Step-up as a Manager

There may be a time where a promotion comes and from one moment to another you become a manager. But what do now? How do you start thinking, acting and working as a manager?

Being an employee is very different from being a manager, the roles are completely different, specially because now it is more about giving directives and leading the staff. However, this is not about being “bossy” and give orders to everyone, but rather to develop trust and respect.

We have gathered a set of processes that can help you adjust to this new role of management:

Meet with your Superiors

It is important to ask your superiors about what do they expect from you. Here you can carefully listen and learn their visions, directions, and expectations.

Delegating

If before you had a hands-on job, now you will have other people do that for you. What you really need to focus is in planning what others are supposed to perform, with deadlines, with clear directives and communication.

Meet your Staff 1-on-1

An overview of what is going on, in which part of the process of the job they are at, also how are they used to work with the previous boss. It would also be good if you could check some previous reports to understand how they used to communicate and work.

Do not over-burden your staff

Do not give too much jobs to one person. It is better you hire the right people to do the things they are talented to do than to use one person to do it all. So, therefore leave the option of hiring people open.

Staff Meeting

Set up a staff meeting with a clear agenda to discuss, however, do not make it limited to only talking those things, but rather leave some space to discuss certain matters (obviously related to the course of the work) more openly. This will be beneficial as sometimes it is from these brainstorms that people connect to each other and great ideas may arise, however, always control the time and do not allow the meeting to go too far away into distractive discussions.

Light Environment

It is important as a new manager, that you may create a good atmosphere in the workplace, through being a good listener, but always clear about the objectives and allowing your staff to trust you and feel confident themselves about what it is that they are doing for you. Have a positive approach instead of a negative, encouraging your team to do what they are supposed to do. Also remember, people need rest, vacations and they have a personal life to attend to, so it is very important that you respect that.

Priorities and deadlines

Set priorities and deadlines. Be organised know what your staff is doing, how they are performing and help them achieve the goals. It is crucial to set some minutes every morning just for a quick update, also to have a clear understanding of what is going wrong so you can give the solutions because as a manager you are supposed not only to delegate but also find solutions when they are needed.

To be a manager can be extremely challenging, as before one only had to obey the manager and do as it was asked, but now the manager has the responsibility of making sure a whole team does what is necessary to reach the final goals for the benefit of the company.