To become a leader by design, by conscious change of career direction, or by accident of circumstance, many challenges are the same.
The transition from expert to leader, worker to manager can be especially complex. It isn't just a case of learning new skills. It requires analysis and planning. Leaving the transition to chance will at best slow the process down and at worst can be a career wrecker.
Understand why problems exist, and what you can do to make a successful transition.
Business has under gone a transformation in the last decade. It has become far more complex, competition is savage and expectation is high. Demand for leaders, who can deliver results, far outstrips supply. Few companies can access leadership resource to match their needs. The result is that leaders are promoted from the ranks, usually those that shine as experts or top performers. But organisational structure is leaner which means that companies are asking their people to make greater leaps up the corporate ladder than ever before.
The rewards for success can be significant but so can the consequences of failure. When leaders fail there is rarely time for reflection or the luxury of learning from mistakes without consequence.
Hardly surprising then that transition anxiety and self doubt erodes the confidence of new leaders and may even contribute to unnecessary failure.

So what can you do?

First, accept that it is your career and that your transition to leadership is your responsibility.

• Ensure that you have clearly defined and agreed performance expectations.
  Work with your manager to document a clear set of sensible directions and goals supported by tangible evidence criteria.
• Take responsibility for your own development needs.
  Manage the relationship with your Learning and Development team; while they have much to offer in training and support they may lack the availability to sustain the support you need. Get to the top of their priority list and don't be afraid to ask for external help.
• Develop your coaching and mentoring skills.
  Accept that your recognition and satisfaction will be gained through the efforts of others.
• Review your activity to assess your tactical/strategic split.
  Transition from expert to leader requires a shift in your priority from tactical to strategic. As a general rule every step you take up the leadership ladder will require you to spend less time on tactical activity and more time on strategic.
• Set expectations early with your team.
  Relationships will, and must change if you are to succeed. What used to be accepted and appropriate peer to peer has to change. Set your vision and invest time in maintaining rapport and managing the change in relationship.
• Plan and invest time in developing your professional network.
  Make sure you know the people you need to know! Your networking needs will change as your role changes. Social networking is a luxury, professional networking is a necessity.
• Invest in as many channels for feedback as you can.
  360 degrees of feedback is invaluable. Ask for feedback on a regular basis from peers, managers and team.
• Learn to communicate.
  Effective communication is more that simply sending emails or making presentations. The meaning of any communication is the response it gets! Plan your communication to get the response you need.
• Remember to enjoy your new role and the challenges it provides.
  Work doesn't always have to feel like work, and this really could be your route to the success you deserve.
• Get outside help.
  Often when you are too close to an issue it is hard to be objective and any internal help could be influenced by internal politics. Coaching is a proven process to accelerate transition and offers the additional benefit of professional, confidential, impartial and objective feedback and support.