Are You A New Manager?

Congratulations…you are moving forward in your career. Managing employees will be challenging and rewarding, and to be successful in your new role you will need to be willing to learn.

You first thought in stepping into your new role is that you have to prove yourself. Since you are knowledgeable in your specific business area you may be tempted to focus your time only on the business. Step out of your “expert” role and into the role of the manager as this will take a lot of your time from now on.

You may think it's important to show them who is boss…don’t worry they already know that you are the manager. If you want them to respect you as a manager, then you will need to be open to listening and learning.

Tips to help you develop your management skills:nn-Find out what your manager expects from you in this new management role. Keep her/him in the loop and learn from them.nn-Your manager will also be the perfect person to find out if there are any employee issues on your team. Even if they were peers, doesn’t mean you know everything.nn-Look around the company and find successful managers. Take them out to lunch or dinner for an informational meeting on what works or doesn’t work for them in their management roles. They also understand the organization’s culture.nn-If you are new to the company, then search for outside friends or recommendations to pick their brains on what makes a successful manager.nn-Each manager has their own personal style, though successful managers all share a common theme. Their strongest strength lies in their ability to listen.nn-Ask your company to pay for a management seminar such as American Management Association. AMA provides a broad based of information on managing employees to support your new role as a manager.nn-Lea
the basic employment laws…many of new managers have learned the hard way about laws that protect employees. You represent the company now and need to insure no legal issues surface as you work with your team.nn-Take time to read about managing employees….this is a new subject matter for you.

Additional Thoughts:nn-Shortly after you start your role as the manager schedule time with each of your direct reports. Get to know what is important to them.nn-You may be great at motivating yourself and have certain tools or beliefs that work for you. They may or may not work with another person. Tailor your motivational efforts to the individual.nn-Before making any changes in your organization, do some research with your team first. They are a great resource for you.nn-If you have a problem employee, one who is challenging your role as the new manager, deal with it immediately by listening to them to find out what it causing their behavior. You can then state clearly that you need their support in building a strong team.nn-Be loyal to your team members…..insure they receive all the support they need to do their jobs. When your team knows you are there for them, they will go the extra mile for you.

As you embark on this new journey as a manager, remember that you don’t have to know it all, just be open to learning from your manager, your team or others.