So you’re ready to take the next step up the career ladder, into the role of manager? Congratulations! Now get ready for your life to change. It’s time for a whole new set of challenges. Even though you probably got promoted due to excellence in your current role, your old professional and technical skills probably won’t ensure your success as a manager. Here’s what you need to do:
Remember that it’s not about you and your work
Your job now is not to do the work yourself, but to manage the work of others—and help them do it to the best of their abilities. Yes, you may still have a functional role on the team, but you need to focus your energies on everyone else’s performance. You may need training in:
- giving effective feedback
- coaching employees
- tracking performance
- setting goals
- developing employees
- recognizing and rewarding performance
- dealing with performance issues
- supporting career progression
- hiring the right people
If you’ve never taken a management course and your company doesn’t offer one, there are thousands of books, podcasts, blogs, training courses and articles that can help you acquire these skills.
Remember that everyone brings something different to the table.
Now that you’re in charge, you need to accept that most employees will approach things differently than you would. To be a good manager, you can’t have a “my way or the highway” mentality. Analyze each of your employees to determine their unique strengths and abilities, and learn to help them use those. The end result is what counts.
Remember to set expectations.
Everyone needs to know where they stand in your new hierarchy. They also need to know about any changes you plan to make to methodologies and strategies, and how plans will be communicated. Let them know how you expect them to share and receive information, how hands-on or hands-off you intend to be and how they should approach problems if any arise. And, of course, make it clear that you are now the boss and not one of the gang.
Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Change takes time. You might go into a management role ready and eager to make all of the improvements you’ve thought of over the years, but you can’t expect everyone to jump on board and make them immediately. Assess the current situation and your team’s abilities and attitudes, and put a step-by-step plan in place that allows everyone time to adjust.
Still looking for a company or job that will help you achieve your management goals? We can help! Call Synerfac so we can help you explore the possibilities!