FREE eBook - Management for Beginners
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 some confused.
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 work mates and friends, then you are in for a rude surprise. Your new team members will soon react to you differently, subtlety 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 said as a friend.