Management for Beginners - Start Here

Introduction

Learning to be a good manager takes time and is a constant learning process. Becoming a manager is difficult, albeit rewarding; it is a continuous learning and self-development journey. Some people fail, which is not surprising given the difficulty of the transition; others become disorientated and confused. The training provided here is aimed at avoiding these pitfalls and making you successful.

Most people facing their first management position feel terrified. While moving into a management position is a huge accomplishment, it's also the beginning of a huge challenge. One of the first things you will learn is that the position is more stressful than you anticipated. The skills and methods you used as a worker, and a team member are completely different, meaning that you will discover there is a large gap between your current capabilities and the requirements of the new position. If your promotion means you are now managing previous workmates and friends, then you are in for a rude surprise. Your new team members will soon react to you differently, subtly reminding you that you are no longer a friend. Your team members may also be more reluctant to express opinions or new ideas or won't be willing to share information with you. It's important to remember that you need to separate what you say as a manager from what you say as a friend.

In your previous jobs, success depended primarily on your job knowledge, skills, and actions. As a manager, you are responsible for managing a whole team of people and creating a team plan, something your career as a worker almost certainly hasn't prepared you for.

As you work your way through this training, a new mindset and a new identity will emerge. You will take on board new ways of thinking and working and discover new ways of measuring success and how to derive increased enjoyment from your work. One of your immediate concerns is to ensure that things are running smoothly, which is a challenging task, requiring you to keep many different balls in the air. Indeed, the complexity of maintaining the status quo will initially take most of your energy; for this reason, the training starts from your first day as a new manager and continues from there.

First Management Position

Becoming a manager for the first time is a significant life and professional event. It is also a daunting experience taking on your first management position, and having a degree of natural anxiety is expected. However, somehow you have earned the position of manager, a senior manager has appointed you to the position, and they have faith that you can do it.

Despite any misgivings you may have, they can see that you possess the attributes the position demands, like your personal qualities, strengths, and the requisite skills. It is worth reflecting on what these things are as they will boost your self-confidence. As a new manager, you may feel that you need to have answers to everything, don't fall into this trap; ask your team members for help; it is the right thing to do and shows your humility.

If they haven't already, you should expect your manager to explain their expectations of your position. These are vital to know as it is these that your performance will be judged on. Whatever the reasons are that got you the job, you are expected to deliver, so make sure you are very clear about what that is.

You may have gained your management position at a new company meaning that it is a more difficult way to start as you may not know how the business works, and you won't know the culture (the way people behave and speak). Take your time; there is no rush.

Things to do in your first month

Read carefully; there is a lot to do and remember.

Honeymoon period.

You are not expected to perform miracles or deliver much in your first month; sometimes known as the honeymoon period, which, for senior managers, can last as long as three months or the first 100 days. For junior managers, you can relax a bit for the first month. This is because it is accepted that it takes time for you to understand your new position, its requirements, and people's expectations of you.

Have a plan.

The most successful managers have a clear plan of what that first month, two months, and three months will look like. You cannot manage anything successfully if you don't have a plan covering your work and that of your team. Talking with your team and your business stakeholders is a way of finding out what's currently working, what isn't, what the current priorities are and identifying potential issues and solutions.

Get to know your team.

Stepping into a management position for the first time isn't just a change of task; it's a fundamental shift in thinking and approach to work. To be successful, you must transition from getting the job done to get the work done through other people. This requires a new level of self-awareness, a different range of skills, and a new perspective that redefines success. Meet your staff, explain a little about your background, but only a little, a couple of sentences, people aren't interested in what you have done. Talk mainly about them, ask what their job is, what they do, ask what their top 3 issues are. 

Always avoid any discussion about personalities.

Always bring any conversations about people back to focus on work processes and functions as potential issues, but never the people. You can make your judgements about people later. For now, observe how people behave, how they talk, whether they are positive or negative in their views, what seems to bother them, and what they like and dislike about the team and the company. For the first few weeks, spend 50% of your time listening and 50% doing. Listen to the needs of others, ask about things like: Do they have the tools they need to do their jobs, have they been trained? Do they understand their roles and responsibilities? Do they have performance goals, do they enjoy teamwork? Don't change anything; listen and observe. Record your notes about issues, things you might change, improvements that can be made and especially things that might boost staff morale.

Start doing check-Ins.

When you first start, set up one-on-one meetings with each team member to discuss their role, goals, and any work challenges they may currently face. Also, try to join team lunches and Friday after-work drinks to get to know everyone in a more relaxed environment. The better you know your team, the better you can determine how they work.

Meet your peers.

That is, managers who are on the same organisational level as you. Introduce yourself, have a two-sentence description of your work experience ready to tell them, ask them what their job is, what they expect from you and if they have any issues with your team. Finally, give them a copy of the organisation chart and ask them if it is correct or add their teams.

Learn as much as possible.

First off, make it your mission to learn everything you can. Investigate if your organisation offers formal supervisor, project management or management training, and take advantage of it if they do. Review team member personnel files and past performance reviews. Do not make many, if indeed any, changes after you arrive; resist this temptation, and instead, take plenty of time to understand your organisation and team fully. Make lots of notes for review later, don't rely on your memory. Use a pad and pen, not a laptop or tablet. (You remember more by writing than typing). Understand the business structure, get a copy of the company's organisational chart, or, if need be, create your own, including your position and team.

Change your focus.

A critical mindset to adopt is that you are now a manager and not a team member or workmate; you must think about controlling, planning, and organising against just doing. This shift can be difficult at first, but it's crucial as it is tied to your team's performance. This means, if your team fails, you fail. And if they succeed? You can take credit, but you must share it with the rest of the team, or they won't be willing to do a great job for you again.

Be on model behaviour.

You are now a role model for your team members and others to copy. You must set a good example with everything you do and say. Team members will only do their best at work if they see you are doing the same. This means meeting commitments, meeting deadlines, doing what you say and keeping your personal thoughts to yourself.

Manage upwards.

Being the boss doesn't mean you can ignore your manager. It's more important than ever to keep them in the loop since you'll be reporting the progress of an entire team of people. It's also essential to ensure that the goals you outline for your team are tied to your manager's priorities. Ask to set up regular meetings to discuss your goals, progress, issues, and how they relate to the organisation. You can only impress your boss with your team's progress if you're moving in the right direction. Ask your boss about being a mentor for you or if they can recommend someone who can.

Management and TeamsRussell FutcherManagement for Beginners