How Clear Are You About Your Senior Manager Role?

Feeling overwhelmed and doubting your abilities after that long-awaited promotion to senior management? You’re not alone. In the high-stakes game of corporate leadership, the gap between expectations and reality can be crushing. It’s time to face the harsh truth: most senior managers are set up to fail from the start.

Many leaders find themselves wrestling with various challenges, their training and support offered often being out of sync with the demands of their roles. Research by Effectory reveals that only 53% of leaders are clear on their roles. This lack of clarity impacts several other factors including decision-making, team effectiveness, and overall organizational success.

Most organizations leave their people in a developmental void between their Management 101 offering and access to Executive Coaching. Only 5% of businesses offer leadership training at all levels of their business. The reality is, Management 101 is important but it isn’t the right framework or mindset for leading in more senior roles. Most 101 programs teach management skills, which is appropriate for that level. But management skills are not leadership skills. The context, level of complexity, and the challenges that need to be overcome are completely different. Executive coaching is reserved for too few.

The Challenge of the “Accidental Manager”

One in four managers is promoted to leadership positions with no formal training. Many others are relying on the Management 101 program they went through years ago. Eye-opening research by Folkman highlights a glaring 16-year gap between the age at which people typically step into their initial leadership roles, around 26 years of age, and when they finally receive their first dose of leadership training, usually at 42. This results in many ‘accidental managers’ who are unprepared for the complexities of senior management.

Common Mistakes Leaders Make

• Doing the Job They Used to Have: Leaders often fall back on their previous roles because they are more confident in the known. This is what got them promoted and helps them feel like they are achieving something.
• Taking Over Team Members’ Tasks: They might also take on tasks that should be handled by their team members, believing that this demonstrates capability and being a team player.
• Failing to Delegate: By not delegating effectively, leaders become overburdened and their teams feel undervalued.

The Impact of this lack of clarity

The lack of proper clarity for the more than 50% of senior managers can lead to significant challenges:

• Misaligned Priorities: Without clear objectives, you may find yourself focusing on tasks that do not contribute to the strategic goals of the organization.
• Ineffective Delegation: Without understanding the leadership aspect of your role, you might take on too much yourself, leading to burnout and an underutilized, disengaged team.
• Low Morale: A lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities for you cascades and can lead to confusion and dissatisfaction among team members.

The ROLES Framework for Role Purpose Clarity

To help bridge this gap, we came up with the ROLES framework. It which outlines the structure of a conversation which can be executed in as little as 15 minutes. It’s a tool designed to provide clarity and purpose for senior managers by addressing key aspects of their roles. Let’s explore each component:

Let’s explore each component:

R — Responsibility

• Key Question: What are and are not my specific responsibilities?
• Usage: Clearly articulate your own responsibilities and those of your team members to ensure everyone understands their specific contributions and areas of accountability.

O — Objectives

• Key Question: What are my specific objectives?
• Usage: Define specific, measurable objectives for yourself and your team, aligning efforts with team and business goals.

L — Leadership

• Key Question: What leadership roles do I have?
• Usage: Identify and clarify what you are in charge of versus empowering others within the team to step up, ensures you are leading specific initiatives or areas effectively and not trying to be across everything.

E — Experience/Education

• Key Question: What skills and experience do I bring? What do I need to develop?
• Usage: Assess and leverage existing skills honestly and identify areas for professional growth to ensure you are equipped to fulfill your role effectively. We offer a leadership 360 assessment which can help with this too.

S — Support

• Key Question: What support do I need?
• Usage: Determine the support you need from your manager and your team to perform your role effectively, ensuring you have the necessary resources and assistance in place before they become an issue.

The Path Forward

Recognizing the need for a shift from management to leadership is the first step. Senior management is not just an elevated version of your previous role; it’s a fundamentally different job that requires new skills and approaches. Embrace the ROLES framework to gain clarity and purpose in your role. By focusing on leadership rather than just management, you can navigate the complexities of senior management and lead your team to success.

Remember, leadership is about doing the right things, not just doing things right. Are you ready to make that transition?

When you are ready to find out more, here are a few ways you can connect with me

1. Want personal results in one hour? Book a Breakthrough Strategy Session
2. Read my latest book — Beat Burnout click here
3. Listen to the High-Performance Leader Podcast — click here
4. Read our blogs — click here
5. Learn more about Ways of Working, click here