Advice for First time Managers

by Jen Kelley, My Business Resource

It’s finally happened – you put in the time and effort and you received that long awaited promotion – to manager. Once the excitement wears off - for many first-time managers - is when the panic sets in. You’ve transitioned from a top-notch independent contributor, and now find yourself (especially if you work in a small to mid-sized business) accountable for not only your own deliverables, but the deliverables of others, as well. Not to mention the people you are now responsible for guiding, supervising and creating an environment where they feel empowered to do their best work possible. Perhaps you’ve never managed others before. Or you’ve never delegated tasks. Or maybe you’ve never been in a situation where the work someone else does is a direct reflection of your abilities. Pretty scary, right? Fear not – with a little time and focus on the following three guideposts, what once seemed a daunting undertaking will become your new norm.

Ask for – or seek out – a mentor. Many companies will have formal programs for new supervisors, whereby a seasoned manager takes you under their wing, and helps guide you through the nuances of supervising others and delegating tasks to direct reports. But often, there are no formal mentoring programs for newly minted people or process leaders. If a program doesn’t exist in your organization, seek out a manager you admire and respect – and ask for his or her help as you navigate the ropes. Remember – a mentor’s role is not to tell you how they did it – but to offer insight on how they may have handled a particular situation, and serve as a trusted advisor to bounce ideas off of. As you are coming into your own, you’ll find some of these lessons are spot on – and some you’ll need to tweak to fit your unique style. That’s exactly what these relationships are designed to do.

Solicit feedback. A colleague of mine once said, “Feedback is a gift – you just don’t get to choose the package it comes in.” When starting a new position – and especially a supervisory one - feedback is going to be a critical component of really understanding what works, and what doesn’t. And while we all love positive feedback, constructive feedback is often times far more important. Be open to what is being shared with you, ask questions, and commit to trying things a new way – even if it feels foreign at first. The best managers I’ve worked with (even the seasoned ones) have a deep desire to understand what they can be doing differently or better –even if it’s something they’ve done a hundred times before.

Make mistakes! People – and this includes managers – aren’t perfect. That’s why pencils have erasers. While new managers have a deep fear of doing something wrong, or being incorrect, mistakes and missteps should be encouraged – as long as we can absorb the lessons that are ripe for the taking. We learn so much more when plans go awry than when things go exactly as designed. These learning opportunities are pivotal as you grow into your new role and have the added benefit of helping you discover the type of manager you really want to be. Striving for excellence, as opposed to seeking perfection, should be your goal – an exercise that will continue to serve you for years to come as your career evolves.