If you're like most new supervisors, you've been absolute nails doing your job, and you're probably the most respected and well-liked employee in the building. But now you're in management and the whole ballgame has changed. You're not just responsible for yourself, you're responsible for your entire team and your department's production. From this moment on, how you perform in your first position as a supervisor is critical to your professional future.
In a perfect world, all kinds of new manager, leadership and emotional intelligence training would be at your fingertips, but reality often has a different set-up. There may not be money in the budget for new manager's training. If that's the case, let's discuss five ways you can get off to a great running start by cultivating a mindset of success.
Five ways you can take control over your environment
The first thing you have to do is to not panic. Yeah, easier said that done, right? It's hard enough to take over from someone else in another department, or you're a new hire from the outside. Everything is new. However, it can often be worse if you've moved from peer to manager and the friends and co-workers from this morning when you came into work are now your direct reports. Ouch! That's a whole 'nother level of potential headaches.
Luckily, these five tips are proven to work for new managers under any circumstances, and they'll do the same for you.
1. Gather information
Obviously, if you were promoted from within, you probably already know most of what's going on in the company and in your department. Still, take the time to fill in as many knowledge gaps as you can about the management side of procedures, processes and how things work at management level. If your company has a formal mentoring program, take advantage of it to help make your transition easier.
If you're coming in from the outside, find resources to let you know:
- the organization's big picture -- its vision, mission, values, and culture
- where your team fits in the organization
- the work of your new team
- broad performance standards and workplace expectations
- company systems, practices, procedures
As you are doing all this learning, never forget that your primary responsibility is managing your new team.
2. Create a "contract" with your boss to clarify the reasons you were hired
What? Shouldn't that have already been discussed and hammered out? You might be shocked (or, maybe you wouldn't) about how often new managers are let loose with only have a vague idea of why they got the job, and even less of an idea of what is expected of them. Before you accept the promotion, your boss should spell out exactly what will be considered a success for you and your team. And don't forget to get it in writing.
3. Hold meetings with your reports to explain your values and philosophy. Reassure staff that specific plans and changes will not be implemented without their input and careful consideration from you.
Hold a team meeting the first day to say hello, acknowledge any awkwardness, introduce yourself if needed, and give some generalities on how things will work under your leadership. Try to be as empathetic as possible because it's just as weird for them as it is for you.
Then, schedule one-on-one meetings with everyone on your team to hear their concerns about the new situation as well as to give them specifics of what you need and expect from the. Be as specific as possible if you can ("My door is always open except between 2 and 4 every Monday and Thursday, which is my time to be in my office and do [blank]. It's easiest to get me through my email than trying to call me. In an emergency, you can text me at 555-555-5555!")
4. Start moving from "I" to "we" thinking
For many new managers, this is one of the hardest steps to master. At the heart of this dilemma is that the thing that gets a person promoted - exceptional individual performance - is no longer what their job is about. In fact, it's the opposite. Successful managers focus on everyone else and getting the best performance from a team, rather than just from themselves. And while a new manager certainly cannot stop learning and developing new skills, they also need to spend a lot of time and attention to developing others.
5. Identify your allies as well as potential headaches
No matter what situation you're walking into, you need allies in your department if you want to get things done. It won't take long to discover who the alphas of the department are. These are the people who tend to lead, and others naturally follow. It will be worth your time and effort to identify the alphas and get them to buy into what you want to accomplish and that you need their help to get it done.
Now that you're moving into management, it's an exciting -- and a bit terrifying -- time in your life. By using these five tips, and reaching out to others if you need a little help, you'll take a huge step in becoming the kind of manager you always wanted to work for.
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