Managing Peers: Your New Working Relationship

“If you take a typical group of mid-level executives and ask if they’ve ever been promoted to lead their peers, 90% of them will say yes,” says Michael Watkins, the chair of Genesis Advisers and author of The First 90 Days and Your Next Move.

During our work lives, this situation may be the most challenging one we will face. How scary is it to start managing someone who was your friend, your peer, and your confidant??The one to whom you complained about the boss, the one who shared these views and commiserated with you about challenges with other colleagues, other team members, and your workload.

Now, you have a completely different situation, a significantly different working relationship. Now, your peer(s) are looking to you as the boss, the leader of the team.

Here are five tips to help you step into this new role.

Evaluate your strengths and areas for development.

Become more self-aware about the skills and knowledge you bring to the role. Recognize the value of your experience and how best to share this with others, as a leader, not a peer. It is not about now being directive but being collaborative and supportive.

Clearly define new roles and responsibilities – to one another, your team, the organization.

What has changed? What will change??And why? Step back, evaluate, and clarify both your role and responsibilities as well as potential changes to their role and responsibilities.

Develop new working relationship guidelines.

How will you work together most effectively? Where is the new relationship boundary? Where is the line between friend and boss? What are the “gray areas,” as a new leader, that you now must navigate?

Give your team members some ownership. Be collaborative and allow them to take calculated risks and push themselves to work beyond their full potential.

Communicate your plan for your team as well as for individuals.

Share what is happening and explain what is going to change and why. How do they fit into the new picture? Telling them what, how, and why builds their confidence.

Your former peers may be concerned about this transition so begin communicating immediately. Create an environment where people are free to share ideas, collaborate, and thrive.

Lead by example/be a role model.

Share your leadership style. What you do versus what you say influences credibility. If your former peers know what they can expect from you, your chances of success will improve greatly.

Learn the difference between leading and managing. People like to be led.?They will choose whom they follow.

“Leaders have the greatest impact on the experience of their employees, so it’s crucial to make authentic connections…” says Sandra Summerhayes, in her book, Choosing Happiness at Work.

As one of the 90% who has been promoted to lead peers, you have been granted a unique opportunity, that of guide and coach for others.?Be authentic and positive and help them achieve their goals and ambitions, too.?

Donna Stevenson is an Instructional Designer and Facilitator who works with Mohawk College Enterprise to enhance the skills of clients in the area of leadership development.