When you first became a manager, how was this for you?
What were you thinking, feeling?
What did you need most in that moment and what helped you the most?
Becoming a manager for the first time, having the responsibility for others, it’s a major transition and can bring many doubts and insecurities:
About one’s own image and positioning:
Do I introduce myself differently now, even if I was promoted in the organization where I already worked for years? Do I now speak more often? How do I communicate the changes I would like to see?
About the newly gained responsibilities:
How do I keep my team motivated? How do I approach this employee that does not seem too happy at work? How do I provide constructive feedback? How do I address conflicts without demotivating the team? How do I invite team members to be pro-active and take ownership?
…and probably some reflections on what leadership is, what are essential leadership skills, and some doubts around how to gain those skills without making too many mistakes on the job.
In other words, growing into a manager’s role for the first time, is overwhelming.
And yet, few organizations consciously facilitate this transition.
Now we all know the importance of effective leadership skills, to build effective teams, Right?
We are aware that the manager is one of the most significant factors influencing performance and wellbeing at work.
So, how can companies provide the right support for new managers? Start small!
Create conversations about this personal transition from Individual Contributor to Leader.
Ask the first-time manager what they feel, what they think, what they need. This will create awareness that a learning process started, and that the first-time manager will need to take ownership of this new role. From this understanding of the first-time manager’s needs, explore how support can be offered.
An organization can offer support in many ways:
– Mentorship:
Connect the first-time managers to established senior managers that have the skills that the new managers are still building. Offer a structured way to meet frequently (monthly, bi-weekly) and design a process to register the progress of the mentor meetings. Forms or other documents can be created to facilitate the mentor meetings, both for the mentors as for the mentees. Also, company communication about the importance of learning & development and how mentorship is a priority worth investing time and energy in. And the mentors can be supported with training and tips and tricks on how to offer mentoring to their more junior peers.
– Coaching:
Individual 1:1 coaching offers the first-time managers a safe space, a moment a week, or every 2 weeks, or even once a month, to reflect on their learning process, and boost their self-awareness and self-confidence. Having a structured moment to address the doubts, questions, insecurities and understand better the real emotions and needs behind, can make a significant difference in this overwhelming transition. Coaching can be offered by HR, or external coaches can be hired.
– Training Programs:
Structured training programs where participants can practice with essential leadership skills, offers a safe space to be vulnerable and experiment. Training programs can be designed for learning by doing – just not yet in the real day-to-day work with the own team members, but instead in a group of like-minded, also first-time managers, with similar insecurities, questions and doubts. This is a very powerful way to boost learning and build skills.
– Resources:
Organizations can recommend books, even make these available, subscriptions to management journals like Harvard Business Review, podcasts. Through sharing of resources, a company culture is created of learning and development, encouraging employees and managers to also invest time and energy in their personal growth. For first-time managers, specific resources can be designed and recommended.
– Manager´s community:
The organization can support by connecting the first-time managers with each other, for them to have those conscious conversations about the transition into a manager’s role, among themselves. Monthly or quarterly meetings could be organized, some coaching questions or group exercises could be offered, to boost learning and create connections and community between the managers.
In a world where human skills and leadership skills are more important than ever, it is key to support those that are growing into leadership roles. Let’s not forget that even the smallest steps will make a difference for the individual, and for the organization – from starting conversation, to creating community and offering training and coaching.
This article was written by Kitty van Dijk
