Change Begins With You 🫵

My Journey from Staff Leader to Senior R&D Manager

“Who wants change? (Everyone raises their hands.)
Who wants to change? (Silence.)”

This simple joke illustrates a universal truth: we all want things to improve, but very few of us are willing to change ourselves. If you want to make a difference — whether it’s in your career, team, or personal life — you must first be willing to look inward and evolve.

This idea reminds me of a story about a person who once declared, “I will change the world!” Initially, everyone around him cheered him on, believing he could bring about huge transformations. But no matter how hard he tried, he realized he couldn’t change the world, his country, or even his neighborhood. Frustration set in until it dawned on him: in order to create real change, he needed to start with himself.

This story perfectly captures the essence of leadership growth. My own journey from a staff leader to a senior R&D manager has taught me that to drive change, I first needed to change myself — how I lead, how I communicate, and how I inspire those around me. Growth, both personal and professional, requires adaptability and the willingness to evolve continuously.

A Journey of Growth and Leadership:

Becoming a senior R&D manager wasn’t just a title change. It was a process of learning, adapting, and stretching beyond my comfort zone. Tech leading a small team is one thing, but managing multiple teams, navigating larger company objectives, and collaborating with cross-functional leadership presents a new set of challenges.

The path was not always smooth. I had to embrace new responsibilities, such as setting strategic goals, managing broader team dynamics, and understanding how my team’s contributions fit into the bigger picture of the company’s success.

Building Relationships and Leading Through Change:

As a leader, one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that relationships matter. Building trust with your team, peers, and higher-ups is critical. Early in my career, I believed leadership was about directing and ensuring tasks were completed. But over time, I’ve realized it’s more about enabling others to succeed, empowering them to make decisions, and fostering an environment of collaboration and growth.

And just like the story I shared earlier, the ability to lead through change and growth starts with your own self-awareness and adaptability. Whether it was learning to delegate, understanding the needs of different team members, or finding new ways to motivate and inspire, I found that personal transformation was the key to unlocking my potential as a senior manager.

Below Some Examples for Personal Transformation

Creating Opportunities
One of the most impactful shifts I experienced was learning to create opportunities rather than waiting for them to appear. This mindset allowed me to take ownership of challenges, build confidence in my leadership abilities, and turn obstacles into stepping stones.

Empowering Teams
As a leader, it became clear that building self-sustaining, high-performing teams is key to long-term success. It’s not just about managing tasks but creating an environment where team members feel empowered to take initiative and make decisions.

Leading with Integrity
Leadership, to me, has always been about integrity and authenticity. Drawing inspiration from leaders like Steve Jobs, I realized that effective management is about more than just hitting targets; it’s about fostering an environment where people can thrive, be heard, and innovate.

Overcoming Challenges
Every manager faces challenges, but the most significant growth comes from how you handle them. Whether it was managing confirmation bias, dealing with difficult situations, or learning when to say no, each experience taught me that adaptability and clear thinking are essential tools for navigating leadership.

Delivering on Time
One of my proudest achievements was delivering a product on time while maintaining the balance between quality and deadline pressures. This required meticulous planning, coordination across different time zones, and ensuring that every team member was aligned with the goals. The key was maintaining focus, setting clear priorities, and keeping the team motivated.

Looking Ahead:

As I continue to grow in my leadership role, I’ve come to embrace the fact that change is constant, and the best leaders are those who evolve with it. Leadership is not a destination but a journey, one that requires continuous reflection and self-improvement. And just like the person in the story who discovered that real change begins from within, I’ve found that by constantly working on myself, I can better lead my team, contribute to the company’s success, and ultimately, make a lasting impact.