No one gives you a manual on becoming a leader. You go to bed as a manager one night and then wake up the next penning a shiny new LinkedIn headline that tells you and the rest of the world that you’re something different.

But really, the ‘leader’ moniker sits quietly in the corner and others just assume it’s ok as it is: you don’t need to check on it; you don’t need to advise it. It’ll just carry on doing everything it normally does but with a shiny new livery.

Only that’s not the case in practice.

At its crudest, a manager is responsible for tasks and the completion of them: both for themselves and others immediately around them. That’s not to say that it’s an uncomplicated existence, but if you’ve a job description that says you’re responsible for points A through to G and you deliver against all those then your performance as a manager is largely all good. Fairly safe and well-defined, at least. Being in manager is all about executing your (and others’) craft and practising those skills you and others have come to see as your hallmark. And your ascent up the career path is accelerated by this.

When you become a leader, however, all of the safe and predictable cards are thrown up in the air. A new job description and new responsibilities is accompanied by a whole other subtext that goes largely unnoticed. As a leader, it’s not just what you do anymore.

It’s how you do it and with whom.

It’s about why you do it some ways with some people and other ways with others.

It’s about when you do things and when you don’t.

It’s about understanding the why behind everything and how you consider and second guess the impact of all that.

And it’s about how you change and react in response to all of that again and, possibly, again.

It’s pretty exhausting just reading all that back! And that’s just the start. If management is a platform to execute well on the things you know you and others can do well then what’s being a leader?…

An ill-defined mass of stuff that you need to muddle through?!

Not quite, but it possibly starts off that way. Being a leader means you have to learn and discover how to balance and hold in good tension a whole blend of different things in a way that is right for you in order for you to succeed.

Eh?! But the new job description didn’t say that?!

An old boss of mine once summed up the impact of this Manager to Leader shift succinctly: he said that the things that had served me well up to this point now weren’t the things that would pave the pathway to success now. Brutal. But also true. So how do you pick a path through the leader minefield without coming up against trouble?

Well, that’s a big subject, and one for another piece (look out for that one). That said, individuals and their employers can help to reframe and pick a pathway through this journey by recognising that – actually – it is more than just a change in title and that – yes – it may well take time, space and experimentation to get the coordination of this blend of duties, tasks, behaviours and whatever else in perfect working harmony.

It’s a jump – and often a big one at that – and what works for one individual likely won’t for another.

So how can this shift from manager to leader be best supported? Here are 5 starter steps that can help people navigate this as a starter for 10 (well, 5 actually).

1.    Start the journey early

And by early, I mean before it’s actually begun. If you’re priming someone for a leadership role then take the time and space to provide a gentle walk-up to this shift. You can send them on courses, you can send them youTube links to Simon Sinek videos and those are all good but have conversations with them – and involve as many people as you see fit – to enlighten them as to what the new world entails in a way that is right for your business, teams, ambitions and requirements. You want people to feel psychologically safe when they take on a bigger responsibility so give them some amuse bouches before you start serving up the main menu.

2.    Encourage them to get to know themselves well

That’s not meant to sound crass. However, understanding and being comfortable with the things you’re good at and those you’re not is a crucial and necessary start (I’ve written another piece on this). It’s not an admission of failure if you’re not maxing out on everything but it helps to take the pressure off you to know this. Then you can start to see a competency ‘landscape’ open up in front of you which helps provide different but well-informed decision gates about the actions you go on to take – and those that you see others better placed for.

3.    Provide a 3-month runway before you see it properly starting

As with any major shift in work as well as life, things take time. But seeing as ascending to leadership and succeeding in it is not just a roll-call of well executed tasks anymore then provide space for mistakes, trial and error, relationships to build and strengthen, trust to emerge organically and for different influences to be taken into account. 3 months is a good amount of time as you’re new enough to the role to retain objectivity and excitement and people are perhaps more likely to support and guide.

4.    Invite feedback and discussion

Success or failure in a new leader role isn’t as linear as a green or a red flag. There’s so much more to it than that. If you can be psychologically safe in your own abilities and growth areas then you can and should be this way with others too. A fresh start where the terrain can be bumpy and exposed to the elements can be so much more comforting if you’ve an honest dialogue with those around you – above, below and to the sides. Use those first 3 months to talk candidly, to share woes, asks questions, canvas opinion and so much more. If you get the feel for that early then it’ll be a whole lot easier 6 months further down the line when you’re up against challenges outside of your control.

5.    Have a beer and remember you’re human

Last but not least, remember to look after yourself. Having a beer with the people you’re ‘recalibrating’ alongside is needed and healthy. Laugh off your errors, celebrate your team successes. Remember there is life outside. And on that note – switch off and do other things. It’ll help keep you grounded and replenish your energy to go again – and grow again – when the next Monday morning swings around.