Most of us become managers by accident.
Most of us are thrust into a leadership roles without formal training.
Most of us find ourselves in positions of management unexpectedly.
However, you have three great things that can help.
Firstly, remember how you were managed, both well and poorly, this will guide you.
Secondly, you are a human and so are your team, treat them how you would want to be treated and you wont go too far wrong.
Thirdly, you have two ears and one mouth, listen and learn twice as much as you speak.
If you are an accidental Manager or just new to a management role. Here are a dozen things that can help;
1. Remember how you were managed.
·?????? Repeat the things you liked from previous managers.
·?????? Take the best from your past experience of being managed and leave the rest.
·?????? Until you find your own Management Style copy what worked best on you.
·?????? Don't let power go to your head
·?????? Don’t forget you have a different role to play as a Manager.
- No 1 by far, embrace your management journey and be open to learning. In terms of Management skills you will always be a work in progress.
- Take on challenges with a positive attitude.
- Don't get discouraged by setbacks; view them as opportunities for reflection and growth.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help or seek guidance from other managers.
- Find mentors both within and outside your organisation. It’s not either or but BOTH.
- Be open to feedback and advice from experienced managers.
- Don't hesitate to ask questions or seek guidance when faced with uncertainty. It is not a sign of weakness.
- Don't disregard the insights and experiences of others; but also don’t blindly accept them - be your own person
4. Nurture your Growth Mindset.
- Irrespective of how successful you become, always learn and improve. Curiosity and Mastery are two great foundation stones to stand on.
- Make time to learn. You will be super busy, but if you stop learning it sends a massive message to your team.
- Don't avoid stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things.
- Don't view setbacks as failures; see them as learning experiences. For you and your team.
5. Communicate Effectively – The Manager’s Superpower.
- Practice active listening and be attentive to your team's needs and concerns.
- Clearly communicate expectations and provide regular feedback.
- It's simple. What do you want people to know? What do they need to understand? How should they feel? and What do they need to do next? If you don't know the answers to those 4Qs you cannot communicate effectively.
- Don't assume that your team members understand your expectations; be clear and concise in your communication.
- Don't neglect to listen to your team members' input and ideas; encourage open dialogue.
- Delegate tasks based on your team members' strengths and abilities, not past friendships.
- Empower your team members by giving them ownership over their work.
- Most importantly, provide absolute clarity. Know what success looks like and then get your team to repeat it back to you.
- Don't micromanage; trust your team to deliver results. Being newly promoted you might know more about it but your job is now to manage not do.
- Don't delegate tasks without providing clear instructions and support. That means, what, when, where and why.?(and if necessary, How)
7. Foster a Creative Environment.
- Create a supportive and safe environment where creativity is encouraged. Many minds will come up with better solutions to challenges or opportunities than one.
- Recognise and celebrate innovation and creativity within your team. From now on it is your team’s success, not yours....please re-read that sentence.
- Don't dismiss ideas without consideration; encourage your team to share their thoughts and suggestions. Never use time as an excuse, if there is no time then, remember it’s you that has failed to plan properly.
- Don't stifle creativity by imposing strict rules or processes; allow room for experimentation and exploration.
8. Know how to manage up the line.
- Think ahead to what people need from you up the management line. Know their expectations and be ahead of the curve not behind.
- Invest in time in communicating in a way that works for them. Is it facts, figures, data, long form, verbal, summary, detail, quarterly, monthly, weekly daily etc.
- Be truthful, realistic and balanced. Once you start ‘blue sky’ reporting your stress levels will sky rocket up.
- Don't just repeat what you have been told, you must find out and know the answers.
- Don't avoid difficult conversations, but know when to have them and when not. Timing can be just as important and content.
- Don’t ever moan and bitch down the line, and think very carefully before doing it up the line.
9. Understanding motivation.
- Find out what drives your Team members and why. Remember this changes through time
- Ensure your teams tasks align with their motivators. Quiet quitting is only a short step away if you don’t manage this as a priority.
- Don't assume everyone has the same motivators as you. They don’t.
- Don't believe money is the number one motivator.? Intrinsic motivators are often more powerful than extrinsic ones, like money.
- Lead by example and demonstrate a willingness to take risks, back them and champion your team.
- Show your team by your own actions and decisions what that you value and consider important.
- Don't expect your team to be something if you're not willing to be it yourself. Disciplined, creative, emphatic, caring, accurate, positive etc etc
- Don't be surprised that some people are better than you at things and others are worse. Don’t be judgemental, we all have our strengths and weaknesses.
11. Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning.
- Do more than just encouraging ongoing education and professional development opportunities for your team. Insist on it.
- Invest in training and learning resources that help grow your team's skills and knowledge.
- Don't become complacent; continuously seek opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Don't pull people from courses or reject learning opportunities. In an ever-changing world if your team isn’t learning and developing it’s becoming less valuable. ?
12. Add in your own special sauce....
- Do start doing something I haven’t mentioned above.
- Don't …you fill in the blank. (Bad habit or poor behaviour)
Being an accidental manager may seem challenging at first, but remember the chances are you got to being a Manager by being very good at what you did.?
Hold on to that thought and you will be amazed at what you can achieve.
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1 年A safe environment helps where people can openly share their views and ideas Charles Tincknell