When I was 10 years into my careers as a programmer, I knew I wanted more. At first, I wanted to stay technical and be what is referred to as an individual contributor. Then, a manager in the organization approached me and asked me to teach others what I know - A LEADER.
A first, I was not sure. I did not want my career success defined by the success of others. Then, another per son took an interest in my leadership potential and mentored me. He suggested books and discussed opportunities. Reading the books and understanding what a true leaders does, I was in hook, line and sinker.
So, how do you start?
1) Read books on leadership - on an earlier blog, I provided a list of suggested books. In order to lead and make a difference, you need to define the kind of leader you want to be.
2) Find a mentor. Pick someone you trust and admire. Throughout your career, you will need different kinds of mentors to ensure that you keep growing. Remember, you are always looking to learn from the person, pick your mentor wisely. If you don't know who to ask, ask some leaders that are around you and see if they can suggest someome, maybe even themselves.
3) Develop relationships. Having a network that is broad will prove to be invaluable. This network should include coworkers across your company (not just your department). It should include community contacts. You get meet these people through volunteering, attending church, or even finding other types of groups in your community. This is a really important step.
4) Journal your path and progress. Remember, this will not happen overnight but if you keep making progress, you will see a difference.
The process is not easy, it requires hard work. But if you start with these 3 steps, you will be surprised at the difference you will see if 3 months if you are diligent.
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