Being true to yourself and staying on course as a new leader

As you take over the mantle of leadership, you will have your own thoughts and ideas about how you want to do the job - you wouldn't be stepping up to the plate without some sense of vision and self-belief. The challenge is to retain that clarity of thinking and purpose once you are there.

The first issue you might encounter is that some of the ideals that seemed obvious from the outset are more complex now.
You may find the nitty-gritty detail of particular situations leading you to compromise in areas you never thought you would. Although that may not leave you feeling great, hopefully having to be pragmatic about the practicalities won't detract from your overall sense of direction.

A second issue is perhaps more likely to lead you astray. It is the impact of being in the spotlight - in other words, being overly swayed by what you believe others are thinking or saying. Now that you are in the driving seat, you know that colleagues will be scrutinising and talking about the minutiae of your decisions.

Clearly, it is important to stay in touch with the word on the street, to listen and to consider the views of others. That is a rational and sensible process. However, being too sensitive to all opinions can leave you struggling to hold a clear line.

So, here we offer some ideas to help you concentrate on being you and staying on course.

1. Be realistic about your predecessor's legacy

You know what others are likely to be thinking: how do you compare with your predecessor? It would be quite natural
for you to ask yourself that same question, which can be particularly challenging
when your predecessor was well regarded.
But, comparisons in your mind need to stay in a constructive space.

Your predecessor may have been successful because she had her own special talents and utilised them well.
But, successful legacies come in all forms. Your legacy may be equally successful but look very different.

Perhaps your predecessor's unique knowledge, experience and personality meant that she was especially well placed to talk the clients' language and receive effusive feedback in client surveys. But perhaps you will be the leader known for initiatives and innovations that transform margins and profitability. Or perhaps your contribution will be inspiring a culture that breathes life into the maxim 'people are our greatest asset'.

Respect your predecessor's contributions and achievements. Learn
from her time in the role. But don't be in awe. Remember that her accomplishments were probably achieved over an extended period of time. She also started without
a track record at some stage and she too learnt much along the way. So, it's unhelpful to compare your first weeks in the role
with her last.

2. Think strategically about what you bring to the party

Being too reactive to what others think can lead you to being buffeted from side to side, with the end result that you lose respect from all sides. What's more, you may lose sight of what you really have to offer.

You have the potential to be a great leader when you are you. You may not be great
if you try to be someone else. Create
your vision for the reality that you wish
to generate on your watch.

Think carefully about what is unique about you. Recognise the special skills and attributes which give you vitality and
a cutting edge. These have brought you
to where you are today; now would not be
a good time to leave them behind. On the contrary, these are the pillars on which
you can develop your offering.

3. It's about high performance rather than perfection

No one is perfect and it is doubtful whether you will be judged by that standard. Yet, in a demanding environment, we expend anxious moments looking for ways in which we could have performed better. We are indeed sometimes our harshest critics and this can leave us feeling demoralised, exhausted and unhappy. It's also not great for the timesheet if you feel compelled to double-back rather pointlessly to tasks which you have already completed to a high standard.

So, keep your focus on personal
high performance rather than perfection.
In particular:

• try not to 'awfulise' the consequences when you think that you might have put a foot wrong - very likely it's not anywhere close to the disaster you imagine and your mitigating actions will often deflect the issue in any event; and

• try not to live in fear of criticism - it comes with the territory and it is quite likely that a constructive response to address the comments will win respect.

Be true to yourself

Staying true to yourself is not about being complacent. It is about respecting what you have to give, playing to your strengths and building self acceptance.

Colin Dworkin is a former corporate
lawyer and now business psychology consultant at Talaspect Talent Development
(https://talaspect.com). He gratefully acknowledges the contributions of Dr Karen Lindall (karen.lindall@roodlane.co.uk)
to this article.