From Manager to Director: What Skills Should You Acquire?
The move from managing people to leading a company as a director is undoubtedly one of the biggest leaps that define your career. However, the jump from manager to director is a challenging promotion to secure. Many reasons contribute to this challenge. For example, there is often more competition at the manager level, particularly in larger organizations. Additionally, the expectations for a director are often unclear, and no one prepares you for performing the daily activities that come with the promotion. So, how can managers overcome professional barriers and advance their careers? In this article at Business 2 Community, Connor Brooke explains the qualifications required for a promotion to director.
Manager to Director: What Qualities Do Executives Seek For Senior Leadership?
Studies indicate a high failure rate of people transitioning into managing managers. Transitioning from manager to director demands you to drive change in the company over different levels and contexts. If you aspire to become a director, knowing what will be expected of you in your new role is critical to achieving success. Here are some qualifications required to successfully move from the manager level to the director level.
Excellent Communication Skills Required to Transition From Manager to Director
“At the director level, communication will extend outside of the department. This means the director must be able to effectively communicate with other disciplines,” says Brooke. As a director, you must effectively communicate with partners and vendors that are similarly titled. Furthermore, you will gain better exposure among C-suite executives, both internally and externally.
Identification of Skill Development Opportunities
The jump from manager to director is easier if you seek additional education or skill development opportunities—professional development programs in the workplace or independently outside of jobs. Additionally, implement your knowledge in actionable ways within your roles. These efforts can gain you an advantage over other candidates.
Exceptional Strategic Thinking
Directors must always think like business owners. That means you must have an in-depth understanding of culture, the future direction, the current status, and how these can be improved. At this level, you must see what is needed or what you can leverage for long term organizational success. Therefore, if you want to jump from manager to director, you need to have the ability to think strategically.
To read the original article, click on https://www.business2community.com/human-resources/promotion-manager-director-jump-difficult-01847253.
