Whether you’re stepping into leadership for the first time or you’re a seasoned manager walking into a brand‑new team, the fundamentals don’t change. Your first 6–12 months will define your reputation, your influence, and the level of trust people are willing to give you. Rush this phase, and your success will stall before it ever gets started. People may tolerate you — but they won’t trust you, follow you, or stay.

In many corporations, the IC path has a ceiling. You can grow, but only to a point. Leadership, on the other hand, opens new doors, more responsibility, more influence, more opportunities to shape the work and the people around you.

So which path is right for you?

Only you can answer that. But I can help you think about it clearly.