviews which teach you how to knock your interviews out of the park. If you study these, you can discover what traits you’ll need to adapt to become a successful team leader.
In the interim, between researching, take initiative. Go the extra mile. This doesn’t mean turning up to work early and being the last to leave. You can keep a steady work-life balance while excelling at your job. You don’t need to sacrifice your time too much. But go the extra mile by initiating meetings. Curating new ideas that you believe are brand-appropriate and can help push your company forward. Maybe consider running programmes outside of work, that you can use as a lever to show your skills in independent leadership.
Crunch Down on the Essential Skills
There is no one official guidebook on how to become a team leader. That’s because there are several! Research often shows fluctuations between the 7 to 10 top skills to attain to become a credible team leader. When in reality, there are just 4 skills you need, if you want to make a lasting impression.
Communication
This is an obvious one, but something that is hardly ever attained properly. Communication is key to achieving the best out of your team. If you can showcase that you’re able to provide ample communication with a group of people, you immediately create a better work environment. One with consistency. Where targets and deadlines are met. You create a space where staff feel secure. With good communication comes better results.
Emotional Intelligence
People skills are imperative in almost every job out there. As you work your way up to being a team leader, emotional intelligence is integral. It’s also often a skill that is left out of the conversation. However, if you can gauge people’s emotions and know how to handle them, chances are, more people are going to feel comfortable confronting you with queries. They’ll also work to their strengths, as they know they’re supported by a reasonable managerial figure.
Delegation
Being a team leader, you need to be comfortable with having an authoritative tone. Can you lead a team? Are you able to attain everyone’s attention, respect and confidence in your ability to set expectations? Delegation is arguably one of the most important skills you will need if you want to make it to this position.
It may seem easy, but you have to find the balance between leading and delivering. You don’t want to come across as though you’re in a position of hierarchy. Being a team leader often comes with a false sense of security in a power dynamic. It’s important to nip that in the bud. You’re too, a part of the team. You’re just organising how everyone works together.
Problem Solving
Are you as good at leading assignment briefs as you are at disolving issues? If not, then you might want to learn how to. Problem-solving is one of the biggest parts of any team leader position. Since you’re in a place of higher responsibility, you’re more likely to receive an influx of concerns, queries and complaints. Problem-solving to some degree ties into communication and emotional intelligence. In a lot of ways, you’ll find that the skills you need to be a successful team leader are all interchangeable.
What can the younger generation do to enhance their chances?
You might be 17 reading this, fresh into studying your A Levels, or 16, having completed all GCSE’s with flying colours. You might be just a few weeks into your new degree at university. Whatever stage you might be in, there are always ways to build leadership skills that will help you land a more senior role once you hit the industry.
Signing yourself up to community and managerial-type opportunities might seem futile at the time, but I promise you, there’s a place for those skills. It will come in handy.
If you enjoyed reading this, check out our article ‘The Top 5 Professional Certifications That Actually Increase Salary,’ which guides you to some of the top-grossing jobs to keep your eye on. If you want to continue discovering stories like this, subscribe here. Where you can get our articles straight to your inbox, and join the Inside Success community.
Laviea Thomas is a journalist at Inside Success who writes about film, music and politics.
Outside of that, she is an experienced freelance journalist with bylines in NME, The Quietus, Metal Hammer and more.
Over the years, Laviea has been an active panellist discussing fundamental conversations in the music industry, such as diversity and inclusion, and the importance of grassroots venues. She has been a panel guest for Kerrang! Focus Wales Festival, Future Yard and more.
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