How to be a good manager and make a success of your first managerial job
Being promoted to your first management role is exciting but it can also be daunting if you lack experience.
What skills will I need to do the job well?
How can I get the best out of my new team?
Will I be able to keep on top of my work with all the extra management responsibilities?
These are some of the questions that might keep you awake at night as a first-time boss. It’s important to get off to a great start in your new management role so here’s our ten top tips on how to be a good manager and succeed in your first leadership role.
Ten top tips on what makes a good manager and smash your new management career
Qualities of a good manager …
1. Know your team
As you begin your managerial career, your first step is to be aware of the dynamics of the team you now lead. It’s very common to be promoted within an organisation to a position where you are now managing your former peers so should we be friends with the people we manage? One of the main contributors to high performance working which is highlighted in a Gallup survey on employee engagement is people who have great relationships at work tend to perform much better than those who don’t. Therefore, getting on with the people you manage is key to being a good boss. Set boundaries with team members, particularly if you are friends outside of work, and show that you trust them in their role. Work together to set objectives so they can do their job well.
2. Understand your objectives as a manager
Remember that you’re not alone in decision-making and your line manager is there to help you progress. Understanding what your manager expects from you in your new role is vital to your success so review your key objectives and outline goals and priorities as soon as you can. Staying in regular contact will help you learn and boost your confidence when you make decisions.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for training
CMI research reveals that eight out of ten (82%) of new managers take on management responsibilities without any formal training. Too many organisations see management as a promotion while failing to recognise that effective leadership requires specialised training. Be honest with your line manager and explain that while you have the technical skills to be good at your job, you are now in a leadership role which is completely new and different. As a first-time manager, having the courage to speak up about your own training and development needs is important. Reed Learning offers a range of CMI accredited qualifications designed to help managers develop the skills and knowledge to be proficient in their role and to achieve results for their business.
4. The art of delegation
How many times do we get promoted but then run around doing the tasks we did in our previous role so leaving no time to manage? Good leaders are good delegators who can distribute tasks to their team and trust them to perform well. As a manager, it’s important to consider the responsibility and the accountability aspects of the various duties allocated to your team. Being responsible for a task means an individual is responsible for the whole process, how it is done, how to get there and doing the work. Being accountable for a task means the buck lies with you but a member of your team is carrying it out. Delegation is at its best when team members are responsible and accountable for the task at hand, so owning their targets and objectives.
5. Communicate clearly
Leaders who are good communicators are better able to manage their teams. Delegating tasks, managing conflict, motivating and relationship building are all much easier when you communicate clearly. How you want to communicate depends on your management style and the size of your team but a mix of the following usually works well:
Daily check-ins to share schedules and activities
Weekly or fortnightly one-to-one catch-ups to check objectives
Fortnightly team meetings to discuss, analyse and map progress
Quarterly meetings to discuss strategy, brainstorm and plan long-term projects.
6. Be consistent
Qualities of a good manager include being consistent. If you constantly change your mind and flip-flop on decisions, your team will start to lose trust in your ability to lead. As a first-time manager you need to learn to be patient. Find time to think things through before you make a decision. Draft emails and step away before you click send. Don’t let emotions get in the way of making informed judgements. Ideally, find a mentor who is a more experienced manager who can guide you through the pros and cons of handling tricky situations.
7. Difficult conversations
New managers often dread having difficult conversations about performance but there are ways to deliver negative feedback effectively. It’s much easier to give constructive comment if you have built up a history of having conversations with your colleagues when things are going well. This doesn’t mean having a quick chat in the corridor but arranging a meeting to tell a member of your team that they have done a good job on a particular project in the same way we give importance to delivering a negative feedback discussion. Very few managers invest the time to recognise the strengths of their team members and instead focus on their weaknesses which can be demoralising. There are models for tackling difficult situations which are outlined in CMI qualifications.
8. Dealing with conflict
Conflict will happen at work and your HR colleagues may have protocols in place for dealing with those situations. As a manager you may resolve minor conflicts by listening to both sides and encouraging employees to work it out by themselves. If the conflict is more serious and is impacting the overall performance of the team, then you might need to enlist the support of an HR professional or outside mediator. Either way, it is important to nip conflicts in the bud rather than let them fester.
9. Managing remote or hybrid teams
Managing people is challenging but how do you do it well when you team is divided between the office and home or in different locations? There’s no one size fits all solution when it comes to leading a hybrid team but developing an effective communication strategy to engage all your workers is crucial. Hold regular virtual team catch-ups to bring everyone up to speed with the latest developments. Share stories and smiles across the team through a WhatsApp group to encourage a sense of belonging. Encourage feedback, exchange ideas and involve team members in the process. Recognise and appreciate success so everyone feels part of the team. The CMI has some helpful suggestions to ensure your team moves smoothly into hybrid working.
10. Help team members to get ahead in their careers
As you progress your career, it’s only natural that the people you manage will want to get ahead too. Be a mentor and listen to your team’s professional aspirations. Give people new responsibilities to help them improve their knowledge. Offer team members learning and professional development opportunities so they can build new skills and enhance their existing ones. Apprenticeships are a great way of developing your workers and retaining them in the business. A survey by Reed found that 64% of apprentices remained with the same employer after completing their studies. Investing in your people demonstrates a commitment to their future, creating a sense of loyalty and engagement in return.
Finally, how to be a good manager! Believe the best in people. If you believe in your team they will succeed. Contact us for more information on CMI management programmes, in-company training and apprenticeships.