Guidelines for a leadership position

January 2020: I was promoted to the role of an Apprentice Leader at Mu Sigma. Apprentice leader can be thought of as a Data Science Manager where we have to continuously strive to improve the quality of the team that will be conducive for its growth. Transitioning into a manager role was certainly challenging. In addition to solving technical problems, there were new responsibilities such as collaborating with multiple people, ensuring that your team is motivated and inspired.

I have listed down a few guidelines (and not rules) that I felt are important to be successful in a leadership position.  

1. Willingness to take up challenging tasks: I will be doing a lot of work that I haven’t done before and I will be pushed out of the comfort zone. I need to be prepared for this. In order to get results for these tasks, the points below will be of utmost importance
2. Time management: The importance of time management can never be stated enough. When there are busy days, having a to-do list and a schedule will be very effective. Also, it is important to be in the present and not think about other issues at that point in time. Context switching is a skill that comes in handy in management
3. Not getting affected by environment and people: Be ready to listen to opinions that are not aligned with my opinions. Be ready to be criticized and not get pissed off when people show a lack of understanding. In such cases, if I feel that I have a strong point that can show a different perspective based on my observations, then make sure it is being articulated in a calm and composed manner without insulting or criticizing the other person. Also getting angry is natural but wasting a considerable amount of time because of the anger is not worth it
4. Be strong and decisive: The ability to take timely and tough decisions are indispensable in a leader’s toolkit. Additionally, I need to be impartial and unbiased while making decisions. It is difficult but it is what the role demands
5. Be a powerful narrator: Many a time it will be necessary to promote the work being done or to present an impactful project. In such cases, it is essential for me to have the necessary storytelling skills with a powerful narrative. The message has to be loud and clear when discussing something critical
6. Be persistent in your initiatives: No matter how lofty any idea is, it will not survive the test of the time if the leader is not being persistent with it. Does that mean the leader should never change any plan? No that’s not true. If the data shows that the plan is not working out then the leader should be the first one to quickly change the plan and take learnings from the failure
7. Be willing to change beliefs and personality depending on the circumstances: I have faced this issue many times owing to my previous role. Now that I have been promoted I should grab this opportunity and hone my leadership skills
8. Understand when you are getting stressed and relax: Generally stress leads to stiffening of the body. It is easy to be observe that. In such cases, taking a deep breath relaxes our muscles. The brain -- by observing that the tension no longer exists in the muscles -- will be free of stress and will lead to positive reinforcement of a good mood
9. Be ready to seek help and talk to people: Talking to people gives us a new perspective and also leads to an improvement in our networking skills. Asking for help when stuck in a problem is also equally important
10. Consistency: This is a crucial dimension as I have seen that consistency leads to incredible results. Consistency in sleeping time especially on Weekdays is key to get a good rest and waking up fresh. Consistency in going to gym builds up the momentum and develops a good physique. Consistency in preparing breakfast leads to a healthy diet and good digestion. Consistency in planning the day right after going to the office gives a direction for the rest of the day

While these 10 principles are being followed, it is also necessary to take a break and reward yourself.