Being the new boss

First Line Managers / 01 June 2010

Landing your first management role is cause for celebration, yet it’s a time when you also feel nervous. Karen Deehan looks at how to hit the ground running and make a good impression from the start

As a new manager, one of the first hurdles you’ll face is winning over your new team.

Some will feel ill at ease with your presence and pointedly display their displeasure; others will sit unmoved waiting for their moment to throw you off-guard. It’s a test for the hardiest of souls.

Understanding each member is key, says Wayne Clarke, managing partner at Best Companies, an organisation that assesses the workplace. “Spend time with each person, find out what drives them and discuss the good and bad experiences they’ve had,” he says.

“By doing this, you’ll not only get to know your team quickly, you’ll also build up a true picture of what the company is like, rather than the version you were given in your interview.”

As a new manager, there’s always the temptation to rush in and make your mark, but Jordan O’Connor, talent and resourcing manager at Groupama Insurance, advises taking a step back. “Speak to your own manager and clarify exactly what you’ve been brought in to do,” she says.

“You can then feed that back to your team so that they’re clear on what your objectives are. It’s important to take things slowly in your first few weeks and assess your team and any political undercurrents in the company.”

If you’ve been recruited externally you are starting with a clean slate, but internal promotions can be very different.

What happens when you have to manage someone who used to be your equal? Sarah Jenkins, communications manager for an NHS Trust, found herself in this position. “It was a tough balancing act because I wanted to maintain a friendly relationship but I also had to establish boundaries”, she explains.

“One lady was quite set in her ways and very sensitive to criticism, especially as I’m younger than her and used to be her peer. It’s an ongoing problem, but I try to get round it by praising her whenever she does well and suggesting areas for development during structured feedback sessions. She wants to be promoted, so instead of criticising her I outline what she needs to do to progress. That way it’s more like advice than a personal attack.”

Personal touch

Showing your team that you’re still on their side is important. “If you’ve been promoted internally, don’t let it affect the way you communicate,” warns Clarke. “If you change the way you deal with people it’ll seem unnatural and you’ll alienate them. Show your team that you still care about them and will use your new position of influence to help them achieve their own goals.”

One advantage of an internal promotion is that you already know what the team is like. “You’ve been working alongside these people so you know what their capabilities are,” says O’Connor. “You can help them play to their strengths while developing their weaker areas. If you’d been recruited externally it would take time to build up this awareness.”

The chances are that if you’ve become a manager you’re highly competent in your job, but leading a team requires a range of less obvious skills. Tom Stanton, financial controller at a national newspaper, found the psychological aspects daunting at first. “I felt that my inexperience showed in the early stages. A member of staff was under-performing and I didn’t pick up on it quickly enough. When I did, it was hard to give him feedback without causing resentment,” he explains.

“I’m learning how to finetune my approach to the various personalities in the team but there’s a lot of trial and error. The one piece of advice I’d give is to ask for support from your own manager or even HR. You may be worried about looking incompetent, but I’m sure they’d rather you asked them for help than get something wrong.”

Clarke agrees that seeking advice is important. “If you don’t want to show your line manager that you’re struggling, find someone else in the organisation who you respect and see if they’ll mentor you,” he says. “It could be something as simple as going for lunch once a month and picking their brains. You could even choose someone from an external organisation whom you admire, as long as they understand your industry. The worst they can do is say no, and they’ll probably be flattered.”

There’s a lot to learn in the first few months and understanding how to motivate your team is one of the most important lessons. Communication is key, and while it isn’t wise to become involved in their personal lives, it’s important to show you care.

“Focusing on employee welfare is incredibly important,” says Clarke. “Low staff morale is nearly always down to bad managers who don’t understand or communicate with their team, and this in turn can have a very negative impact on your business. If they’re stressed or unhappy they won’t perform well.”

Transition time

On an emotional level, relinquishing control of tasks can be challenging. Sue Binks, programme director at management training company Roffey Park, explains that your role is to deliver through others, not to be the sole contributor. “This can be a difficult shift for new managers because they’ve spent most of their working lives getting recognition for doing a good job and now that recognition might come through other people doing well,” she says.

Stanton agrees that delegating requires a mental adjustment, but having the confidence to let go is vital. “Sometimes it might take me five hours to show someone how to do something and it’s really hard not to dive in and do it myself because it would take half the time. I have to constantly remind myself that trusting my team and being patient will make them more efficient in the long run.”

Another challenge is dealing with long standing team members who are resistant to change. Persuading them to step out of their comfort zone and try things your way can be difficult, so O’Connor recommends the softly, softly approach. “Having a new manager is a big enough change for a new team,” she says, “so don’t try and do too much at once. Introduce new ideas gradually.”

She recommends showing a willingness to learn from long-standing team members. They have a wealth of experience, so don’t be afraid to ask for advice. That way they’ll feel valued and are more likely to accept any changes you do make, especially if they’ve had some input.

Despite the challenges, becoming a new manager is an exciting time, so be careful not to let your enthusiasm wear off. “When we measure engagement at organisations, the biggest drop is after the first six months of employment because the honeymoon period is over and you start to notice the flaws in the company and in your team,” says Clarke.

“A good way to overcome this is to make a six to 12 month action plan, outlining what you want to achieve for the company and your goals for personal development and working relationships. This will give you clear targets, which will lead to real job satisfaction.”