Not every good specialist makes good leader
2025-06-05
3 MIN READING
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Good individual results do not automatically translate into the ability to build a team; this requires a different set of skills than independent expert work. Being a leader means changing your role from that of a performer to one responsible for others.
Most management difficulties do not stem from a lack of knowledge. They stem from an inability to respond to specific situations: uncertainty, conflict, overload, differences of opinion, and a decline in motivation. It is precisely at such moments that you can see whether someone is capable of leading a team or merely supervising it.
01
When you can't please everyone
In a leader’s job, sooner or later there comes a time when every decision involves someone’s disappointment. One person’s promotion is another’s disappointment. A change in plans means giving up someone’s previous work.
This is natural. The role of a leader is not to avoid difficult choices, but to make them in a transparent and honest manner. The team does not have to agree with every decision, but it wants to be sure that it has been made in a thoughtful manner and with respect for all parties.
02
When you have to say “no”
Leadership responsibility is not about meeting every expectation. Sometimes it means saying no: to team members, superiors, or customers.
It’s not a matter of having a tough personality. It’s the ability to set boundaries where their absence could lead to burnout, chaos, or disappointment. Silence may be comfortable, but in the long run, it is a clear decision that builds trust.
03
When you need to convey difficult information
Not all conversations will be easy. Sometimes it’s about a lack of promotion, a different role, a project limitation, or a decision that changes someone’s plans.
The team doesn’t expect only good news; it expects honesty and respect. Trying to soften the message or postponing it often only makes the situation worse. A clear, calm conversation is sometimes more difficult, but it is what allows people to feel that they are being taken seriously.
04
When you are unsure
In this position, you don’t always have a ready answer. There are situations that are unclear, dynamic, with no obvious solution.
It’s not about pretending to be confident. It’s about admitting, “I don’t know yet, but I’m looking for a solution,” and actually looking for one. The team doesn’t need someone who is infallible. It needs someone who can act despite incomplete clarity.
05
When something goes wrong
Failures happen. A project doesn’t work. A customer is dissatisfied. Something has been overlooked. It’s easy to look for someone to blame in such situations. But what makes the difference is the leader’s reaction.
Instead of pointing fingers, they start with themselves: Was the goal clear? Was the approach well thought out? Was the response timely? Only then do they talk to the team about what can be done better. It’s not about taking the blame. It’s about being willing to take responsibility and setting an example of how to fix things, not judge them.
Being a leader does not mean having a ready-made set of qualities from an ideal profile. It is rather a willingness to face difficult situations. To make decisions, even if someone does not like them. To have conversations that may be uncomfortable. And to take responsibility, even when things do not go according to plan.
That’s when the team starts to feel that they can trust you, not because you’re always right, but because you’re there when it really matters.
