Getting promoted as a Manager or joining a manager in a new workplace is a good CAREER ACHIEVEMENT in the professional dimension.
It is EXCITING as well as CHALLENGING .
With no prior experience of the responsibilities that come with the role, the question of how to thrive in the new role and excel is always there on top of your mind.
It looks IMPOSSIBLE at first!
You have to handle multiple responsibilities at different levels. It is very demanding and stressful.
Growing yourself and helping your employees grow, as well as interacting with other department heads at the organizational level and accomplishing your personal career goals ………
The list is ENDLESSS…….!!
Here are 15 UNIVERSAL BEST PRACTICES that will help you transition in your career right from day one with minimal friction and fuss.
These practices will help you SECURE A GOOD POSITION in your organization right from the start, work with your upper management, heads of other departments, employees, and other business stakeholders and clients effectively, develop a motivated and engaged workforce that is inspired to produce their best work, and create better systems and processes which will bring success to you as well as everyone in the long run.
Would you like to Make A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND THRIVE CONFIDENTLY in your New Role ?
Get the FREE NEW MANAGERS GUIDE TO THRIVE CONFIDENTLY HERE
HOW THESE BEST PRACTICES CAN HELP A NEW MANAGER IN THE LONG RUN :
It is advantageous to learn about these practices because, in the long run, you must transition from being a manager to a leadership position.
And these universal practices apply to any organization and any manager, even if you are promoted in the same organization or change jobs as a manager in a new organization.
1 You lay a strong foundation for future career success :
With basic knowledge of leadership practices, you have more confidence in your abilities to deal with any situation or person.
Of course, learning and experience do not end. With time you grow, but having some basic knowledge helps you from making too many mistakes and straying.
2 You are looked up to with trust and respect :
These universal practices help you WIN the trust and respect of your boss and employees very quickly. This helps you to inspire, motivate and increase the engagement and productivity of your team.
3 Enables better communication between upper management, head of departments, and employees :
With a transition in the job, you are required to communicate with your upper management, heads of other departments, stakeholders, clients, and employees.
These strategies ensure transparency and help you communicate effectively and meet the goals and objectives of the company more seamlessly.
4 Less stress and conflicts:
Healthy practices right from day one minimizes the scope of misunderstandings, stress, and conflicts and paves way for synergy and cohesiveness.
16 BEST PRACTICES THAT WILL HELP NEW MANAGERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL FROM DAY ONE
1.DEVELOP A BIGGER PICTURE VIEW :
When your role changes from an employee to a manager, your responsibilities increase and you are now in charge of a bigger domain.
It is no longer about individual contribution or managing employees.
You now need to think at 3 levels.
The 3 levels are :
The Organizational Level – Goals, Culture , Principles, Values ,and Business aspect of the organization.
The Team Level -Employees Development and Management , Performance Management , Growing future Leaders.
Your Individual Level -Your professional and career goals and growth from a Manager to a Leader.
You need to work in tandem with the heads of different departments to keep the organization moving.
Some of the things that will require your attention are -Building relationships with your team, developing them individually, helping them realize company goals, monitoring their performance, maintaining work deadlines, reviewing budget expenses and seeing to it that cross department relationships are maintained.
.
Developing a BIGGER PICTURE VIEW is very essential ,because it will help you to focus on more important things that will enable you and your employees to move the organization forward .
Keep an overview of things, instead of micromanaging and having control on everything.
Build trust with employees , delegate tasks to them to develop them , and make them accountable, so that you are left with more time to pursue other important things.
2 BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND EXPECTATION
The clearer you are about the expectations from you as a manager ,the more easier it will become for you to align your employees and your goals towards the growth of the company.
Clarity gives you as well as others a clear sense of purpose and direction and helps in aligning others as well as your strengths, talents and career goals with those of the company’s vision and growth.
You need to practice clarity at 3 levels:
1 .Organizational level -Get clear with your immediate Boss about his priorities and expectations for the organization’s future goals and success .
Discuss about what changes or improvements need to be made by you to help him in succeeding with it .
2 Team Level – Set clear expectations with your team and establish some standard norms for operating as a group.
To do this effectively, here are some tips which will help you further .
1.Acknowledge the achievements of the past , and share the next goal for the future .
2.Meet your team members one by one and help them establish their individual goals.
3.Distribute tasks according to their capacities and give them a certain level of autonomy.
Your aim must be to develop individual team members as well as help them in realizing their career goal .
4.Adapt to your employee’s working style, rather than imposing your own . Be concerned with end results .
5.Be discreet in sharing information. Share only as much information as is necessary ,but remember to withhold sensitive information.
Be very clear about what, when and how much to share.
6.Provide support to employees by balancing the independence they need to accomplish a project and help them develop a structured schedule they need to complete tasks on time .
Balancing structure and independence helps achieve employee satisfaction and build a strong work ethic.
7.Have clear norms about behavior, work expectations , performance ,deadlines , showing up for meetings on time , coming prepared for meetings , autonomy on projects , reporting , collaborating, helping each other solve problems etc.
A written guideline of instructions sent to each team member will be very helpful in aligning their thoughts and behaviors in the same direction.
3 Individual level-Be very clear with yourself about your goals and future expectations regarding work, promotion, salary etc .
Clarity gives purpose and directions and saves a lot of hassles, chaos and time waste.
Read –SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS WITH EMPLOYEES IN 8 STEPS ( FOR BETTER ENGAGEMENT )
3 RESPECT YOUR TIME :
Have a sense of respect for your time . Use your time well to get some meaningful outcome . Do not waste time doing busy or trivial work .
HERE is an article to learn about how to use your time effectively .
Eg- Come prepared for meetings and encourage others to do so .
Complete tasks before deadlines .
Do not be available after work hours ,except in some special situations .
Your employees will emulate you .They will also not waste time .
This will make others-your boss or employees or stakeholders respect and value your time .
4 SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES AT WORKPLACE:
Set healthy boundaries to protect yourself from overcommitting ,being used, behaving unethically or getting burnt out .
Here are 9 tips to help you set clear boundaries at workplace :
-
Determine your personal boundaries first .
-
Communicate clearly to your employees about when you will be available and how much support you can give .
-
Keep your relationships professional .
-
Say no to extra work , when your plate is full .
-
Delegate work when required .
-
Keep aside some personal time .
-
Ask people not to call you after office hours .
-
Set aside separate time to check and respond to emails .
Setting boundaries are important to function more effectively .You will save your self some time and unhealthy emotions .
5 BE A ROLE MODEL FOR THE TEAM:
Keep one important thing in mind ,people listen less, they emulate their bosses more. So lead by example .
If you want to be an effective team leader , show up as a ROLE MODEL for the team . Demonstrate those values and behaviors you expect from your team members .
Here are a few Examples of values and behaviors that help you become more effective –
If you want them to be accountable , be accountable yourself first .
If you want them to trust you , show trust in their abilities and decisions .
If you want them to report in time , show up in time yourself.
If you do not want to waste time , show it in your day- to- day work by using your time fully.
Take responsibility for team failure instead of shifting blame on a particular employee. Or else when the employees get an opportunity , they will start blaming the boss . You will also lose the trust and respect of other employees .
6.GET TO KNOW EACH MEMBER PERSONALLY:
It is ULTIMATELY ABOUT the people you will be working with .
And if you confine your interaction with them to only meetings and office communication ,then you will have a problem with using their potential well, engaging them, motivating them and contributing their best .
For success as a team manager ,developing strong relationships with employees is a must .
Spending some time daily to know them at a personal level is very essential.
Here are a few things you can do to get to know Your team members personally and build a strong rapport with them:
-
-
Set aside some days in a week to have lunch with them .
-
Schedule 10 to 15 minutes to conduct one on ones with them 3 to 4 days a week.
-
Find things that you have in common with them and talk about them –, like a love for a common sport, values you share in common , the way you were brought up ,similarity in family culture ,hobbies .
-
-
Get to know their likes and small things that are important to them , like spending time with family or meeting an old friend or relative or attending a music concert , a hobby they love to pursue -eg going swimming , or learning guitar . Help them in making space in their schedules to help them pursue that .
With all the information you get , you can use it very wisely to use their potential well , create a healthy environment of caring , compassion ,supporting and nourishing them.
It will work like a magic in boosting employee engagement and productivity and preventing resentment and burnout .
When you show love, respect ,care and support towards your employees other needs along with the professional ones , You will be perceived as more humane, approachable and will win their trust easily .
7 COMMUNICATE REGULARLY:
Good communication helps in building rapport .
And a strong rapport is the foundation of strong relationships .
Build a psychologically safe environment ,and encourage transparency. People must feel safe and comfortable speaking to each other .
Have open and healthy communication so that you can understand others better and help others to understand your points of view better .
Free communications help to create a positive environment, a good rapport and trust between a manager and his team members .
Take time to know their talents and career goals and help them in aligning them with the company’s goal .
It helps in shaping clear goals and strategies , and saves time from unnecessary conflicts and ambiguity . It also increases the productivity of individual team members .
Another part of communication is to be an effective listener . Practice active listening .
Ask good questions so that you can improve insights to improve your as well as your team’s performance or uncover problems you never knew existed.
Ask one question at a time and make sure they fully express themselves , and you fully understand what they are trying to say .
Be empathetic and curious .
Pause in between .After they have finished speaking , repeat what they have said to confirm your understanding of what they have said .
For good communication, clarity, curiosity , empathy and compassion are needed.
8.DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET
When you are promoted as a new manager in your company or join as a new manager in another company , accept the fact that you need to keep learning and growing .
Your role has shifted from an individual contributor to a team leader .It is therefore, necessary to learn and develop new skills to succeed as a manager .
If you have joined a new company as a manager , keep in mind that the new company’s culture, goals, values, and principles will be much different from that of the old company .
The old approach will no longer work in the new environment or when you are the leader of your team .
If you believe that you can learn and grow , then – you will perform amazingly , treat your team members with respect and get the same in return form them .
If you believe that a person cannot change or improve , it will affect your as well as other’s performance negatively .
So adopting a growth mindset and a positive self belief as well as believing in others ability to change and improve is critical to make a good impact in the long run .
9.INCLUDE, ENGAGE,APRECIATE AND REWARD TEAM MEMBERS :
Practice engaging employees in the company’s vision and goals .
Develop a clear sense of the organization’s vision, values, and strategic goals and share them with your employees.
Develop your employees by knowing their talents, strengths ,aspirations and, motivators and look for ways to leverage them. Delegate responsibilities to them.
To engage them in the company’s vision and goals practice inclusivity by including them in decision and strategy making .
Help them and encourage them to solve their problems .Enquire from them from time to time -what is working and what is not .
Read the Post –7 Reasons Why Problem Solving Is Important For New Managers .
Take their help in identifying departments strengths and weakness and in making changes .
Recognize their contribution and give due appreciation and reward for their contribution so that they feel valued .
Praise them for individual and group contribution with regards to their work ethic and contribution.
This will make them feel valued , motivate them and help you in bringing out the best from them .
They will be more productive and enthusiastic about their efforts and work more responsibly.
They will be more loyal and committed to the organization.
It is beneficial for everyone .Employees feel a sense of connection, responsibility and ownership .
When this happens the company gets the direction and purpose it needs to grow.
10. GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM :
Be compassionate with your employees and give and receive constructive feedback .
Emphasize on the impact of their actions on others and insist on correcting their actions to maintain healthy workplace culture and practices. Help them by listening , empathizing and suggesting a better solution.
For example, if a co-worker fails to meet a deadline ,instead of blaming him for failing the deadline , explain the impact of this behavior on how it affects the team’s performance on the whole and the organizations goals and reputation .
This will help them correct their actions in the future .
11. CULTIVATE A LEARNING MINDSET
When you take up a manager’s role , you need to learn some management skills to be more effective as a team leader and facilitator .
If you make learning managerial skills your priority , you will become a more effective manager in a very short time .
Spend some time to know the company’s bosses , other department heads and your team members ,the system and process of the company ,so that you can interact with everyone more openly and confidently and know the landscape well.
Read books , and articles , watch videos ,have a mentor or take in-person training in your organization whenever you get an opportunity .
Do whatever you think is appropriate for you .This will help you progress with the goals , priorities and the people more seamlessly .
12.TAKE FEEDBACK REGULARLY
Taking feedback from employees is critical to growing as a leader and long term career success.
Have a curiosity mindset and schedule time to take feedback on how you are doing .
Ask them where you can improve . You can use survey or ask them to fill feedback forms.
Know -how and when, you are expecting too much from them and how you can strike a healthy balance together.
Ask questions like what their previous managers did and what they would like you to do like them or what they did not like about them so that you can do things differently .
.
Making feedback a priority will demonstrate that you value their opinions and experience .
It will earn you the respect of your team members and strengthen your relation with them .
Taking regular feedback will help you get insights and become a better manager and team leader and have a successful career.
13. ENCOURAGE TEAMWORK AND COHESIVENESS :
Your success as a manager will depend very much on how you manage the team and build a cohesive team .
Without a well- knit team ,success is next to IMPOSSIBLE .
Here are a 7 ideas to build cohesiveness in the team:
1.Discuss the culture and core values of the organization in meetings .Help them align their goals and values with those of the company .
2.Encourage them to be organization centric ,instead of department centric.
3.Hold regular meetings with team members. Ask them to generate ideas for growth of the company and participate in projects that will help the company move forward so that they learn to collaborate and synergize at the organizational level.
4.Measure the progress of their goals and performance regularly . See to it that they are on track, develop healthy work habits , have effective routines and systems ,and make productive contributions to the company’s growth from time to time.
5.Observe team dynamics regularly .Manage conflicts as soon as they arise.
6.Be fair and treat all the employees equally .Avoid partiality and favoritism . Manage diversity .
7.Hold yourself accountable for your team’s mistakes and give your employees the credit when the team experiences success.
This is important as it helps maintain respect and gratitude between you and your employees and helps them feel valued.
These practices will help you earn the trust and respect of the team members and strengthen cohesiveness in the team .
14.ASK FOR HELP :
If you understand one thing from the start ,i.e. you do not know everything and you need to take the help of mentors and team members , then you will be open to learning from your employees.
As a new manager, you might feel like you need to know everything about department operations right away.
Instead you should accept what you don’t know and ask questions as necessary.
Ask for help rather than trying to figure it out on your own .
When you show your vulnerable side to your team members , you appear to be more humane and approachable .
So never shy in taking help from team members and mentors .This helps your employees feel valued and also helps them feel more comfortable asking you questions in return.
.
15.DEVELOP A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BOSS:
Apart from investing time to build a good relationship with your team , spend some time building a good relationship with your boss.
This is equally important for your progress and growth .
Your Boss is the one who will decide your promotion, review your performance , and decide on rewards for your contributions .
Starting on a good footing with him will save a lot of problems in future .
With a good relationship with your boss you will always get the support you need to work smoothly with your team .
There will be fewer politics ,conflicts and frustration .
A great place to start with your Boss is :
Ask him ideas on how to go in your first few days , and make him your mentor .
Share what you intend to do in the first 3 to 6 months of your job and take feedback from them regularly .
Know your boss’s priorities ,challenges, and where they need to be successful.
Share the contributions of your team members .
Share the challenges you and your team members have and take his advice on what to do .
By doing so you will have taken your boss on your side and won his trust and support .
16. BUILD A STRONG RAPPORT WITH MANAGERS OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS:
For the growth and progress of the company , it is essential to work together when it comes to completing cross department projects to accomplish company’s goals.
Establish healthy and beneficial professional relationships with managers of other departments and spend some time trying to figure out how you can help each other’s departments to accomplish the companies goals .
CONCLUSION
It is every person’s dream to excel in their career . And to excel you have to make a meaningful impact in your workplace .
You have to be your authentic self to make a meaningful impact .
Working in alignment with the organizations goal , principles and values as well ensuring that you practice it all levels -organizational level with upper management , other department heads, employees and also at personal level , i.e , aligning your goals and values with those of the organization will bring you success in the long term .
The above universal practices are great ones to help you build a strong foundation and solid relationships with your organization leaders, employees and your stake holders .
Putting these strategies into practice you will ensure your success as a future leader and give you fulfillment in the long run.
I hope you have found the practices in the post to be very helpful.
