Special Valentine’s Day edition!

You are an amazing individual contributor. So much so in addition to great reviews, you get more and more responsibility. Then, one fateful day you are asked to manage. It might be one person. It might even be a team. Sometimes you have a choice, but more often than not, refusing this opportunity would be a CLM - career-limiting move.

The Reason

Why is this happening?

Why do so many companies push their best people to be managers, even if the person doesn’t want it?

What if you are not suited for a management role?

What if you prefer to continue to make great individual contributions?

I'm not here to debate whether becoming a manager is good or bad, but to shed some light on what is going on. It doesn't matter how big or small your company is, whether it sells goods or know-how — every company has the same basic need to get work done. Period.

As companies grow, the work that needs to be done becomes too much for an individual to accomplish alone. This means you need teams. And teams need leaders. Not just anyone, but someone who can lead effectively to get the job done. This is the essence of Executive Presence. Not merely getting a job done, but being the type of person who can move others to get the job done. This is why companies love leaders with Executive Presence and the bonus is, teams love to follow leaders with it, too.

The Shift

Like confidence, Executive Presence is not just a skill that helps with other skills. It is a skill in and of itself that helps you get the job done because people believe in your leadership.

Instead of thinking about Executive Presence as being limited to leaders, executives, or those who manage teams, reframe it as a skill of inspiring people that you have the ability to lead well in a given context. Your context will be whatever role, meeting, or situation you find yourself in, whether you are formally assigned the role of leader or not.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Is the way I am engaging inspiring confidence?

Is what I am saying helping lead us to the goal?

What perspective or expertise can I contribute that will lead us to success?

Whether you remain an excellent individual contributor or take up the mantle of a manager, your goal should be the same - to lead. This is what companies are looking for in the end — leaders.

Remember, your Executive Presence sets the ceiling of your success.

Learn more

This article was adapted from the new leadership book, Unlock Your Executive Presence: Feel like a Boss. Find it here, along with other books from the Unlock Your Leadership series.

Joe Kwon, the Connection Counselor is a leadership coach and keynote speaker who helps elevate careers by unlocking the ability to better connect with yourself and others.

Contact him if you'd like his help.

To find out more and to access free leadership videos, podcasts, and guides, go to www.connectioncounselor.com.