Four crucial questions you need to ask when becoming a manager for the first time
I look back in horror at how bad was I when I first became a manager! Most of us manage in the way that we have been previously managed because it was our only point of reference, and it leads to managing poorly. I had some really bad bosses, though luckily things did change for me as I was one of the lucky ones. Early on in my career, I got my Project Management Professional (PMP) Accreditation and there were modules on how best to lead and manage a team.
Unfortunately, many aren’t that lucky so this blog is for those of you who haven’t had the luxury of fantastic bosses or management courses.
I will ask you to consider:
1. How will you be measured as a manager?
2. Do you know the goals for you and your team?
3. What type of manager do you want to be?
4. How do you want your team to behave?
Why am I here?
As you embark on your journey as a new manager, you are most likely going to be most challenged by
- Lack of confidence
- Giving staff feedback that they don’t want to hear
- Setting goals
- Handling conflict
- Absences and other HR issues
- Recruiting new staff
For some of you, a big question is do you even want to be a manager? or is it simply the next step on the career ladder? For many, there is nowhere else to go but up! Very few UK companies have a career track where people can develop their technical skills without becoming a manager.
If you do want to be a manager and being a manager is a role you would love to do, what attracts you to management?
- The power – everybody doing what you tell them?
- Having an office?
- Not having to do your old job?
- More money?
That is only part of it!
How will you be measured as a manager?
The first thing to understand is what are you expected to achieve in your new role? Your boss might not be able to answer that question so how are you going to define your role?
- If you are a Sales Manager you will be expected to deliver more sales – but how many?
- If you are an Operations Manager you will be measured on delivering a great product or service to your clients but how are you measuring that?
- As an HR manager, you might be assessed by hiring and retaining good staff and making sure the company does not get taken to court because of the way it has handled a staffing issue.
You will need to set clear goals for you and your team, then agree on them with your senior manager. The chances are your boss just want to offload some of their work and hasn’t thought about what they really want from you so you may well need to take the initiative. A good company will set KPIs (key performance indicators) which are mutually agreed goals that you must meet through good management of your team. If you are your own boss and it’s the first team of your own, ensure you have clear goals for the business first then filter these down.
Communication is the key
Having set some goals how are you going to achieve them? You now have a team so which of your team is going to be responsible for delivering which part of your overall team goals?
You need to make sure your team buy into the team goals. I am a big fan of Myles Downey who advocated the What, How and Why approach…
What is simply what you are asking a person to do in very clear and precise terms.
Then work with them to decide How they will deliver the What. You want them to deliver a solution that works for them so they buy into it.
Finally, make sure everyone understands the Why so they all know what the team are collectively trying to achieve and how that fits into the wider companies goals!
What type of manager do you want to be?
There are various types of management styles and the type you become can be dependent on what you are looking to deliver. Do you want or need to be a micro-manager telling everyone exactly what they are to do?
Alternatively, do you want your team to work effectively under your guidance, identifying things that need to be done and then the team independently getting them sorted?
It’s up to you though consider this, a micro-management style can be annoying for team members who need space to get the job done.
A team needs to be comfortable to challenge you if they think your approach is wrong, however, they then need to work with you to find the right solution. As a manager, you need to find the correct balance for your team today and work out how you will develop them into the team you want in the future.
How do you want your team to behave?
Set rules for how you want your team members to behave at work. If you don’t tell people what is expected from them, how can you expect them to behave as you want them to? I talk to numerous managers who are frustrated with the way their team behave but in many cases, it’s because they have never told them what is expected of them. Start with the basics such as what times do you expect the team to be at their desks and if they can work from home. An employees handbook is a great tool to use!
Also, ask your new team how they would like to handle disagreement, some people hate conflict of any type while others see it as great fun! You need people to have differing views to get the best result, but how would your team like that disagreement to be presented? Decide at what point do you need to become involved as the manager and then how will you collect and understand each person’s point of view to work through to a solution.
With that all in place there will inevitably be times when you do have to correct someone’s behaviour. None of us like having those conversations, as humans we are wired to avoid confrontation, but you are the boss now! Marshal Rosenberg in his book “Nonviolent Communication” describes a 4 step approach which I recommend you adopt:
- Describe the behaviour you have observed
- Describe the impact the behaviour is having on yourself and others in the team
- Describe the behaviour you would like to see
- Agree on an action plan together
You can make a real difference to your team, the company and your customers!
Good luck as you embark on your new role! Remember you can make a real difference to your team, the company and your customers if you get it right. Don’t simply mirror the way you have been previously managed, but think about the way you actually want to manage your team!
If you are a new manager, or an experienced manager looking for a new leadership approach. Sign up for one of our free coaching sessions here.
