Getting TO and Getting THROUGH Senior Leadership

Climbing the corporate ladder often feels like a journey full of twists, turns, and unseen barriers. The destination – senior leadership – is often clear but reaching it, and thriving once you’re there, is a whole different challenge. 

For those with ambitions to take on senior roles, there’s more to it than just doing your job well. It involves understanding the dynamics, mastering soft skills, and embracing personal growth. 

In this article, we'll explore how to get TO senior leadership and, just as importantly, how to get THROUGH it successfully.

1. Focus not just on what you do, but also on how you do it.

• Don't hide your real self. Speak your mind, share your opinions - this is how you build confidence and visibility.
• Don't fall into the trap of overvaluing expertise. As written about in the excellent book 'How Women Rise' it is very common for women to believe their value is in their products or output. But as you progress to leadership, your skills as a leader become far more important than your subject matter knowledge.
• Show Initiative: Senior leaders look for people who solve problems, not just flag them. Be proactive in taking on responsibilities beyond your current role, and don't wait for instructions to make improvements.

Building a reputation as a reliable, knowledgeable, and proactive person is key to positioning yourself for senior leadership roles.

2. Leverage Mentorship and Networking

Getting to senior leadership isn't done alone. You need the support, guidance, and influence of others:

• Get a Coach: 71% of Fortune 500 companies use coaching to develop their leaders. Coaching helps you improve decision-making, communication, and emotional intelligence, which are all crucial for effective leadership.
• Build Networks Across the Organisation: If you would like to learn how to map and manage your visibility across your organisation you can learn how to effectively achieve this through the programme, Elevate: Leadership Academy for Women. The Success Smith clients have had great experiences with this method.

Building a reputation as an authentic, composed and proactive person is key to positioning yourself for senior leadership roles.

3. Mastering Soft Skills

Great performance will only take you so far. At the senior leadership level, soft skills become crucial:

• Communication: Senior leaders need to convey ideas, inspire teams, and influence key stakeholders. Being able to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively is essential.
• Emotional Intelligence: Understanding your own emotions and those of others can help you navigate the interpersonal dynamics of leadership. Senior leaders must be empathetic, manage conflict well, and maintain strong relationships.
• Strategic Thinking: As you move into senior roles, your focus needs to shift from the day-to-day to the bigger picture. Leaders must be able to think strategically, anticipate future challenges, and guide their teams towards long-term success.

Soft skills can make the difference between a leader who simply manages and a leader who inspires.

4. Prepare for Challenges Once You Arrive

Getting to senior leadership is only half the battle. Staying there and thriving presents its own set of challenges:

• Balancing Vision and Execution: Senior leaders are responsible for setting the strategic direction of their teams, but they also need to ensure those strategies are executed effectively. Finding the balance between the big picture and the operational details is key.
• Handling Pressure: Senior roles often come with high stakes. You’ll be expected to make decisions with limited information, manage crises, and deliver results under pressure. Learning how to manage stress and maintain composure is crucial for long-term success, take a look at this Stress Management mini course to support you.
• Navigating Office Politics: Politics in the workplace exist at every level, but they’re often more intense at the top. Senior leaders need to be aware of the politics around them without getting caught up in unnecessary conflicts.

Leadership at the senior level requires a delicate balancing act of managing pressure, relationships, and performance.

5. Lead by Example

Senior leadership isn’t just about managing teams, it’s about being a role model. The way you behave sets the tone for the organisation:

• Integrity and Authenticity: Leadership is built on trust. Being honest, transparent, and authentic with your team is essential for fostering a positive and productive work environment.
• Empowerment: Great leaders don’t micromanage. They trust their team to do the job and provide support where it’s needed. Empowering others to take ownership not only increases performance but also strengthens the organisation as a whole.
• Continuous Learning: The best leaders never stop learning. Be open to feedback, seek out new knowledge, and stay adaptable to change.

Effective senior leaders inspire their teams, uphold strong values, and continuously evolve to meet new challenges.

Conclusion: It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Getting TO senior leadership requires determination, strategic relationships, and the ability to stand out in the right ways. But getting THROUGH senior leadership - surviving and thriving once you’re there – requires a whole new set of skills. You must be able to adapt, influence, and continuously grow, balancing the pressures and expectations that come with the role.

Ultimately, success in senior leadership is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about building your reputation over time, forming strategic alliances, and evolving as a leader to stay relevant in an ever-changing business landscape.

Whether you’re just starting your journey or already in the thick of it, these principles will help you not only reach the top but stay there – and lead with impact. 

If you would like to step up and need some expert guidance to achieve your goals then please get in touch with The Success Smith. Book a discovery call with Victoria. You may also be interested in Elevate: Leadership Academy for Women, more details can be found here.