First-time managers have a difficult job, and many of us lack knowledge on how to do it well.
According to Lawrese Brown, the founder of the workplace education firm C-Track Training, "the majority of people haven't been trained for managing." When they sit down, they either imitate what other people do or behave in a reactionary way, which indicates that something was done to them and they were shocked and moved in the opposite direction.
Setting expectations and boundaries about how work is done and how employees can advance within the organization are crucial if you're a new manager. It's challenging to regain a teammate's trust once you've betrayed it.
The following are some of the most important words and commitments you should refrain from using as a rookie manager:
1. Please message me whenever something happens.
In theory, having an open door policy sounds wonderful, but in practice, Brown said, declaring your availability sets you up to be constantly interrupted, which will hinder your ability to complete your work. You will not feel like you can leave because you are at the center of how everything is done.
In this way, saying to your team that you are always available hinders both your and their professional growth. In the worst-case scenario, you are teaching your team to depend on you to complete their work if you are not available, according to Brown.
According to Brown, a better approach is for managers to be clear about their guidelines for when and how to communicate depending on the urgency of a question.
2. I'll explain everything to you,
In an effort to show their sincerity and likeability, new managers often make promises to or precedents with their teams that they will share everything, according to career coach Angela Karachristos, who has worked in human resources.
Even though Karachristos noted that sharing can be helpful in building team trust and unity, there may be circumstances in which complete transparency is neither possible nor appropriate.
The days of oversharing, having a loud opinion about leadership's decisions, and speculating on team members' motivations, she asserted, "are over as you move from an individual contributor to a manager of others. When new managers are attempting to bring the team together, it may be preferable to keep some things quiet.
According to Karachristos, managers should back up their promises to be as truthful and open with their team as possible with their actions.
You must exercise caution in how casual you are as a boss when disclosing information. Career coach Anne Genduso warned that inexperienced managers might try to be overly familiar with and treat their direct reports like friends. This includes disclosing private information or using informal pronouns like "Bro" or "Hey, girl.”
3. I'll start working on this.
According to Brown, vague promises like "I'll start this off" are ineffective because they imply that "eventually we'll get there" while also giving the impression that the request will definitely be fulfilled.
Brown used the example of raise requests: "Promising to put a raise request in motion is not something you can guarantee," Brown said. If you're a first-time manager, you probably do not oversee the budget.
The desire to be the boss you lacked typically stems from a good place. Brown remarked that we've all had a lousy boss. We didn't feel like they were our champions, and I believe that everything that happened was caused by our unrealistic expectations when we entered the situation.
But in practice, Brown said, it's better to be specific about the expectations and avoid disappointing your direct report by saying something like, "I'll talk to my supervisor and give you feedback.”
4. Let's get down to this minute detail.
Being overly concerned with the details of the job or "getting into the weeds" may have made you a star employee as an individual contributor, but as a new manager, it could be your undoing.
Team members want to know how their work fits into the larger picture or plan when a new manager reaches the level of leadership where others are looking for direction, according to Karachristos. Employees are reluctant to descend into rabbit holes.
New managers risk being branded as micromanagers or short-sighted if they bog down their team with details about how to complete tasks, according to Karachristos. Although technical proficiency is still crucial, new managers must also show they have the ability to think strategically and practically.
5. It's not really a big deal.
It's not that big of a deal and other similar expressions are frequently used by new managers to soften their tone when giving feedback and corrections, according to Brown.
Direct reports, however, are only further confused by statements of this nature rather than being reassured.
Why do you keep bringing it up if it's not a big deal? Brown said. The entirety of what you just said is minimized by that statement. The person is then perplexed, even if it was a serious conversation: "So then I'm not supposed to act on this?
In Brown's view, managers should be explicit about their objectives when offering feedback, using phrases like "I don't want you to panic, I don't want you to feel like you're not doing a good job, but I do want to highlight this to you," rather than downplaying their criticism.
"Huff Posters - Educational and Lifestyle Tips"
0 Comments