Crushing Targets, Dodging Politics, and Learning to Lead

Recap - In my last post, I shared the journey of stepping into a team leader trainee role, questioning if my workaholic tendencies were a deeper sign of purpose, and wondering if growing a beard would help me seem less like a kid in the office. Fast forward a bit, and things have only gotten more interesting.

Picture this: a client meeting where I decided to go over my aukaat and ask for more business. Bold? Yes. Reckless? Maybe. But to my surprise, they actually agreed—on one condition. The targets they set were the kind that made you want to triple-check if they were even achievable. Challenge accepted, though. I walked out of that meeting with a mix of excitement and “What have I done?”

As if that wasn’t enough, I had my first taste of office politics. Another team leader decided my new team was ripe for the taking and started making subtle moves to encroach on what was now my territory. It was the kind of situation you hear about in stories but don’t fully understand until it’s staring you in the face. I had to learn, quickly, how to play the game and stand my ground.

Now, I’m juggling two massive challenges: hitting those nearly impossible targets and keeping my team intact. But here’s the thing—I’m crushing it. And that’s all thanks to my incredible team. They’re not just super effective at what they do; they’re also fun to be around, which makes even the hardest days manageable. Together, we’ve turned those “impossible” targets into milestones and shut down any notions of a team takeover.

Am I exhausted? Absolutely. But am I loving every second of it? You bet. I can feel myself growing into someone who’s going to be amazing at this. I’m confident. The challenges, the politics, the pressure—it’s all just fuel for the fire. This is only the beginning, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.