I'm a leader, now what

I've been trying to figure out how I should approach the first formal leadership role of my career. After struggling to develop some kind of cohesive plan for my new group of four, I stumbled onto a simple plan. I've spent the last five years silently critiquing my leadership. That well of observations offers a few good ideas to start developing a leadership style.

My first struggle was whether to treat my group as a group or individuals. I've long bemoaned the way that those of us in the lab are treated like interchangeable parts. I'm going to take the individual route. Rather than having a meeting with everybody together, I'll meet with each person individually, away from the lab, to talk about this new relationship and how we'll work together.

There is far too much emphasis on what needs to get done and far too little effort placed on what can be done to make it easier to get those things done. I think I'll try to focus more on how things are getting done and what I can do to make it easier rather than focusing on making sure things are getting done. I want to put the emphasis on the process more than the result. When you focus on the process, you have a better chance of finding ways to make it better.

Given that managers are focused on whether or not a task has been completed, most people feel that they are mere order followers. Managers are there to give assignments and make sure those things get done. They're not there to help people get out of a jam or find a way to make the work flow more smoothly. I'm going to take the approach that I'm there for my people rather than my people being there for me. I'm their resource. They are not mine.