Today’s post is written by Jennifer King. Jennifer is an HR Analyst at Software Advice, a company that reviews recruiting and employee appraisal software. She blogs about technology, trends, and best practices in human resources and recruiting.
Congratulations! You’ve finally been promoted to “manager.” While the bump in salary and new job title are nice, you now have heaps of responsibility you didn’t have before. As a manager, part of your new job is being responsible for the growth and well-being of an entire team.
You may be crying for help at this point. I spoke with a few recently-appointed managers and an executive coach to get their words of wisdom and advice for first-time managers.
Advice for First-Time Managers
1) Find Out What They Want
One of your new responsibilities as a manager is helping your direct reports reach their career goals. Have that discussion up front and start with a few questions such as, what are your career goals? How can I help you get there? What do you want out of this job?
According to Deirdre Walsh, senior social media manager for Jive Software,
“If you start by understanding the career goals and plans for each person, that will help you make better decisions that will benefit the company and the individual.”
When Walsh started managing her team of two back in November 2011, she took as much time as possible up front to get to know her people. By building a relationship with her team early on, she felt better prepared to address business needs as they related to her group.
2) Become the Best Listener
Knowing how to really to listen to your team will be critical as you spend more time with them one-on-one. Cheryl McMillan, an executive coach for Vistage, said “if this is the only skill a manager has, he or she will progress farther than anyone else.”
But along with that comes restraint and the ability to listen without assuming you know the right answer right away, according to Mike Lee, assistant branch manager for a staffing and recruiting firm.
He says new managers should
“Strive to truly listen during discussions rather than prepare in your mind what you will say next.”