It’s lonely as a manager. But, here’s a change

Let’s head back to history for a while. How did you react when you were told you would be a manager? Let me make a wild guess: You were happy. Excited at the prospect of being in a leadership position and doing better than you ever have.

In some corners, there’d be a little bit of hesitation lurking. What if it all goes wrong? I believe it didn’t because you are here, making waves in your role and taking teams to new heights. 💡

But here’s the thing. Sometimes, we mess up. And although it may not impact us in the long term, it does hold us back. More often than not, this is about very typical and non-serious issues.

That time when you skipped a review only to catch errors later and do the whole thing again. Or when your team disagreed, you still went ahead, much to their dismay. In hindsight, after spending years at our jobs, we wonder if we could have done things differently had we had the time. Or had we known exactly what to do? 😣

Leaders often feel isolated

You are not alone in this feeling. Research shows that leadership roles are often accompanied by feelings of loneliness, ironically enough. Succession to the top leadership position in an organization is basically isolating as it separates leaders from others (who now directly report to them) and leaves them without peers.

Additionally, as a leader, you are often expected to meet the needs of employees – be it taking care of their concerns or providing support through tough times. However, when no one is available to respond to the leaders’ needs for company and support, the leaders fall prey to loneliness.

The authors of this essay point out that executive or leadership coaching can be a great first step to beat down isolation. The safe space with a coach offers a much-needed platform to think out loud, examine, and accept. Their words can further help you improve and get over hesitation and issues. 🧑🏫

But, there’s support!

While our professional journeys go on, the feeling of loneliness that sets in with the first leadership role remains by our side. As Shakespeare said, “Heavy is the head that wears a crown,” holding the mantle is tiresome, too. Now, I won’t ask you to search for the best coach possible and turn your life 180 degrees. ⚙️

But here’s something simpler, lighter, and easier: Talk to Merlin once. Describe what’s going on, what you’d like to do as the new year hits, and where your mind has been stuck lately. The best part is that our AI coach doesn’t judge you (at least openly 😜). You have three free conversations that you can start anytime. Get started. 📍

Seeking inspiration? We’ve got you covered!

Check out this week’s manager story, where Shruthi Kamath unveils her managerial journey through the ups and downs. Follow Shruthi’s over-a-decade-long journey of leadership and management in a field often described as a men’s arena. Read more to explore how she learned from her experiences to become the excellent manager she is today!