• 1. Know Who You Are Managing
Common challenges for new managers
1) they often struggle to balance and prioritize their workloads. They're tempted to do everything they did before they were new leaders, plus their new management duties. They are reluctant to delegate, they want everything to be right, so they try to do it all. That is a fast way for them to become frustrated, overworked, and exhausted.
2) new leaders may find it tough to set boundaries. This is an issue for managers because they're often subject-matter experts, but as a new leader, they cannot continue to be the go-to person for all problems that need troubleshooting. If they make themselves constantly available to answer every functional question, they can't focus on the leadership aspects of their new role. Boundary-setting may also be tough for new leaders who are friends with former peers, who are now direct reports. Pulling back to keep to keep those relationships at a more professional level can seem awkward, but it's important to maintain the objectivity of the position.
3) new leaders may not know how to shift from being a top performer to being able to inspire and motivate top performing teams. Getting results individually is one thing. Getting results with and through other people is a whole different skill set. New leaders may not realize the full importance of coaching and cultivating talent.
They might show signs of behavioral blind spots, areas where their intent doesn't match their impact. For instance, the leaders might think they're being decisive, but their team members might think they're being abrupt, or lets say they go out of their way to be seen as fair, but they end up looking wishy-washy
Take the personalized approach, and your new leaders will quickly become more self-sufficient as managers.
• 2. Set the Expectations
Transition strategy
Five topics you can use as part of your strategy discussions with your new leaders.
1) set the expectations for performance. They'll need to have a solid grasp of the key deliverables and metrics expected from their new teams, the ins and outs of the operations, and the issues surrounding talent management. This is particularly important if new leaders have been promoted from within their teams. They might be used to viewing all those factors from an individual standpoint, but they'll need to step outside of that silo. You'll also want to share with them a clear picture of their targeted goals, how they and their teams will be evaluated.
2) make sure they understand the broader business perspective. Give your new leaders the context to mentally link their team's goals with the overall objectives of the department or the company. They might have a history of being high performers, but they may not immediately see the bigger picture, like how the organization fits into the industry relative to its competitors, or why changing customer demand suddenly requires a new direction. If you can help them to view their leadership roles with a wide-angled lens, they will be more flexible and better prepared to deal with whatever comes their way.
3) ask them to define an action plan for the next three to six months. Talk about their specific plans moving forward to accomplish their goals. These include not only steps to produce actual deliverables, but also ways to advance their leadership skills. Push them to be ambitious, but make sure they're realistic. This would be a great opportunity to show them the value of delegating
4) discuss the best ways for them to prioritize their time. New leaders are probably skilled at completing their own daily assignments, but leadership throws much more complexity into the mix. They need to make sure that they schedule time to accomplish their expanded role within the organization. Their immediate duties have shifted to include more strategic priorities, like building strong relationships and trust with team members, coaching and counseling their direct reports, communicating with peers across lines of business, and thinking more broadly rather than just putting out daily fires.
5) ask the new leaders what they need to make their transitions easier. It's also important to make sure they have resources they can tap into other than you.
Communication guidelines
Need consistent communication. Needs to have the right information at the right time.
First, develop guidelines for their communication with you. What information do you want them to report back to you? Whatever it is, be clear about which updates you want and how often and in what format.
Second, establish expectations for how new leaders will communicate with their own team.
Third, clarify the tone new leaders should use for communication. As they jump into manage their teams they'll probably feel a bit of presser to drive performance, make the quotas, exceed projections.
You're goal is to convey the long-term value in developing real connections with the people that report to them. When they know them and inspire them they can directly influence team performance and building up the bottom line.
• 3. Provide the Appropriate Support
Coaching and development
Be respectful. Coach rather than criticize. Influence rather than inform. Develop rather than direct.
First, observe their leadership skills in action.
Second, schedule periodic one-on-one meetings to discuss their roles. Focus on transition, provide feedback on transition, discuss challenges they might have
Finally, provide them with the tools they need to succeed.
Modeling behavior
Lead by example
Learn much more from seeing how you handle those kinds of situations. Managers who fail to recognize the impact of their own behaviors and the implications of their daily decisions could be creating a problem. Indirect coaching – incredibly powerful
• Do you treat others with respect regardless of their roles or experience level?
• Do you seek out others' feedback and perspective?
• How do you handle difficult conversations and conflicts?
• Do you share credit with others after a team success?
Aligns with your words and your behaviors.
- Do you project confidence in how you speak, dress, and engage with others?
- Do you remain calm and composed in a crisis or when challenged?
- Are you patient and understanding when things don't go as planned?
- Are you perceived by others as influential, as a thought leader?
- Finally, analyze the actual impact of your leadership. Are you having the intended affect on the people you lead? That's the ultimate test.
Your new leaders will be able to read your results a mile away.
* Do the people on your team feel inspired, encouraged, and motivated?
* Do they feel comfortable approaching you?
* Do they feel empowered and valued?
* Do your employees trust and respect you?
Make it a priority to really get to know your new leaders. Building those relationships is the key. That's how you can determine the best way to leverage their strengths and provide targeted development.
No comments:
Post a Comment