Stepping Up: The Senior Manager Shift and the Power of Self-Kindness

Moving into a senior management role is an exciting milestone, but it can make you feel lost. 

As humans, we’re wired to seek comfort and familiarity. We naturally gravitate towards tasks, environments, and situations where we feel competent and in control—where the outcomes are largely known. 

The shift to senior management profoundly changes this equation. 

The Unpredictable Territory of Senior Leadership 

When you were an individual contributor or even a first-line manager, a large part of your day was structured around predictable expertise. You knew the technical answers, the standard processes, and the path to achieving a goal. 

In the senior manager seat, this familiar certainty begins to fade. 

The New Reality: 

 * More Ambiguity: You're dealing with strategic problems that have no blueprint. You’re making decisions based on incomplete information, not perfect data. 

 * Less Known Territory: Your focus moves from how to execute a process to what strategy to pursue—a realm often filled with 'first-time' challenges. 

 * Increased Decision Load: The decisions you make are bigger, have a broader impact, and carry more risk. 

This dramatic increase in unpredictability is the core reason why the role feels so uncomfortable at first. You've been promoted for your expertise, but now, that very expertise is less frequently the primary tool you need. You now need leadership judgment. 

What you need to do 

If you're feeling a sense of unease, a constant low-level stress, or even moments of doubt (often called Imposter Syndrome), remind yourself that its normal, a healthy response to a new challenge. 

Accept it and give yourself a break. Here some tips that can help you to do that. 

 * 1. Expect Discomfort: Don't fight the feeling of not knowing. The moment you accept that this role involves more unpredictable challenges and fewer known answers, you release the energy you were spending trying to force certainty. 

 * 2. Separate Self from Role: A tough decision or a strategic misstep does not mean you are failing. It means you are engaging with complex, high-stakes problems. Critique the outcome, not your identity. 

 * 3. Leverage Your Team (It’s Not a Weakness): Your job is now to orchestrate the expertise of others. Asking smart questions and delegating technical detail is a sign of a good senior leader, not a weak one. You don't have to know everything; you have to know who knows what. 

Remind yourself that you are learning a new skillset: navigating the unknown. And that takes time. 

How HR can support 

Promoting self-kindness and acceptance of ambiguity is a critical component of successful leadership development. Providing mentorship and coaching that focuses on emotional resilience, rather than just technical skills, will significantly reduce burnout support your managers accelerate their effectiveness.