Teachable Moments and Strategies for First-Time Leaders

Abstract

Leaders emerge from different levels of an organization. Some arise as young leaders, fresh from their educational journeys, while others are knowingly or unknowingly groomed and the right opportunity and time intersect for an appointment. There is no doubt that leaders can lead without an official title; however, once a title is given, much work is needed to excel and advance not only oneself but also the organization. Many leaders come into mid to high level positions with skills needed for the tasks at hand but lack various strategies to navigate the organizational landscape without burning bridges or falling into pitfalls. This chapter, per the authors, illustrates how true and effective leaders transition well into their new role or spaces, track the landscape by observing their environment, and prioritize the grooming, growing, and transformation of others to create more leaders. This chapter reveals teachable moments in the lives of others and strategies for first time leaders to adopt in order to grow as a leader and avoid missteps.