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Tips and tricks for the new responsibilities of management
By John Carroll
Carroll on Work
Last issue, we looked at the often-surprising discoveries a newly selected manager or supervisor makes in the first days and weeks after accepting the role. While the position may be overwhelming and appear to require someone superhuman, give yourself the chance to grow into the role.
Since you’ve already jumped headlong into your new responsibilities, what can you do to make the most of the opportunity? Here are a few ideas:
Get a mentor. Find someone, ideally outside your chain of command and perhaps outside your organization. Use this person as a sounding board and seek advice on questions large and small. You’ll be amazed at how your own learning curve shortens when you’re using the trial-and-error experience of someone who’s been there.
Know you’re not alone. Understand that those feelings of “I’m not sure that I’m the right person for this job” aren’t yours alone. Survey after survey shows that managers everywhere deal with similar feelings each and every day. Learn what you need to know as fast as you can while you’re handling the challenges the best way you know.
Become a better listener. This won’t make your more efficient; listening well takes time. But remember, as Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” says, “Be effective with people and efficient with things.”
Give people reasons why. The vast majority of people are willing to do what you ask. By giving them reasons why and helping them understand how what they do makes a difference, you get much more discretionary effort. That level of support and commitment gives you the winning edge. This is truly where you’ll see your team begin to shine.
Recognize, reinforce, reward. Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need huge incentive programs to get the best from people. Thank them individually and collectively, recognize them in public for their outstanding performance and reward them with greater attention from you, in addition to the appropriate tangible rewards.
Plan, plan and plan some more. Be a habitual planner. Plan your days, your weeks, your months, your quarters and your year. Plan for the obstacles you might encounter so that you’re ready with Plans B, C and D when initial efforts fall short. Help others become better planners as well.
Look for trends. Read current business publications and books that help you see specific tendencies and trends. If you haven’t yet read “The World Is Flat” by Thomas Friedman, do so immediately. Stay up on local, regional, national and global business news, if only for five or ten minutes per day. The “What’s News” section on the front page of “The Wall Street Journal” is a good place to start. It’s also free for anyone on that publication’s home page at www.wsj.com
Stay in shape physically. If you haven’t made physical exercise a regular part of your lifestyle, it’s time to start. That’s because you’ll need a healthy body to strengthen you for times of stress and tension. Start just by walking in the early morning or after your evening meal. Just ten minutes can make a huge difference if you’ve been doing little or nothing up to now.
Get plenty of sleep. This goes hand in hand with physical health. You know how much sleep your body needs to function without loading yourself with caffeine throughout the day. If you don’t, start with seven hours of sleep per night and observe your energy levels during the day. Experiment if you must, but go to sleep. Sleep-deprived managers aren’t known for their kindness, gentleness or effectiveness.
Have your own quiet time each day. Whether it’s early morning, midday or evening, you’re responsible for recharging your own batteries. That doesn’t happen with a newspaper or television remote in your hand. Turn off the electronics, read wise literature or something that inspires you, even in small helpings, and take some time to jot your thoughts in a tablet that no one else sees. No one else can do this for you.
Focus on putting yourself in the best possible position in your new supervisory or managerial role. You can’t control the world. You can only control how you handle your responsibilities and challenges.
Understand exactly what the job entails and acquire the resources and the routines that will 0help you increase your effectiveness in that role.
John Carroll is a business consultant, speaker, author and president of Unlimited Peformance Inc. in Mount Pleasant. E-mail him at jcarroll@uperform.com.
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