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Career leadership is an ever-lasting journey and process. The underlying aspects that make someone a career leader are universal, and possessing these features is the backbone of making anyone a career leader. As someone interested in the tech field, I had the opportunity to interview career leaders in these fields and find out what makes one a career leader both generally and what career leadership looks like in their industries.
Defining the backbone of what makes someone a career leader in any field:
Collaboration:
While leadership is often misconstrued as solely about influencing your own control and leading, this perspective misses a fundamental aspect of true leadership: collaboration. Effective career leadership requires the ability to work well with others and to use the perspectives and strengths of others to achieve goals. All jobs have a social element to them, some more than others; however, other people are almost always a necessity. Leaders make an effort to ask and involve others in decision-making processes and reflect on their work. When interviewing a career leader in the field of tech, particularly software development, it was mentioned that even when being a project lead on a major software project, the project could not have been done as effectively and in a timely manner without asking for help from others, even those not directly involved in the project. The ability to use the knowledge and perspective of others is the only way an effective leader can advance their goals and their team’s goals.
Direction:
While collaboration is one of the fundamental backbones of career leadership, direction is just as critical. Direction involves taking command of tasks and methods to reach a goal and knowing what is best to do in a given scenario. As a leader, you need to consider others and collaborate with them, but you also need to steer yourself and the goal in the most effective manner possible. Knowing when you have to make the hard choice to disregard others’ opinions and criticisms when asking for feedback in both individual and collaborative efforts is highly important. Direction is not only directed towards others and themselves; direction is also directed towards the self. Direction involves asking yourself what the most effective steps are to take moving forward to achieve a task and having the discipline to do it. It also involves not taking shortcuts, even when it is easier.
Change and flexibility are vital:
Tasks and goals, and the means towards reaching them, change constantly. The ability to change and adapt to ever-changing circumstances is what makes one a career leader. Deadlines are ever-changing, especially in the field of technology, and the means to complete projects are as well. Being open to different options when completing a project and having to do things like fork code from other people to complete a project before a set deadline are just some real-life examples of when change and flexibility are needed. In this instance, it was discussed that many times code forked from other projects did not fully meet the standards one would like to achieve the task to their liking, but it did the job and allowed the goal to be effectively reached.
Key Tips:
Based on my interview the following are key tips for how to act and perform as a career leader:
1. Foster a Collaborative Environment: Encourage collaboration within your team by creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. Promote open dialogue, and be willing to integrate feedback from all members. Recognize and celebrate the contributions of others, which will not only boost morale but also enhance team cohesion and productivity.
2. Balance Direction with Flexibility: While having a clear direction is essential, it’s equally important to remain flexible. Assess situations as they arise and be prepared to adjust your approach when necessary. This balance between sticking to your strategic goals and adapting to unforeseen changes will help you navigate challenges more effectively and keep your projects on track.
3. Lead by Example: Demonstrate the behaviors and work ethic you expect from your team. Leading by example builds trust and respect. When you show commitment, integrity, and a willingness to tackle challenges head-on, your team is more likely to mirror these qualities, fostering a culture of excellence.
Main takeaway and final thoughts:
My main takeaway is that leadership involves a symbiotic relationship between the self and others. Leadership is inherently a process that involves others; as a result, effective leadership requires the consideration of others as well as the self. Compromise with oneself, others, and change are the vital aspects that make one a leader. This is especially evident in fields such as software development, where deadlines and changing standards make the utilization of this vital to being an effective career leader. Reflecting on my conversation with the career leader in the tech field, I found the insights particularly eye-opening. Before the meeting, my understanding of leadership was somewhat traditional, focused on guiding and influencing others through authority and vision. From my understanding specifically of the software field from depictions in the media, and what I’ve heard, this is how I imagined the structure of what leadership looked like in this industry. However, the discussion revealed a more nuanced view of leadership that aligns closely with collaboration, direction, and adaptability.
One of the most striking revelations was the emphasis on collaboration. I had previously viewed collaboration as important but didn’t fully appreciate how central it is to effective leadership. The leader’s experiences illustrated that true leadership involves harnessing the collective strengths and perspectives of a team, rather than merely steering from the front. This perspective challenges the more solitary, authoritative model I had in mind and highlights how vital it is to build a supportive and inclusive environment.
In my own experiences with leadership, whether in academic projects or team-based activities, I’ve seen the benefits of both collaboration and direction. However, reflecting on the meeting has reinforced the need to consciously foster a collaborative atmosphere and remain open to change. For instance, I can apply these insights by actively seeking input from others and valuing their contributions, which can lead to more innovative solutions and a stronger team dynamic. Furthermore, I realize that embracing flexibility in my approach to leadership can enhance my effectiveness. Instead of sticking rigidly to a pre-set plan, being open to adjustments and alternative strategies can help navigate unforeseen challenges more smoothly. This conversation has been a valuable reminder that leadership is a dynamic and evolving process. It’s not just about guiding others or having a clear vision; it’s also about collaboration, flexibility, and the ability to balance various aspects of leadership effectively. These reflections will certainly influence how I approach leadership in my daily life, encouraging a more inclusive and adaptable style.
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