Being promoted to manager for the first time is both exhilarating and challenging. It takes smarts to move up the corporate ladder but transitioning into your new role means mastering a new skill set.
New managers often enter their roles with a wave of emotions ranging from terrified to ecstatic. No manner of work experience can fully prepare you for what it means to be a team manager, but there are plenty of things you can do to get that much closer.
No matter what kind of business or field you work in, these 9 tips from luminablog.co.uk will help you navigate the managerial waters and become successful.
Get Ready Before You Get Promoted
This may sound counter-intuitive, but if you’re on the cusp of moving up there are things you can do to get ready for your new role including reading up on the topic, taking courses, and learning from business administration companies. If you’re offered a promotion and you’re not prepared, you may want to kick yourself for not boning up beforehand.
Recognize That It’s a New Job
Even though you were most likely promoted in a department where let’s say you were the best engineer, you are no longer an engineer; you’re a manager overseeing engineers. While you may not have mastered your new job, you do have a track record of success in that area, so focus on your ability to master a job.
Learn Situational Leadership
This is a must-have leadership skill for any manager. Situational leadership is a model for figuring out how to manage each employee, depending on how much direction they need.
Get to Really Know Your Employees
Spend time with every employee and get to know their jobs, career goals, strengths, and weaknesses, likes, and dislikes but don’t stop there. If you also get to know the names of their children and pets, where they live, and anything else that’s important to them you’ll build a solid foundation of trust.
Learn and Practice Active Listening
If you had to pick just one skill important to your success as a manager, that would be active listening, which is considered the most important skill to master as a leader.
Learn to Let Go of the Details
Focus on the big picture and what your employees are accomplishing on a daily basis and whether or not they are meeting their goals. Remember, you’re not being paid to do your old job so leave the minutia up to your staff.
You’re a Boss, Not a Friend
A common mistake made by new managers is trying to be friends with their staff. This is particularly difficult when you are promoted above your peers and now you have to manage friends who were once colleagues. Being friends with only one employee creates perceptions and biases. While you can have friends outside the office, it is important to keep your interactions professional while inside the office.
Don’t Be Surprised by Former Co-Workers’ Personal Issues
New managers are often shocked to discover some of the performance and personal issues the previous boss was (discreetly) dealing with. You may have thought Donna was a funny, well-liked employee but now know that Donna is a Diva and you’ll need to pick up where your boss left off and deal with Donna your way.
Treat Every Employee with Respect
You may be in a superior position, but you are not superior to anyone. Regardless of their position in the company, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and if you waiver from this, you’ll end up losing more than your own self-respect.