1/ I’ve been thinking a lot about the differences b/w being junior/middle manager and senior manager/exec. They are totally different jobs.

2/ There are a lot more books/blog posts etc targeted at junior/line managers, which makes sense as # of junior managers >> # of execs.

3/ But just like you’re doing a diff job when you switch to mgmt, you’re doing a diff job the higher you go. And there is no manual.

4/ Behaviors that made you a great junior mgr are not what will make you a successful senior mgr (“what got you here won’t get you there”).

5/ I coach my managers/directors a lot on how to identify behaviors *they think are good* but are very destructive as a senior mgr.

6/ For example: providing less guidance is often better. The more prescriptive you are, the less you allow people below you to grow.

7/ You often don’t spend much time w/ your direct reports. Ask a lot of questions. Ask how they would solve their problems.

8/ Being able to manage up becomes essential. This is done through how you communicate (medium, level of detail) & when you communicate.

9/ Your peers become your first team, not your directs (“5 Dysfunctions of a Team”). Your relationships w/ them are critical to your success

10/ The stakes are much higher. You have to feel comfortable with increased accountability, while at the same time delegating more.

11/ You know your org much better than your manager, so you must solve your own problems. Bringing solutions in 1:1s w/ your manager is key.

12/ The ability to communicate vision and strategy in a charismatic, clear fashion is another non-obvious very important skill.

13/ To sum it up I’d say communication is queen. You must be able to quickly adapt written & verbal communication for different audiences.