Do Not Set Your New Managers Up to Fail – Give Them Time to Learn Before They Lead

When you promote a star individual contributor to management, recognize that many of the traits that fostered high performance in one role do not necessarily carry over to the next role. In fact in a recent survey by Career Builder, a full 26% of managers responded that they were unprepared for a leadership role when they were first charged with managing others. It is not uncommon for employees to under-estimate and under-appreciate what it takes to successfully lead others.

Don’t let your company be the punching bag when unskilled managers are unable to deal with issues between co-workers, don’t know how to motivate their team members, lack the communication skills to set expectations and have no clue how to effectively manage performance. The fallout from such missteps can be catastrophic in terms of low employee engagement, high turnover and decreased performance.

First and foremost, provide solid new manager training so your recently appointed managers understand their role and their responsibilities. Then give them follow-on performance coaching and a successful mentor who can model good behavior and help guide them through the challenges of their new job.

Beyond that, here are two steps you can take in a larger context.

1. Hold manager meetings on a monthly basis so new managers can share tips, brainstorm ways to handle tough problems, role play various scenarios and support one another as they learn the ropes.
2. Share the company’s strategic plan across the entire organization so new managers get a sense of how departments work together toward the same overall goals. They may even have some suggestions on how to do it better.

You will know you are on the right track when employees feel as though they can:

• Openly share ideas and opinions without fear of reprisal.
• Discuss career opportunities and how they fit into the organization’s future plans.
• Get honest and productive feedback.
• Clearly articulate how their success is measured, what is expected of them and how they are currently performing compared to those expectations.
• Access the information, support and resources required to do their work.
• Explain the reasons behind management decisions.
• Trust their manager to have the expertise and ability to help them and their team succeed.

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/new-supervisor-new-manager-training/

5 Keys to Success as a New Manager from Someone Who Failed in 90 Days

We recently interviewed a high potential individual contributor who was promoted to management.  He was a superstar before he got promoted.  Surprisingly and unfortunately for him and his company, he got demoted 90 days into his new role.  Don’t let this be your story.

As a new manager you want to come on strong, but not too strong; likeable but still with authority; expecting excellence but not unrealistically demanding. Where is the happy medium?

Here are his 5 tips for finding the right balance from the start:

1. Know your team. Take time at first to get the lay of the land and to know your team members on an individual basis. Learn about your responsibilities and what is expected of your team.  When you understand the strengths of your team and what motivates your workers, you will be better able to set goals and performance expectations.  If you worked with them previously, do not assume that you know answers to these questions.
2. Know yourself. Figure out what management style suits you and fits best with the individuals on your team. Find a happy medium between over- or under-supervising. Be clear as you assign roles and responsibilities but then back off to give team members an opportunity to operate on their own.  Remember, your success depends upon the success of your team, not your heroic individual efforts.
3.  Insist upon excellence. Once the team is clear about goals and performance expectations, it is your job to hold them accountable. Be ready with support and coaching but, if you have a consistent under-performer, move them on and hire only the best.  If you do not have consequences for under-performance, overall performance will be weak. 
4. Be accessible and give frequent feedback. Be an active coach and deliver both positive and negative feedback in small doses on a regular basis. Stay available to your team to answer questions, address issues or welcome innovative ideas. And don’t forget to recognize a job well done.  High performance should be acknowledged and rewarded if you want it to set the standard and continue.
5. Manage sideways and up as well as down. Good managers network effectively in all directions so they can learn from mentors, cooperate with peers and support their team at multiple levels.  Do not underestimate the importance of having others “on your side.”

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/new-supervisor-new-manager-training/

Should New Managers Persuade or Direct?

Sure, you can tell your workers what to do as if they were unthinking robots. But wouldn’t they more willingly do the job if you were to persuade and inspire them? The best managers motivate their workers through persuasion or inspiration so team members actually want to do the job rather than feel they have to.

Here from new manager training is a quick synopsis of four different ways to communicate as a manager and the purpose of each method to better inspire your team.  And yes, new managers need to flex their communication and leadership style to the circumstances and the individual:

•  The straightforward factsThis approach is used to inform. It is appropriate, for example, when you simply need to advise your team of a change in procedure.
  
• The emotional appealWhen an employee is uncomfortable (perhaps because they made a mistake) communicate on a personal level with your understanding and a touch of your own vulnerability.  Be clear, honest and empathetic.
  
• The direct “tell"Use this approach when there is an "undiscussable," a high priority issue or specific actions to communicate. It is used to assign responsibility for a task…but done in an unemotional way with no hidden agenda.  If it is undiscussable, do not pretend like it is up for debate.  For example, a recent client team spent weeks debating the best new organizational structure to improve the synergies between marketing, sales and product development only to learn that their boss was unwilling to change the current structure because it allowed him to have the reporting relationships that worked for him.
  
• The inspirational messageWhen you want to improve an employee’s performance or change their behavior, speak to their future to illustrate the benefits of change. Inspire them by the bright picture that could come of their efforts.

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/new-supervisor-new-manager-training/

How to Unlock the Skills a New Manager Needs for Success

Too many new managers are ill-prepared for their new role. They have been selected for promotion because they excelled as individual contributors. But their past experience on the job gives no clue as to how they will perform as a people manager.

They will face the challenges of motivating team members, dealing with co-workers’ issues, finding the resources the team needs to achieve its goals, and handling performance reviews, to name just a few. It matters that they do it right because their ability to manage well has a huge impact on employee engagement and business success.

Make sure you do all you can to set your new managers up to succeed by:

1. Providing quality new manager training so they understand how to take care of their people by setting clear expectations, communicating frequently and holding all accountable.  The training should be based upon the critical few new manager scenarios and skills that matter most for your unique business strategy and organizational culture.  For example if business goals and targets are effectively cascaded from the top of the organization, the skill of goal setting may not be as important as the skills of planning, organizing, monitoring and supporting.
   
2. Finding a mentor who is committed to guide and coach them through the pitfalls of new management so they gain the knowledge, experience and confidence they need to eventually go it alone.  Getting consistent and constructive feedback is a sure way to raise performance and engagement.

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/new-supervisor-new-manager-training/

The Top 5 Key Behaviors for Success as a New Manager

Congratulations! Someone thinks you have what it takes to be a good manager. Accept that they knew what they were doing when they promoted you.  Then make sure you adopt these 5 key behaviors for success.

1. Keep an open mind and add a dash of humility.Regardless of the confidence others may have in you, you have lots to learn. Listen to your team mates and ask for feedback. Pretending to know more than you do will undermine trust. Be authentic and respect the skills and knowledge of others and what they can teach you.
   
2. Get to know the individuals on your team.This is the only way to understand what makes them tick, where they excel, and what they most like to do. Only then can you effectively manage, develop, engage and retain them.
   
3. Stay in close touch with your boss.Remember that it is your job ultimately to help your own boss succeed. Look to them for help and guidance and keep them posted on what’s going on with your group.
   
4. Assume responsibility to solve team problems and meet team goals.Now that you are manager, you are in charge of how well the team works together. Stay on top of problems as they arise before they get too big to handle. And when things go awry, take on the blame and cover for your folks. You will gain their loyalty.
   
5. Remember the power of humor and camaraderie.Make the “work” enjoyable. Celebrate successes and know how and when to take a break. Too serious all the time and work becomes drudgery.

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/new-supervisor-new-manager-training/

When It’s Better for a New Manager to Leave than to Stay

New manager training is mostly about how to deal with those who report to you. But new managers also need to deal with those above them. They have bosses too…some better than others.

One kind of boss that can really stifle your career growth is the boss without a spine, the one who does not have the courage to speak up when they see a superior about to make a bad decision. Not only should you not be that kind of new manager, but you should make sure that your new boss is not that kind of leader.  Know that ultimately, their bad policy will reflect on you and your team, not to mention the business.

Anyone in a supervisorial position should, above all, have integrity. That includes what it takes to speak the truth both upward and downward. Be straightforward with your direct reports as well as with those you report to. You may lose a battle or two but you will win the war. You will earn the respect and trust of co-workers and, worst case, you leave the untenable situation with your self-respect intact.

As a new manager, be ready to make the tough choices that you know are the right choices…even if it means you walk out the door.

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/new-supervisor-new-manager-training/

The Unmistakable Value of the One-On-One Meetings for Managers

Don’t we all complain about too many meetings taking up too much time? New managers especially seem to have more meetings on their agenda than they can attend. And with so much to learn in their new position, it is tempting to cancel those one-on-ones with their individual team members. But this is a huge mistake.

New manager training experts stress the value of those regular meetings. Regular meetings with your direct reports:

1.     Reduce mistakes and maintain productivity. If your direct reports are not clear on goals, roles and priorities or do not have an opportunity to ask questions about how to proceed, they are likely to waste time, work on the wrong project or make mistakes…all of which require backtracking and decrease performance.

2.     Keep a schedule in place that works. If your employees cannot count on meeting with you regularly, they will find ways to reach you in the midst of your other tasks. This could be very disruptive and distracting and ultimately a waste of your time and theirs.

3.     Encourage accountability. When there are predictable meetings with a predictable agenda, both you and your reports are accountable for meeting preparation and for using the time effectively.

4.     Allow visibility into what is working well and what is not. With regular sessions in place, you have an opportunity to establish a trusting relationship that will provide consistent insight into the performance and engagement of the individual and the overall team.

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/new-supervisor-new-manager-training/