In every quarter, we have the privilege of guiding over 200 newly promoted team leaders in the medical field through one of the most significant transitions of their careers: moving from individual contributor to first-line manager.
During my time at HSBC, we introduced the timeless insights from The Leadership Pipeline by Ram Charan—a classic leadership book that highlights the critical shifts in both mindset and skillset needed at every stage of leadership. It’s a must-read for any aspiring leader.
In our interactive webinar, one of the key messages we emphasize is the vital shift from “Me” to “We” as a first-time leader. While moving from leading oneself to leading others may seem simple—after all, it’s just a matter of switching one letter—anyone who has led a team, especially in today’s multigenerational workplace, knows how challenging this transition can truly be.
To make this message resonate, I experimented a unique visual prop to underscore the importance of this shift in this recent Webinar. I began by displaying the word “ME” on the screen and posed a rhetorical question to the participants: “What do you think is the most crucial mindset shift for a first-line leader?” Slowly, I transformed the "M" into a "W," turning "ME" into "WE." This subtle visual change created a powerful anchor for the lesson, one that I hope will stick with the participants and serve as a lasting reminder of the shift they need to embrace.
At the heart of the word “WE” lies a fundamental truth: as leaders, we must embody compassion and a genuine desire to connect with others. Building trust and fostering relationships within our teams are essential to achieving great things together.
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