The highly competitive and dynamic business environment has meant that employees in new managerial roles or young team leaders are expected to hit the job running and deliver quick results.
The ‘honeymoon’ period, where in the new manager has time to acclimatize to the job, has been drastically reduced. The high attrition levels have also resulted in a situation where greater responsibilities are being thrust on greenhorn employees, some of whom are just out of college and a few months old in their jobs.
Here are a few key challenges faced by the first-time manager...
Challenge 1: Doing Things the Old Way
Generally it is the good performers who are promoted as team leads or area managers. But, successful employees need not necessarily be effective managers. The skills required to succeed as a manager are quite different from the skills needed to succeed as an individual employee.
First-time managers need to change their mindset of being just an employee to handling various functional roles such as planning, organizing, monitoring, communication, hiring and training team members, etc.
Challenge 2: Understanding Your Source of Power / Influence
A common lapse made by newly promoted managers is to think that they can use their position to get things done from their subordinates. However, to be successful, managers and leaders need to identify opportunities to gain the support and commitment of their direct reports without having to use their positional power.
New managers and young leaders need to understand their personality type, their leadership styles, and develop the ‘right’ behaviors that will enable them to build a high-spirited team.
Challenge 3: Balancing Expectations at Both Ends
This is a very important challenge faced by young managers.
How do you balance the aspirations and development needs of your team vis-à-vis achieving the targets and expectations set by your superiors. Have you developed that rapport with your boss where you are free to express your views and opinions, even if they are not in sync with what your boss thinks or what the organization does?
The young manager has to understand the managerial style of his /her boss and develop a good working relationship that individual.
And, is there anything worse than having to deal with a ‘micromanager’ boss, whose constant interference affects the morale of your team.
Challenge 4: Taking Care of Yourself
Amidst the hectic schedules, Monday morning con-calls, looming deadlines, and unforeseen time wasters, the first casualty for any first-time manager is his/her own self-development.
When was the last time you took out time to read that book, spend some quality time with your family, or develop a new hobby?
The ‘honeymoon’ period, where in the new manager has time to acclimatize to the job, has been drastically reduced. The high attrition levels have also resulted in a situation where greater responsibilities are being thrust on greenhorn employees, some of whom are just out of college and a few months old in their jobs.
Here are a few key challenges faced by the first-time manager...
Challenge 1: Doing Things the Old Way
Generally it is the good performers who are promoted as team leads or area managers. But, successful employees need not necessarily be effective managers. The skills required to succeed as a manager are quite different from the skills needed to succeed as an individual employee.
First-time managers need to change their mindset of being just an employee to handling various functional roles such as planning, organizing, monitoring, communication, hiring and training team members, etc.
Challenge 2: Understanding Your Source of Power / Influence
A common lapse made by newly promoted managers is to think that they can use their position to get things done from their subordinates. However, to be successful, managers and leaders need to identify opportunities to gain the support and commitment of their direct reports without having to use their positional power.
New managers and young leaders need to understand their personality type, their leadership styles, and develop the ‘right’ behaviors that will enable them to build a high-spirited team.
Challenge 3: Balancing Expectations at Both Ends
This is a very important challenge faced by young managers.
How do you balance the aspirations and development needs of your team vis-à-vis achieving the targets and expectations set by your superiors. Have you developed that rapport with your boss where you are free to express your views and opinions, even if they are not in sync with what your boss thinks or what the organization does?
The young manager has to understand the managerial style of his /her boss and develop a good working relationship that individual.
And, is there anything worse than having to deal with a ‘micromanager’ boss, whose constant interference affects the morale of your team.
Challenge 4: Taking Care of Yourself
Amidst the hectic schedules, Monday morning con-calls, looming deadlines, and unforeseen time wasters, the first casualty for any first-time manager is his/her own self-development.
When was the last time you took out time to read that book, spend some quality time with your family, or develop a new hobby?
