The shift from individual contributor to first-time manager is significant. I recall the first time I managed a team. I was so excited for the responsibility, but I really had no understanding of what it meant. I thought it was a mandate for greater authority to “get more stuff done”—not fully understanding that to truly succeed required a complete shift in my thinking and behavior.
Being promoted or placed into a first-time manager role does not automatically lead to success. How many times have we witnessed a successful salesperson struggle to manage her team or a brilliant engineer stumble in leading his former colleagues? He or she needs to develop effective skills and habits, as well as change their own perception of self. Fortunately, as a new manager, there are some simple things you can do to better equip yourself for success.
Recognize the Identity Shift
A manager is a fundamentally different role than an individual contributor. You can help your transition by recognizing that more than your job has changed. It’s time to see yourself differently, and measure your success differently. It’s no longer enough to focus on what you as an individual can do to get better results. Rather, your emphasis needs to shift to what you can do to equip your team to achieve better results.
This is an important shift—especially if you have any hope of gaining the trust of your direct reports. While this makes perfect sense, it’s not always intuitive. The natural tendency is to start producing results. And while results are important, they need to be in the context of your new role. Take the time to recognize the shift, and rethink the purpose of your new role and your relationship to direct reports, peers, and leadership.
Manage Yourself First
We are incredibly social beings, and we quickly sort ourselves into a social hierarchy when entering a new environment. As the new manager or supervisor, everyone on the team will look to you and take their cues from you. Whether you realize it or not, team members will evaluate your actions to determine what’s acceptable and what’s not. Your behavior has significant influence on your team’s behavior. So it’s imperative that you manage yourself first before you manage others.
What does this really mean? Are you in control of your emotions? Are you positive in your interactions with team members, even when you are tired? What about when someone delivers bad news? Inside, you might be frustrated, angry, or even exasperated. Does this come across before you even know what’s going on?
One of the hardest things to do is to manage your reactions. It takes deliberate effort and self-control. Yet, by exhibiting this behavior you will take positive steps toward gaining your team’s respect. An effective approach is to remember that you probably don’t have the whole story. Rather, stay calm and focus on understanding the problem so you can uncover the real issue and appropriate action(s).
Build Your Support Network
Many of us are familiar with the preflight safety routine that instructs us to “secure your own mask first before helping others.” This is not telling us that it’s every person out for himself, however. As a new manager, one of the most effective ways “to secure your mask” is to create your own support network.
Thinking back on my own experience, I know that I was fortunate to have various mentors and sounding boards as my career developed. Some turned out to be my immediate manager; others were experienced managers or leaders in different parts of the company or even outside the organization. All of them were willing to share their experience and perspective. These types of connections are invaluable. They will help you gain an outside—and probably more balanced—perspective. The only caution is to avoid using your team members as part of your support network. Remember: they need you.
You are the future of your organization. Equipping yourself for success is vital during this important career transition. It will produce dividends well into the future.
In the next article, we will look at what you can do to support your team. For now, what are some simple things you are doing or have done to prepare yourself for success?
