Congratulations! You have just been promoted to your first supervisory position. You’re excited. You’ve just accomplished what you wanted – moving up the ladder. Now what?
I remember those great feelings at being promoted. I never thought to panic about the consequences as I believed then I knew just what to do. I was 14 months out of college. Only five months at a new work place and two months in a new section of the laboratory. The supervisor had left when she had twins. I was anxious to get things organized the way I thought they should be. And, after the terrible experiences I had at my first post-graduate job with an alcoholic boss, I definitely knew what I did not want to do. As you can well imagine, my ignorance definitely did not turn to bliss!
Statistics say 17% of new managers fail within their first year. Why? Because they have moved into a job that requires a whole new set of skills. And, few are given the necessary training, coaching and mentoring they need to succeed. New bosses are better at managing tasks than leading people. Their technical skills are not sufficient. Now they need to know how to teach, inspire, appraise and correct the work of others. Management is about getting things done through people. Relationship skills are mandatory. Yet, too often, these skills are not assessed when choosing a new manager. And, rarely taught. Many laboratorians who are good at what they do are analytical, organized, process-oriented, results driven people. And, introverted. Many have chosen laboratory science as a career because they prefer to work alone. Or, at least without a lot of chatter. Yet, because they excel at their technical work, they are promoted.
In my experience, most people are promoted for two reasons: they are very good at what they do. Or, they have been on the job for a long time. People that stay at one place and/or in one job for a long time tend to be change resistant and conflict avoidant. They are unwilling or unable to face the ever constant change that management responsibility brings. And, too often ignore conflict even after it erupts and disrupts the work. When promoted, they move out of their well-developed comfort zone. In the first instance, employees of a task oriented, results driven boss often become unhappy because they feel ignored, unappreciated and not respected. In the second situation, the new manager becomes unhappy and often puts up a shell to protect herself. Both of these situations lead to the employees becoming discontented. Employees then become disengaged and their dissatisfaction decreases productivity, increases stress leading to more dis-ease and sick days. As time passes, good employees choose to leave for a place where they enjoy working.
Developing highly competent management skills is much more complicated than developing the technical skills that probably led to your promotion. This is because management is about interacting with other frequently unpredictable individuals. What can you do to become a boss people are thrilled to work for? Three words to remember are: Listen. Learn. And, laugh.
Listen
One of the most important management skills is listening. Start by having a one-on-one session with each of your employees. Ask for their opinions. What is working? What suggestions do they have for improvement? What can be discontinued? What do they enJOY most about their job? What do they like least about it? Etc.
Next, ask to interview experienced managers you admire, both in your work place, your profession and managers in totally unrelated jobs. Also, take time to think about your best and worst bosses. What did they do that made them good bosses? What lessons did you learn from the “bad” bosses? Compile your data and create your action plan by combining all the input with your vision of what your department can become. Then, discuss your ideas and plan with your manager for approval and tweaking. Once your action plan has been refined, share it with your employees. And, introduce the changes gradually. Everyone is still adjusting to your promotion.
One more thing about listening – the higher you move up the management ladder, the more you need to listen. You are more readily perceived as a great communicator if you are a great listener! Take a listening course if necessary to improve this essential communication skill.
Learn
Learning will be a constant no matter how many years you spend as a manager. The first person to learn more about is --- you! Great leaders are very self-aware. The more you know about yourself, the better you can interact with others. I encourage you to access the many self-assessment tools that are available. Examples include: behavioral styles, personality preferences, problem-solving methods, learning styles, preferred team role, stress coping skills, listening styles, time management skills, etc. It is also helpful to do a modified 360 degree evaluation. Ask your employees, peers and manager(s) to assess your strengths and areas for improvement. Typically there is about a 60% overlap in how you view yourself and others’ opinions of your skills. It is valuable to have this knowledge so you know how to best interact with each of these individuals.
A very important lesson to learn as you move into your new role is you are no longer the peer you were only yesterday. Even though you feel the same, and believe you act the same, those same people that you joked around with yesterday will now treat you differently because you are now their boss. People we were friends with may adopt coolness, especially if they feel they should have been the one to be promoted. My peers started to go on breaks and to lunch without me, leaving me to eat by myself. Not a fun experience for this people oriented person! These experiences carry over to after work hours. Be sure to maintain professional confidentiality and not express your frustrations with others within your department. And, be careful not to alienate your former peers by allowing your ego to take over.
A great way to learn good management skills is to find a mentor. Mentoring is a great way to boost the self esteem and tap into the knowledge and experience of a person who is nearing retirement and not feeling valued anymore. For a mentoring relationship to thrive, it is important you view it as a win-win situation. Not just a “you give, I take” experience. Be mindful of their time and organize your questions so you use your mentor’s time efficiently. Help expand your mentor’ skills by sharing generational differences of perspective. Take her to lunch or break, keep a journal of your lessons learned and share them with your mentor. Another win-win experience!
Although most lessons are learned best by experience, great ways to expand your knowledge base is to attend classes, read books, listen to audio courses or take on-line classes. Most skills are best learned by practicing them. That’s why we have an internship! Yet, you’re already on the job. One great way I have found to help new managers is to create a learning team. I work with small groups (4-6) of recently promoted supervisors. I train them as a group and then coach them individually. We do case studies and role modeling to help reinforce the learning. We practice interviewing, appraising and providing feedback. With time, the managers learn to depend on each other for advice and suggestions. And, often create bonds that last beyond the work place.
Laugh
Last, remember to laugh. A sense of humor helps to keep things in perspective. Learn to accept that you and your employees do make mistakes. When you can laugh about these errors, you will live longer and more enjoyably. Develop flexibility if you do not already have it. Keep in mind there is almost always more than one right answer. And, the first answer may not be the best choice.
Find ways to put fun into work. Break out the clown nose when someone is taking himself too seriously. Keep some comic books and humorous pictures handy for those times when you need a laugh break. Post a joke of the day. Keep a “treasure chest” of rewards such as candy bars (Lifesavers, 100 Grand, etc) inspirational quotes and toys for a job well done.
New managers generally define their positions by their responsibilities, not their relationships. Managers are judged not only by the work their team produces, but by the relationships they build. Be patient. Good management skills are not learned over night. They take time, practice and updating. Keep listening, continually learning and laughing and you will enjoy your new role more and become a boss employees are thrilled to work with. People do not quit jobs. They leave bosses. As a boss, you will make a difference in someone’s life. What difference will you make?
Nancy Riesz, MBA,, is an interpersonal effectiveness expert who teaches people to work together … better. Through her presentations, seminars, coaching, and writing, she works with people and their organizations to create places where people want to come to work, be bosses people love to work for, and helps them do what they do best. Nancy can be reached at Nancy@SuccessCatalyst.com or through her Web site at
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Nancy Riesz
