Can’t see the web player, click here to listen directly.

Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Your Favorite Podcast App

If I aspire to be in a leadership role, how can I get there? What should I do to get myself to be identified and placed in such a role? How do I communicate my ambitions and experiences when I’ve taken on leadership responsibilities but don’t have the title to show for it? If you find yourself asking these questions, this is the episode for you.

As an ambitious high achiever, you have probably taken on more than your share of responsibilities at work. At first glance, the terms management and leadership may seem synonymous but in fact, each one requires a very different skillset. As we continue on the journey to sheer clarity, it’s important to not only be able to distinguish between the two but to ensure that you are embodying the key traits of a leader and creating value for your organization.

In this episode, Mathew and I investigate what it means to be a leader versus a manager. Mathew shares his experiences in his previous corporate career, and we talk about why a title is not as important as you might think, how to demonstrate and communicate your leadership abilities, key characteristics of a leader, what it means to create value, and so much more!

Once you’ve learned the differences between managing and leading you might be wondering whether you’re wired for leadership. We’re going deeper into this topic and looking back at your personality assessments as we explore that aspect next week. Until then, let us know: what has your experience been with communicating your leadership ambitions? Do you feel better able to demonstrate them? We look forward to hearing from you!

The one thing that I’ve always felt people just avoid doing is going straight in to my boss and point-blank asking the question, “Do you see me as a leader?” And finding out and getting the feedback.

J. Kevin McHugh

Key Topics:

• Mathew’s frustrating experience with having an unofficial leadership role in his corporate career (2:09)
• The catch-22 situation you can end up in when you are applying for your first official leadership role (3:05)
• One key differentiator between a leader and a task-doer (5:26)
• Why it’s so hard to get your first job in a leadership role (7:29)
• How Mathew ended up with unofficial supervisory responsibilities (8:15)
• The questions you might ask yourself about communicating your leadership abilities (9:06)
• The difference between counting value and creating value (10:06)
• What you should ask your boss right now to improve your leadership opportunities (11:24)
• The essential connection between leadership and influence (12:19)
• Distinguishing between a leader and a good manager (12:40)
• How to demonstrate your leadership (14:30)
• Why you should use the language of leadership (15:07)
• An example of how you should talk about your leadership ambition and experience (15:44)
• How to go from a task-doer to a leader (17:04)
• Being good at your job doesn’t automatically make you a good leader (20:26)
• Using coaching as a leadership tool (22:01)
• Why initiative is an integral leadership trait (23:00)
• And much more!