Leadership transitions: 3 steps for success

Whether you're moving from ‘head of’ to ‘director’, or ‘director’ to ‘CEO’, the shift into your next level of leadership is more than a change in title. Navigating that transition well depends on the intention with which you land and leave.

Here’s how to spot some of the most common challenges so you can avoid them before they catch you out.

So, what trips people up?

1) Questioning their own capability

Even the most experienced leaders can struggle with self- doubt. That inner voice? It gets louder in moments of transition. This is normal. It doesn’t mean you’re not ready, it means you care.

2) Failing to negotiate their own definition of success

Too often, leaders inherit expectations or make assumptions instead of co-creating clarity. If you don’t define success, you risk being measured against someone else’s invisible standard which can lead to unrealistic goals that you’ll never meet. Not a place you want to be.

3) Not preparing for change

You probably know you need to prepare for the big stuff where people are watching: pitches, strategies, board meetings and the like. But it’s easy to forget that preparation for the transition itself matters too. From managing your own reactions to change to creating a strategy for when you land, there’s plenty you can do to give yourself a good start.

And what can help?

1) Double down on mindset mastery

You know the concept of 'new level, new devil'. But what if the devil is your own brain?

Every stretch comes with resistance. Not because you’re not good enough, but because growth is uncomfortable.

Accept this will happen and be prepared with deep knowing of what is true about the value you bring. Revisit your strengths and evidence from your previous successes. Lean into these if you wobble.

Mastering your mindset means learning to lead from belief and what is true, not fear.

2) Plan both personal and professional success

Strategic plans for the business will be part of your role. But do you have a personal equivalent for your impact?

If you’re not clear on your own criteria for success, you’ll default to someone else’s. That’s how burnout, self-doubt, and misalignment sneak in. That doesn’t mean you can’t look to other for inspiration though. You can use these questions to find clarity if you like:

• Which leaders do you detest – or admire?

• What stands out about them to you?

• What values or behaviours do they model?

It’s not about copying them, but noticing what resonates or repels with you will be a powerful clue to who you do, and don’t, want to become.

3) Get support to communicate and connect well

A successful leadership shift isn't just about driving strategy, it’s about how you show up in relationships. And that starts with understanding yourself.

For example, how do you usually handle change? How do you react to pressure – and what are you like with other people during these times?

Much of this is about your emotional intelligence; your self-awareness, stress management, decision making, self-expression and interpersonal skills. So, if you’re not working on this already, it’s definitely time to revisit this.

On the practical front, some of the things you might also want to think about are:

• How can you plan your time with people without completely draining your social batter?

• What kind of relationships do you need to build - and who are the key influencers in any group you need on board?

• How can you make space for real conversations, not just transactional ones?

• What support do you need to show up as the leader you want to be, consistently?

Making sure you’ve space or a sounding board to work this stuff out and still show up for others while managing your own reactions to change is key.

Final thoughts

A new level of leadership isn’t just about doing things differently, it’s about who you choose to become.

Many people struggle with the transition because they haven’t stopped to asked:

Who do I want to be as a leader now?

This is your invitation to answer that and lead yourself with clarity, confidence and intention - because the way you show up in this next chapter is what sets the tone for everything that follows.

Want to get a head start on figuring out which area you need to work on next?

Take your FREE Leadership Identity Audit here.