Management – Taking up your first role

Rachel had thought long and hard before applying for the internal management position. Rachel knew she was ready for the next step but getting the job would mean that she would have to manage most of her mates, not to mention two fellow colleagues who were also going for the same job. “It’s now or never” she thought…Rachel took a massive glug of wine and began to update her CV.

Two interviews later and a stone lighter with worry, Rachel was offered the position of Manager within her existing team. More wine was consumed during the weeks leading up to her start date and self-doubt started to creep in – “Can I still be part of the team?” “Will they still be my friends?” “How will I manage them all?”

The PU View

If we met Rachel, we would take her for a brew and explain that a few things were about to change over the coming months. Here are just a few:

1) She will almost immediately stop getting invited to the pub on a Friday afternoon.
2) She will have to start making all her own brews. (Drinking a brew made by the team could be poisonous).
3) She will have to either sit on her own for lunch or move to the boring ‘Big Wigs’ table.
4) She was once the one telling all the jokes but from now on, she’s likely to be the butt of them (never to her face though, always behind her back).

Of course, we’re only joking, well, apart from 1, 2 and 4.

Are you currently feeling like Rachel? Here’s some tips from us on coping with your first three to six months in a new management role:

• Don’t dive in – Use the first few weeks/months to observe and listen to the team. You’ll have your own ideas about how things should run but don’t jump in. Not only do you have to adjust to your role, everyone else does too. You’ll get peoples backs up if you do things too soon.
• HELP! – Don’t be scared to ask for help from the other members of the management team. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness and they’ve all been where you are now at some point. Tap into their knowledge and experience and keep an open mind.
• Teamwork – Don’t push your team away. Use them to come up with ideas and suggestions about how the team should move forward. Again, this is not a weakness – in fact, getting their buy in to team changes is a sign of great leadership.
• Trust them – Don’t feel like you have to micromanage everyone. Let them crack on. By micromanaging them you will undoubtedly create a culture of distrust.
• Be Patient – Wigan wasn’t built in a day, or was it Rome? Anyway, don’t expect too much too soon. Implementing your methods will take time and lots of patience.

Here’s wishing you all the very best of luck if you’re currently finding yourself in the same position as Rachel. And remember, never, never, never drink a brew made by one of your lovely team.

Other Resources 

A great book for all managers is; Radical Candor by Kim Scott.  Reading this will help you to create a culture where everyone in your team provides feedback that’s honest and direct.