The First-Time Manager !!EXCLUSIVE!!
Unfortunately, many companies don't go through a very thorough process in choosing those who will be moved into a managerial position. Often the judgment is based solely on how well the person is performing in his current position. The best individual contributor doesn't always make the best manager, although many companies still make the choice on that basis. The theory is that successful past performance is the best indicator of future success. However, management skills are very different from the skills one needs to succeed as an individual contributor.
The First-Time Manager
So the fact that an employee is a good performer, even though she demonstrates a pattern of success, doesn't necessarily mean the person will be a successful manager. Being a manager requires skills beyond those of being an excellent technician. Managers need to focus on people, not just tasks. They need to rely on others, not just be self-reliant. Managers are also team oriented and have a broad focus, whereas non-managers succeed by having a narrow focus and being detail oriented. In many ways, transitioning from the role of an individual contributor to a manager is similar to the difference between being a technician and being an artist. The manager is an artist because management is often nuanced and subjective. It involves a different mindset.
Some companies have management-training programs. These programs vary from excellent to unfortunate. Too often, the program is given to people who already have been in managerial positions for a number of years. It's true that even experienced managers periodically should be given refresher courses in management style and techniques. But if a training program has any merit, it should be given to individuals who are being considered for management positions. The training program will not only help them avoid mistakes, it also gives trainees the opportunity to see whether they will be comfortable leading others. A management training program that helps potential managers decide that they are not suited for management has done both the prospective managers and the organization they are a part of a great favor.
Approximately five hundred people attended these seminars, and approximately 20 percent decided they did not want to move into management. After getting a brief taste of management, about a hundred people knew they would not make good managers, but they were still valuable employees. This is dramatic to consider. If this program is representative it suggests that 20 percent of people advanced into management would prefer not to be there. Far too many people accept management promotions because they feel (often rightly so) that they will be dead-ended if they reject the promotion.
Some people believe that if you want something done right, you'd better do it yourself. People with this attitude rarely make good leaders or managers because they have difficulty delegating responsibility. Everyone has seen these people: They delegate only those trivial tasks that anyone could perform, and anything meaningful they keep for themselves. As a result, they work evenings and weekends and take a briefcase home as well. There is nothing wrong with working overtime. Most people occasionally must devote some extra time to the job, but those who follow this pattern as a way of life are poor managers. They have so little faith in their team members that they trust them with only minor tasks. What they are really saying is that they don't know how to properly train their people.
One other unvarying trait of omnipotent ones is that they seldom take their vacations all at once. They take only a couple days off at a time because they are certain the company can't function longer than that without them. Before going on vacation, they will leave specific instructions as to what work is to be saved until their return. They will direct their team to email, text, or call them regarding anything of significance even though they are supposed to be on vacation. The omnipotent one even complains to family and friends, "I can't even get away from the problems at work for a few days without being bothered." What omnipotent ones don't say is that this is exactly the way they want it because it makes them feel important. For some omnipotent managers, any joy in their retirement years is demolished because retirement means an end to their dedication to the job, their perceived indispensability, and possibly their reason for living.
In the best organizations, you're not chosen for a managerial position because of your technical knowledge, but because someone has seen the spark of leadership in you. That is the spark you must start developing. Leadership is difficult to define. A leader is a person others look to for direction, someone whose judgment is respected because it is usually sound. As you exercise your judgment and develop the capacity to make sound decisions, it becomes a self-perpetuating characteristic. Your faith in your own decisionmaking power is fortified. That feeds your self-confidence, and with more self-confidence, you become less reluctant to make difficult decisions.
When you do need to make changes, whether soon after your promotion or later, be as forthcoming as possible in explaining what will be taking place and why. While change may be frightening to people the unknown is even more disabling. This does not mean that you disclose every detail. Determining what to disclose and what to keep to yourself is part of the judgment you need to have as a manager. But the more forthcoming you can be, the more you will help your team get past the resistance to change that is part of human nature.
The newly appointed manager who starts acting like "the boss" by issuing orders and other directives is off to a bad start. While you may not hear the remarks directly, the typical comments made behind the back of such a misguided manager might be, "Boy, is she drunk with power," or "This job has really gone to his head," or "He sure is fond of himself since he was promoted." You don't need this kind of problem.
If you don't draw down your inventory of authority too often, the authority you may have to use in an emergency is more effective because it is infrequently displayed. The people you lead know that you are the manager. They know that the requests you make carry the authority of your position. The vast majority of the time, it is unnecessary to use that authority.
There is a term in the creative arts called understatement. For the most part, it means that what is left unsaid may be as important as what is said. This is true with the use of authority. A direction given as a request is a managerial type of understatement. If the response you are seeking is not forthcoming, you can always clarify your request or add a bit of authority.
Books for new managers are guides that teach new leaders skills and best practices for being good bosses. These guides cover topics like performance management, motivation and coaching, and team development. The purpose of these works is to help new leaders level up quickly and gain the skills necessary to manage employees effectively.
Welcome to Management is a guide for making the transition from being a star employee to an effective manager. The book is split into three parts: lead yourself, build your team, and lead your team. Throughout these sections, Ryan Hawk provides a framework for becoming a dynamic leader. The text covers topics such as self-discipline, continuous learning, response management, and preparation, and points out the qualities and behaviors that make managers great. Leaders will learn how to build productive and supportive work environments and direct teams towards positive results. Welcome to Management lays out the unspoken rules of managing and teaches young professionals how to embrace and get the most out of their new roles.
The Making of a Manager is one of the top new manager books. Julie Zhou draws on her expertise as a leader at Facebook to help other young bosses take the reins and effectively manage a modern workforce. The book traces the transition into management, from ramping up in the first months, to growing as a leader after gaining your bearings. The guide identifies the qualities and behaviors of effective managers, and shows that leadership is a journey of constant education, self-appraisal, and improvement. Zhou uses her own career as a springboard to show the experience of leading while learning. The book lays bare the unspoken rules of management and shows young professionals how to gain a grasp on being a new boss fast.
From Supervisor to Super Leader is a management guide that puts an emphasis on team dynamics. This guide outlines nine key practices that help leaders build high-functioning and healthy teams. The author also points out obstacles and blindspots that cause resistance for less experienced managers and lays out ways to overcome these issues. The book is basic and uses simple language to explore the building blocks of being a good leader.
Everyone Deserves a Great Manager is one of the most helpful first time manager books. This resource distills the art of successful and supportive management into six key practices like create a culture of feedback and lead your team through change. The book helps younger managers pinpoint the priorities when taking on a leadership role, and establishes a firm foundation to build up from. The idea behind the book is that by mastering these fundamentals, the finer points of leadership will fall into place. Everyone Deserves a Great Manager names the habits and actions that make the transition to leadership easier and make supervisors more impactful.
The First-Time Manager is an exploration of the challenges and expectations that face new leaders. The guide compares and contrasts being a star employee with becoming a leader, and clarifies the different demands of the roles. The pages are full of advice on how to hire, motivate staff, push back against pushback, and stay calm and clear-headed in crises. The book shows readers how to avoid common errors, find a personal leadership style, build teams, and gain employee trust. The First-Time Manager helps new bosses develop the resilience and tact needed to handle tough situations, and prepares emerging managers for the challenges ahead. 041b061a72