Tips for a first time leader?

Anniloebig·May 10, 2021

Posted in:Advice

Hiya! I'm writing an article for a new app that's coming out soon on tips for a first-time female leader. I would love to hear about your experiences, whether that's leading a charity project or becoming a manager for the first time. What part of the industry were you in (and where are you now?), what is your advice on 'taking up space' as a female leader, what are your dos and don'ts, and do you think there are any advantages in being a female leader (feel free to share any positive experiences about female leaders you've encountered too!) I'm really looking forward to hearing your tips and tricks, and feel free to mention any projects you're working on now and I'll see if we can shout them out. Thanks so much for your time!

jikajika·May 10, 2021

Reminisce about all the shitty bosses & managers you had to work under, and do the exact opposite.Then remember the few good bosses & managers you had, and improve on what they did right.

HannahBaldovino·May 11, 2021

So true!

Anniloebig·May 11, 2021

So simple but an effective piece of advice, thank you!

claires·May 11, 2021

"First-time leader" is an interesting phrase. I think it's supposed to indicate the first time someone is in a position of formal authority, but generally people are given those opportunities because they've already showed leadership capacity and more informal types of authority, like relational. It's important to remind people that they've developed skills over time that directly support their new role, and to leverage those. Of course, there are new skills that need to be learned. My best managers have taken a coaching stance with me. In general, I think leadership is about unleashing others to meet their potential. I really love the Coactive framework for coaching.I'd be remiss if I didn't say that I find an under-appreciated leadership skill to be self awareness and understanding how someone wants to be as a leader. There's no one mold or trope. In fact, I think authenticity wins the day, but we often don't give ourselves the space and time to ask how we want to show up for those we lead. For people interested in asking themselves these questions, I'm working on a company to bring coaching to every woman. Since our coaching is powered by the collective, people leave with coaching skills that could also directly support their work. You can learn more at http://Topknot.app or happy to answer questions in DMs.

Iynna·May 12, 2021

Beautifully said! I'd probably rephrase and say @Anniloebig this is your first time being a manager perhaps :-)

Anniloebig·May 12, 2021

Yes! I think terminology can be so tricky because 'leader' can be applied to so many areas. Absolutely agree, and thank you for your response!

Anniloebig·May 12, 2021

Thank you for your thorough response and insight! I really love the way you phrased it too and the emphasis on authenticity. I'll definitely give Topknot a look, thanks a lot!