LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
expectation was that previous supervisory experience would guarantee effective leadership. This scenario raises an additional question: does one or two years of related prior experience truly ensure the capacity for effective leadership? A second example demonstrates a comparable situation in a different context. At a multinational technology firm, a programming engineer exhibited exceptional technical performance over two years. As a result, the manager assigned this individual to coordinate a new project involving two local colleagues and three collaborators based in other countries. “You can handle this,” the manager stated when assigning the responsibility. The expectations extended beyond project delivery and client relationship management. The engineer was also responsible for aligning the work of team members, managing communication across locations and ensuring that the team functioned effectively. Management’s distinct set of skills Such situations are common in organisational contexts. Strong technical performance frequently serves as the primary criterion for assigning leadership responsibilities. The underlying rationale is that those who excel in their work are presumed capable of guiding others. However, managing others requires a distinct set of competencies. Leadership involves influencing, communicating, coordinating, resolving conflicts and establishing shared direction. These abilities differ fundamentally from technical execution. Transitioning into supervisory roles significantly alters the nature of professional responsibilities. This transition is best understood as a process of reskilling. Reskilling occurs when professionals must acquire new competencies to fulfil responsibilities that differ substantially from their previous roles. The shift from specialist to supervisor, engineer to project leader, or operator to manager necessitates learning to guide people rather than tasks, make decisions that impact others and understand the organisation as an integrated system. In many organisations, this transition occurs without adequate preparation. Professionals are promoted based on current performance and are expected to develop leadership skills while already managing others. Learning often occurs through both experience and trial and error, as well as observation of one’s peers.
A s organisations expand, they inevitably reach a stage where responsibilities previously held by the founder are distributed among other team members. Supervisory roles are delegated, coordination tasks are reassigned and additional management layers emerge as organisational structures become more complex. Sometimes, external professionals are recruited specifically to oversee teams, but on occasion these responsibilities are assigned to long-standing employees. Initially, this transition appears logical. Employees who have worked closely with leadership often possess a comprehensive understanding of organisational processes, culture and technical operations. Their experience implies an ability to guide others effectively. However, organisational practice frequently prompts a critical question: does this assumption consistently hold true in everyday business operations? During a consulting engagement with a logistics and warehousing company, the owner identified an urgent need for a warehouse supervisor. This role encompassed operational responsibilities such as inventory control and daily warehouse management, as well as the supervision of 15 employees across three shifts, including forklift operators, warehouse assistants and cleaning staff. The job profile specified a requirement for prior experience in managing personnel. The
Business Impact • ISSUE 5 • 2026
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