Accepting a leadership role is one of the most rewarding steps you can take in your career, however things change when you take that step from the classroom into a leadership role. These changes are both in a practical day-to-day timetable sense but also emotional and psychologically.

These are the five changes that will take place

1. Friendships

   Successful leadership demands that you are seen to be fair, with everyone treated the same. You will find yourself keeping a professional and being friendly, but not friends. Being prepared to have difficult conversations, making decisions that may not be popular and a room going silent when you enter are all things that possibly will take place.

2. You are responsible for others

   Responsibility extends from just yourself to every colleague in your team. That means you have to ensure that your colleagues have clear objectives; that their physical and mental well-being are safeguarded; that they’re given clear feedback and strong direction. It also requires a balancing act — the trade-off between the interests of the individual and those of the organisation.

3. You’re entrusted to manage resources

   As a leader, you’re a steward of your organisation’s resources — people, money, and assets. leadership demands that every decision, some being ‘difficult’ and unpopular, impacts positively on the organisation.

4. Being part of the greater good

   Joining a leadership team gives you a voice, which presents both an opportunity and responsibility. You’re not only accountable for the outcomes of your own team, but also contribute to the outcomes of the leadership team. Great leaders make decisions based on the ‘gre’ at the expense of their own work.

5. Aligning yourself

   You must align yourself to the vision and values of the leadership team. As an individual you may have the chance to criticise decisions, but as a leader, you align. You support the vision, direction and decisions made by the senior leaders, whether you agree or not. You have your opportunity to question, but at the correct time and place. As your leadership roles continue to grow you will have greater opportunity to influence direction.

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