How Your Leadership Style Defines Your Career: Are You a Manager or a Transformational Leader?

When you start a new job, there’s excitement in the air. You’re ready to contribute, grow, and build your career. But what often gets overlooked is the person who has the power to shape not just your work life but your entire professional identity: your manager.

Managers Don’t Just Shape Your Work; They Shape Your Career.

The way your manager leads can either propel you forward or leave you stagnating in the same spot. Whether you thrive or struggle in your career depends largely on how your manager behaves.

After working with hundreds of managers over the past 20 years, I’ve noticed a common thread in the ways they influence our professional journeys.

Here’s the truth:

Most Managers TAKE ✋

• They take credit for your wins – How many times have you been overlooked when you’ve done the heavy lifting? A manager who doesn’t acknowledge your contributions can quickly demoralize you.
• They take your time with unnecessary meetings – Endless meetings that don’t contribute to your growth or progress steal your focus and energy.
• They take your weekends with “urgent” requests – Feeling like you’re always “on-call” can burn you out fast, especially if work-life balance is non-existent.
• They take your confidence by micromanaging – Instead of empowering you, they undermine your abilities by not trusting your judgment.
• They take your growth opportunities to protect their position – Some managers hold back resources or opportunities to prevent their subordinates from outshining them.

But, Few Managers GIVE 🤝

• They give you honest feedback that helps you grow – Constructive criticism helps you become better, whether it’s learning a new skill or improving a current one.
• They give you space to make mistakes and learn – A good manager allows you to fail, giving you the opportunity to learn and develop from those experiences.
• They give you visibility in front of senior leadership – When you’re consistently recognized for your efforts, your career growth becomes inevitable.
• They give you their time when you need guidance – A manager who mentors you, helping you navigate challenges and grow, is invaluable.
• They give you opportunities, even when it means more work for them – When a manager looks out for your career progression, they willingly take on extra work to ensure you have the resources you need to succeed.

Even Fewer Managers LEAD 💪

• They lead by example, not by authority – The best managers don’t use their title as leverage; they demonstrate the behaviors they want to see in their teams.
• They lead through tough times by taking accountability – When challenges arise, a good manager steps up, taking responsibility and guiding the team through adversity.
• They lead by making hard decisions while protecting their team – Tough calls are often necessary, but a leader ensures the team’s interests are always prioritized.
• They lead by building a culture of trust and transparency – A transparent environment fosters collaboration and enables innovation.
• They lead by putting the team’s success before their own – When a manager’s focus is on the collective success of the team, individual growth naturally follows.

But the Rarest Kind? They EMPOWER 🔑

• They make you believe in your capabilities more than you do – Empowering leaders help you see your potential, even when you doubt yourself.
• They push you towards challenges you think you’re not ready for – Growth comes when you step outside of your comfort zone. A manager who pushes you can accelerate your development.
• They celebrate your wins as if they’re their own personal victories – When your achievements are celebrated by your manager, it boosts morale and motivates you to aim higher.
• They build your confidence by trusting your judgment – A manager who believes in your ability helps you believe in yourself.
• They help you see a future for yourself that you couldn’t imagine – Empowering managers show you the potential for your career, setting a path for success you might not have envisioned.

Why the Type of Manager Matters for Your Career

Managers don’t just manage; they transform. They don’t just develop skills; they develop leaders. And they don’t just assign tasks; they ignite potential.

Your career is shaped by the leaders you work with, and the way they lead will impact the trajectory of your professional journey. It’s more than just skill acquisition; it’s about developing the confidence, mindset, and opportunities that help you evolve into the best version of yourself.

So, here’s the critical question for you: What kind of manager do you have?

And just as importantly: What kind of manager will you be?

Remember, leadership is not about the title you hold; it’s about how you treat and develop the people under your care. The difference between a manager, a leader, and an empowerer is the way you treat your team.

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