We heard from Alicia, who said "I'm so ready for a team leader job, but I can't make my manager see it!"
Alicia had applied for two team leader positions in her company, but she didn't get either one. The HR Director told Alicia to keep trying.
Alicia told us "My manager tells me that I do a great job, but she picked other people for the two team leader job openings she had this year.
"I want to use the time between now and the next team leader opening to make it clear I'm ready for a promotion!"
It can be frustrating to communicate to higher-ups that you're ready to step into a leadership job. Here are five ways to do it.
Get the Big Picture
There's a reason organizations employ team leaders and supervisors, and it isn't to sit behind a desk and boss other people around. That would be a waste of money!
A leader's principal job is to corral his or her team around a common goal -- whatever the team is supposed to accomplish.
The goal might be processing the day's orders on time and with no errors, or it might be to grow sales in the team's territory by five percent this quarter.
It's critical for anyone interested in a leadership job to understand more than just the duties and responsibilities of the team leader and the other team members.
What is the team's purpose? What are its monthly, quarterly and annual goals? What are the biggest impediments to hitting those goals, and how can they be surmounted? How does the team interact with other teams and individuals inside and outside the organization?
Your job as a would-be manager is to study and research these topics, ask all the questions you can think of and become an expert on the big picture surrounding your work group. You won't be ready for management job until you see how the pieces fit together!
Understand a Supervisor's Goals
Once you understand the context for whatever leadership job you're pursuing, drill down. Understand what a supervisor is responsible for delivering every day and every week.
In some departments, compliance with external regulations is a very big deal. If that's the case for you, study up on those regulations! If one-on-one training of new staff members is important in the leadership job you want, read about leadership development and hands-on training.
You want to be able to tell your boss "I have already looked deeply into what this role will require."
You don't want to have to tell him or her at the interview "I'm interested in learning what this team leader job entails." You must already know what the job entails, before you apply for it!
After all, you work right there in the company. You can watch, listen and learn every day - and if you want to get promoted, that's a must!
Set and Reach Your Own Goals
You don't have the leadership role you want just yet, but you can still make goals! Every job has goal-setting potential. Take the opportunity to set concrete goals in the job you're already performing, and when you hit them, share that information with your manager.
Look for logjams and processes that don't work well around you, and look into alternatives to those creaky or overburdened processes. The more proactive you can about your work before you go after a supervisory job, the more likely you are to get the job you want.
Take on Leader-Type Projects
The best way to get your manager used to seeing you as a leader is to take on leadership responsibilities right now! You can write up a training manual or a set of Frequently Asked Questions for new employees.
You can offer to train a newcomer or create a lunchtime Brown Bag event on a topic that your teammates could stand to know more about. You could help update marketing materials or your departmental procedure manual.
There are lots of ways to go above and beyond your job description. Look for them, and jump on them when you see them!
While You're Waiting, Be the Model Employee
It goes without saying that if you want a management role, you've got to be known as a model employee in your current job. That means doing your job with heart and vigor every day.
It means taking responsibility for problems even if they don't touch your desk. It means looking for solutions rather than passing the work on to someone else.
Above all, you'll make it clear you're ready for a leadership job when you look for ways to make your workplace more effective every day. That's what Alicia is doing now.
She's already put together a New Employee Guide just for newcomers to her department, and next she's going to teach her colleagues how to calm down angry customers with a mini-training session and Alicia's own scripts!
It's fun to stretch your job description, get altitude on your role and grow new muscles. By the time Alicia gets the promotion she wants, the team leader job will feel very familiar. You can do the same thing Alicia's doing, and make it obvious that you are ready to lead.
