Dear New Managers,
Firstly, congratulations for starting this new journey as a manager. I am sure you must be feeling excited and nervous at the same time. This is one of those times when you might feel hundreds of emotions in a single moment. Well, the journey has just begun and it’s a long way ahead. With a new challenge comes new opportunities. As a coach to many leaders and managers I am sharing with you a list of few relevant questions that will help you in this journey. Drawing your focus on internal and external challenges of this role, together with the perks and expectations.
A New Challenge comes with New Opportunities.
You are starting a journey of new learnings both for yourself and for others. Answer these questions and keep this letter with you to connect back with yourself anytime during this journey.
‘Starting With You’ is an essential question guide for New Managers
Starting with You
- How are you feeling right now?
(Answer this question when you get your promotion letter in hand. Pen down the list of emotions and feelings that you are experiencing before you wear your manager hat) - What made you reach to this level?
(Answer this question specifying what talents, sacrifices, courageous decisions etc that helped you earn this position?) - Who are the people that supported you to reach this level?
(Answer this question by writing down the names of people who helped you to be here) - What are the qualities you admired in YOUR manager that you want to adopt and the qualities that you hated that you do not want to adopt as a manager?
(Answer this question by writing good and bad qualities of your previous managers that you want to take, and leave behind) - What is your brand that you want to create as a manager?
(Answer this question thoughtfully. Write down in columns, how do you want your Boss and key stake holders to perceive you as? Your colleagues to perceive you as? and most importantly your Team to perceive you as a manager?)
“My Best Friend at work is my Manager” – Happy Employee.
It’s time to throw some questions at your strategic brain to move forward.
- Who are the people you should be building good rapport with?
(Relationships are important element of a successful career in this role. Name the people from your organization that you need to connect to build good relationships with at the start of your journey? - What is your strategy to keep your team engaged?
(Believe it or not, some of the team members will be disengaged or curious. How will you handle that?) - If due to any reason, things do not go as per your expectations, be it a relationship, organizational goals or even personal goals, what talent of yours will you use to keep going?
The Role Expectations vs Real Expectations:
A Manager’s role is very complicated and dynamic, it comes up with potential opportunities and pitfalls. It comes with more opportunities to get training and more access to career advancement and growth. It comes with its powers of autonomy and independence and with great powers comes great responsibility. Managers are the heart of the organization. As per Gallup research, Managers impact 70% of the engagement of their employees. One of the biggest challenge managers are facing these days is to retain their best employees, keeping them engaged and aligning expectations. There are higher possibilities that you will be expected to wear multiple hats and fulfill more responsibilities than written in your job description.
A crispy candid conclusion:
After interviewing many successful managers, the conclusion is
- While the expectation will be to manage goals however majority of your time will be spent in managing relationships.
- The role of a manager is not only to lead the team successfully but also to fight fire.
- This role provides you exceptional platform to develop your people management skills and career advancement opportunities.
- The key to succeed is to listen more and talk less. Listen to understand and not to react.
- Keeping yourself calm at every situation will help you take better decisions. The more you panic the more your team or people around you will get flustered.
- Change your mindset from being a boss to being a coach/mentor to your teams. Have meaningful conversation with them weekly instead of quarterly or yearly.
- The success metrics for this role is not dependent on your individual success but the success of others.
A Coach’s Perspective:
Focus on your strengths and don’t forget to use them effectively to become better each day. Find a confidant or a coach who will support you and guide you when required. Build a team that follow you and look up to you as a leader. A leader that helps them grow and stand by them as their support system. Providing them resources and environment where they can thrive.
Wishing you all the best and hope you make a positive impact as a leader that inspires many around you.
Coach Shilpii is a transformational coach with expertise in life coaching, Strengths Coaching and Image Consulting.
Previously Shilpii has been awarded India Iconic Women Award in 2018 and Mrs Globe 2016 Top 15 Award, Country Pride Award by Mrs Globe Foundation and is title holder for Mrs Singapore 2016. Driven by her Mantra: Empower the Power, Coach Shilpii is committed to helping you live your best life possible by being Beautiful Inside Out.
Reach out to coach Shilpii at Coachshilpii@insideoutdreams.com