
Making the Shift from Individual Contributor to Leader
From HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review
April 22, 2026 · 38 min · Episode 158
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges and strategies for transitioning from an individual contributor to a leadership role.
Once you’ve committed to a leadership role—whether formally or informally—getting everyone else at work to buy in requires relationship management. The steps to transition from individual contributor to leader can seem daunting, especially when so many aspects of work and the world are in a constant state of flux. How do you successfully shift the role you’re playing on your team? What sorts of conversations help clear the way? Is this transformation harder to make if you work remotely? To address these questions and more, we revisit a 2019 Women at Work interview with leadership development experts Amy Jen Su and Muriel M. Wilkins.
People in this episode
Guests: Amy Jen Su, Muriel M. Wilkins
Topics covered
- leadership
- relationship management
- individual contributor
- team dynamics
- remote work
- transformation
Keywords
- leadership transition
- relationship management
- team leadership
- remote work challenges
- conversations for change
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Harvard Business Review
More episodes of HBR On Leadership
- How to Cultivate Your “Personal Power” as a Leader · June 3, 2026 · 26 min
- How Shake Shack Balanced Digitalization with Its Hospitality Ethos · May 27, 2026 · 29 min
- Getting Buy-In for Your Next Big Idea · May 20, 2026 · 30 min
- Redefining What Efficiency Means in the Age of AI · May 13, 2026 · 30 min
- Communicating with Confidence When You’re Under Pressure · May 7, 2026 · 34 min
- Build Your Resilience in the Face of Tough Change · April 29, 2026 · 25 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the HBR On Leadership podcast page.