Congratulations You’re Promoted to Manager! Now What?
Becoming a manager for the first time is an exhilarating feeling. However, after the excitement begins to wane, and the reality of your new responsibilities sink in, you may ask yourself, now what?
Perhaps the first thing that new managers realize is that they must give up some of the autonomy and flexibility that they once had as an individual practitioner. Often, first-time managers get so wrapped up in the day-to-day management of their direct reports that they forget to take a step back and focus on how their performance impacts others.
Here are 10 Tips to ensure success as a first-time manager:
- Adopt a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is an important concept in business and leadership. A growth mindset is one where you see your employees as people who can grow and develop over time through experiences and feedback. If you want to be a successful manager, when someone on your team needs help, you should be open and willing to offer it. If conflicts arise with employees or other managers, you should look for ways to resolve the issues. When an employee makes a mistake or does something wrong, you should handle the situation in such a way that they learn from it rather than reprimanding them.
Evolving your mindset from seeing employees as static entities who are either good or bad at their job, to people who can learn and adapt over time, is a powerful mindset that will benefit you throughout your career.
- Seek Feedback Early and Often
First-time managers should set up an ongoing dialogue with their team members. By initiating contact with your employees on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, you will establish rapport and make them feel supported by you in their role. As your team begins to settle into a routine, set up a process where once a quarter each employee gives you feedback. During these conversations, be sure to ask, “What can I do to support you?”
- Listen More Than You Talk
New managers often have the instinct to talk constantly to prove their expertise. However, monologuing can mask departmental problems and create barriers that present leaders from getting to know their teams. New leaders should resist the urge to “tell” and instead invest energy into listening.
Team members may be hesitant to be open with a new leader, yet the more a manager shows that they are open to ideas, the more the team member will share. This two-way communication helps managers obtain and keep a better pulse on individual and team health and detect changes immediately. Active listening will earn employees trust, especially when managers respond with understanding and act on employee suggestions.
- Don’t Micromanage Employees, Manage Them
Micromanaging employees isn’t just annoying to them, it is counterproductive. Managers often become concerned that their employees are going to “mess up” or aren’t doing things correctly without guidance. This leads many new managers into the trap of constantly hovering over their team members’ shoulders and offering unsolicited advice – all while wasting both of their time. It’s important to realize that most new managers are naturally prone to micromanaging, but the best way to fix this is by finding a balance between giving employees enough autonomy and support from you without being too hands off.
- Show Your Employees You Appreciate Their Work
People enjoy working hard when they know that their efforts are going towards a meaningful goal. As a first-time manager and throughout your management career, it is important to create a feeling of appreciation within your department. Be sure to thank your employees for their time and effort. Find a reason to compliment your team members for their contributions, however meaningful.
- Keep your Employees Informed About Company Goals
It’s important for your team to understand how their efforts support the overall goals of the organization. This can be done by sharing inspiring company goals with your team regularly – often this information may be readily available but not widely shared. If necessary, take time to send out emails or documents explaining where the company has been, and where it’s going next.
- Be Clear About What Employees Can Expect from You
When taking on new team members, it’s important not to make promises that you can’t keep. Set clear boundaries with team members about what both you and the company can offer your employees. This way, they will know ahead of time what their job will entail. Realize that being a manager sometimes means having to say “no” more often than you would like.
- Remember That You Don’t Have to Know All of the Answers
Being a new manager can be intimidating, especially when you feel like you have too many questions compared to the number of answers that you can provide. It’s important not to try to control everything – this will help your team members become more comfortable with their daily tasks, take ownership of their responsibilities, and come to you for advice.
By being open about not always having the answer to a question, you demonstrate your humanity. Your employees will appreciate your authenticity.
- Be Confident but Not Arrogant
Being new comes with its own set of challenges, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be confident in your abilities or what you bring to an organization. However, don’t let confidence turn into arrogance, especially when dealing with team members. Be aware of your strengths and embrace them but also be conscious of how some team members may not be secure in their own abilities. This can turn into defensiveness if you are criticizing their performance.
In today’s environment, first-time managers may be stepping on to teams where employees have much more experience. It is important for you to respect and benefit from their wisdom, while being confident in your attributes.
- Stay Positive
First-time managers will encounter situations that don’t go according to plan. Get used to it! It’s important to remember that this is normal. While some issues will need more attention than others, try to focus on positives. Your leadership in this situation will build rapport with your team members so they will trust you more.
Becoming a manager can bring new challenges to your professional career but it also offers significant personal benefits. It’s important to recognize that you have embarked on an exciting journey that will provide you an opportunity to become a lifelong learner, be constantly challenged, and make a positive difference in your organization and the lives of your team members.
Congratulations on your promotion!
Marsha Jones is an Executive Vice President and Senior Partner of Tier 1 Level Consulting, LLC, a consulting and executive coaching organization. Marsha founded Tier 1 after serving for over a decade as the first Chief Diversity Officer of PNC Financial Services Group and after a distinguished sales management career at Merrill Lynch. Her multidisciplinary experience in diversity and financial services allows her to identify visionary opportunities and strategic initiatives that help her clients drive transformational business and cultural change.
