A promotion at work will always be a significant accomplishment. It not only brings in additional benefits and increased wages, it will also provide you with a sense of pride and joy. However, it will also bring you additional responsibilities. One of which could be handling a team of people.
We’re all guilty of making fun of our managers when we were rank-and-file employees but now that you’re in the position, you should have a better appreciation of the responsibilities that the job entails. It’s not always as easy as it looks. Granted there are truly incompetent managers in some workplaces but if you want to become a good one, you have to know what separates a manager from a leader.
Teach, Don’t Brag
Being a newly minted manager would undoubtedly cause you to swell with pride. There’s nothing wrong with that, particularly if your rise to the top was organic, meaning you worked your way through the ranks. If anything, your journey to the top should be inspirational for your co-workers not be a cause for envy. But to be an inspiration, you must stay humble and you must be prepared to teach.
Be prepared to teach not just office processes but the nuances of the nature of your work. For example, you could be in a business where you regularly use laser machines for wood cutting. Instead of just teaching someone how to work the machine, impart insider knowledge about how to use it more efficiently. Don’t just watch them fumble and scoff that you could’ve done things better. Be patient and walk them through exactly how you used it that made your work better than others.
Have More Empathy
Some managers gain a reputation for being standoffish. The commonly portrayed manager in mass media is the one who simply sits around and passes judgment on their workers. A true manager, especially one who rose from the ranks, understands the nature of the work and empathizes with the problems and challenges that their team members face.
As the manager, it might be easy to wash your hands off the matter and say it’s no longer your problem. This is the wrong attitude to take. When one of your team members comes to you with a problem, it is important to listen to what they have to say. Listening to them will strengthen their trust in you and valuing their input would greatly motivate them to be more productive.
Listen to Your Instincts
Think of the traits of some managers you admire the most. What was it about them that you looked up to? As a manager, you have the unenviable position of being in between executives or departments heads and your team members. Higher-ups could have ideas on how to run things better but your team might not agree with any proposed changes.
The easy route would be to acquiesce to what the executives want, but don’t forget that there’s power in being in the middle: you are able to see both sides of the coin. Study every change or problem that comes your way and let your instincts guide you on the right thing to do. You didn’t become the manager for no reason. Tap into the skills that got you the position and use it to craft solid business decisions.
