Taking on a promotion to management can be a daunting task. You may ask yourself, “Where do I start? What do I do? How do I handle this situation?”. Here are my top 4 new manager tips.
Start Managing, Stop Doing
One of the hardest parts about moving into a management position for the first time is getting used to not “doing” things. As a new manager, you will now be in charge of making sure your employees have the tools for success that they need in order to produce the product or service that you are managing. Your daily tasks may now include organizing and leading meetings, facilitating communication between your employees, and making sure that your vision for your team is aligned with the organization. It is very common for there to be a transition period into your new manager position, especially if you were promoted from within your organization. Keep in mind this period should be very short and you should work with your organization to come up with a plan for your full transition into management.
Lead By Example
When you are a new manager, it is imperative that you set the tone for your team and lead by example. You need to learn how to motivate your employees to perform at their highest potential. One easy way to do this is to be positive and foster a positive working environment. Your employees will perform better if you start your day with a smile and a “Hello!” than a frown with demands. You should also work as hard (or harder) than your employees. Your work ethic should provide an example for your employees to follow and your employees will respect you for it. Leading by example and respect go hand in hand, you will not lead effectively unless your employees respect you. Respect is earned and over time your employees will see your work ethic, effective leadership, and decision making skills to earn you the respect that you need to lead effectively.
Set Expectations
During your first week as a new manager, you should set expectations for your team. They need to know what is expected of them and in return, you need to know what they expect of you. Every team is different and you need to manage expectations adequately. To start, you should have a discussion with your team about the goals of your organization and how that relates to the goals of your team. You should talk about the different roles on your team, how your team will work together, and what is expected of them. This is where you will need to assert your authority, let them know how you will measure their success so that they have a tangible goal to meet.
Become a Mentor
Effective leaders mentor their employees. Being a mentor means taking a personal interest in your employees’ careers and helping them to grow and learn new skills. This will only help the productivity of your team as your employees continue to thrive in the positive working environment that you have created for them.