4 Ways to Ask for More Leadership Responsibilities

4 Ways to Ask for More Leadership Responsibilities

Part of growing your career involves taking on more responsibilities. This requires finding a way to handle more tasks while maintaining your current workload. It also includes coming across as a professional who wants to contribute more than just increase your title. Creating a plan to accomplish these leadership objectives can benefit your career expansion.

 

Implement these four suggestions to ask your manager for additional responsibilities.

Have a Business-Owner Mindset

Viewing yourself as the company owner encourages proactive thinking. As an owner, you want to plan for your organization’s success. This includes the impact you want to deliver in the coming year to support your company’s mission.

Be sure to put your manager in the role of your primary client. After all, they are the one who pays your income. This encourages you to proactively consider your manager’s needs, preferences, pain points, and agreeable areas to help progress toward their needs and goals.

Find Ways to Serve Both Your Client and Your Business

Uncover opportunities to do work that aligns with the priorities of the company. Make sure you can clearly demonstrate how these responsibilities can provide positive results for you and your manager. For instance, clarify how the new challenge would make or save your company money, build relationships, or increase morale. Also, estimate the time it should take you to perform the work.

Talk with Your Client

Schedule a time to meet with your manager. Let them know you would like to discuss some ideas for the department. This should be more effective than saying you would like to talk about your career. Your manager likely will be happy you came up with ways to promote engagement and set up a dialogue.

Keep in mind that proposing something wholly new or different from what you are doing now may result in pushback from your manager. This is why offering multiple options is a good idea. For instance, your second option may be similar to your ideal situation but with one element removed for less risk. Your third option could be to meet again in a month or so to continue the discussion.

Work Toward a Commitment

If your manager does not want you to implement your idea today, they may be more amenable to it in the near future. If so, leave the conversation with time-bound commitments for both of you to take action. This may involve scheduling a follow-up discussion or taking on a new responsibility from your manager.

When you are able to take on more work, ask your manager to clarify their expectations for the transition. Include how and when to communicate progress, so both of you are on the same page.

Looking for a New Job?

If you cannot take on more responsibility in your current role, a new job through The Right Staff may be in your best interest. Here is a link to our job board.

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