So you’ve heard and we've all said that the only constant in our world today is change. Change happens in all kinds of ways and at any time and sometimes when you're least ready for it. So how do you handle change when it directly affects you?
What do they need?
First-time managers and experienced managers - “What's your role?” It’s to manage the people that work with you, for you, and to deliver your business objectives, KPIs and goals. As you step into your job, especially as a first-time manager, your ability and your competencies are, initially, more in line with you as a Rockstar individual contributor. We know that when you step into the job, you know you don’t know it all - you are very conscious of that fact! You are at the point where you need direction on how to succeed.
Stop it!
From the time we first joined the workforce we’ve always done our best. We’ve put in the hours, done the work, worked hard to get somewhere. You’ve developed your skills, you’re good at what you do. Over time, people recognized your abilities! You may have won awards or received recognition for your effort in other ways. This was all based on your individual performance. You're a Rockstar now. Some in your organization may even believe you are ready to take on new responsibilities. They offer and change your job to one that manages people directly based on your previous Rockstar performance. You are now a first-time manager.
How you be affects your results!
"How do you be?" Rather than, "How do you do?" might be a strange way to meet and greet someone you’ve never met before - “Hi Steve, how do you be today!?”. It’s a question, however, we too infrequently ask ourselves - how am I being right now? When you think about managing other people you must first understand that “you cannot manage other people unless you manage yourself first” (Drucker). First-time managers this is for you:
How to avoid the first-time manager predicament
Last week I wrote about the predicament of the first time manager. For some of you I'm sure it seemed a little bleak. The truth of the matter is that even those of us, who may not have all the innate skills necessary to be perfect first-time managers, can be successful by doing 6 things well as I outline in “How to keep your Rockstar status as First-time Manager.” I’ll share a couple of those things here.