Moving from a Top IC to a New Presales Leader with Akanksha Sehgal

Making the leap from top-performing individual contributor to effective leader is one of the toughest transitions to make as a Solutions professional. Host Avery Cochran sits down with Akanksha Sehgal, Senior Director of Worldwide Technical Solutions at Omnisa, to explore why the skills that make you a great SE often don't translate to leadership. Akanksha shares her 13-year journey, from handling strategic accounts to leading global teams, and reveals the mindset shifts required at each stage of leadership growth.

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• Connect with Avery Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avery-cochran/

• Connect with Akanksha Sehgal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akanksha-sehgal/

Links and Resources Mentioned

• Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack

Key Topics Covered

1. The Challenge of Moving from Expert SE to Leader

2. Demonstrating Leadership Before Getting the Title

3. Building Influence and Trust with Former Peers

4. How Success Metrics Change from IC to Manager

5. The "Smartest Person Trap" and Letting Your Team Shine

6. Creating Strategic Thinking Time vs. Staying Tactical

7. Progressing to Senior Leadership and Managing a Function

8. Breaking Down Silos Through Cross-Functional Collaboration

9. Making Hard Decisions and Balancing Business with People

10. Being Your Authentic Self as a Leader