Keeping your team motivated is an essential component of success. But when first stepping into the leadership role of engineering manager from an individual contributor, it can seem more daunting than thrilling. After all, it requires an entirely new set of skills, and suddenly you are the keeper of professional wisdom that your employees rely on to accomplish their best work.
Everyone in leadership was new once, and that coveted lifelong experience is simply a product of trial and error over time. But having a few foolproof lessons in your back pocket when imposter syndrome strikes can make a big difference in how you lift your teams up to success — and sometimes sooner is better than later when it comes to invaluable advice.
That’s why Built In Chicago caught up with Digital Product Manager Liz Trilikis at Caterpillar to ask about the number one piece of advice she wish she had received when she first started out, so any ambitious future leader out there can get a jump start.
You can thank us later.
Adapt your skill set
“As a manager, your role is to ensure your team has the resources they need to be successful so each team member can be their best, which is a different set of skills than what’s required to be a successful individual contributor,” Trilikis said. “I wish I had understood that distinction earlier!
Success as a manager is completely dependent on your ability to inspire and motivate your team to meet commitments on time, with high quality and within budget. It’s no longer you doing the best work, but getting the best work done through others and as a team. As a manager, you need to have a good understanding of the strengths (and weaknesses) of your individual team members and adapt your managerial style to inspire, motivate and show appreciation in a way that resonates with each employee.
At Caterpillar, I have been fortunate to have excellent managers and mentors. Also, whenever I have wanted to pursue additional learning opportunities to improve my skills, Caterpillar has invested in me to help me to grow. Now, I am in a position to take what I have learned through my experience and pass it on to the next generation of Caterpillar leaders.”
Liz Trilikis is a senior digital product manager at Caterpillar, an analytics and AI company.
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