THE 3 KEY SKILLS ANY NEW MANAGER NEEDS TO SUCCEED
This article outlines three key leadership skills for new managers to practice, centred on connection with the people and teams being lead.
Author Shannon Herrera is a head of content curation at Go1, a leading content expert and learning solution. With thanks to Fast Company and the author for this article.
Transitioning into a management role is a significant change in your career that comes with a host of new responsibilities. As a manager, you are now part of a larger team, and your success is tied to the performance of the individuals you lead. Unlike your previous role as an individual contributor, where executing strategy was your main focus, now you must shift from being task-focused to people-focused. This means understanding the career goals of your peers and finding ways to support them in achieving both their personal and company objectives.
To ensure your success and that of the people you manage, here are three key steps every incoming manager should take before managing their first direct report.
IDENTIFY YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE
Leadership is a constantly evolving concept, and most leaders adjust their approach to fit the specific circumstances they encounter. Take the ongoing mass layoffs as an example: While not all individuals were directly affected, those who remained employed are experiencing increased workloads due to hiring freezes and skill gaps.
A delegative leader might approach this by assigning the responsibility of addressing skill gaps and managing training and development to subordinates, while a servant leader might proactively provide resources and support to employees facing the same problem. There are benefits to both.
Since each style can have varying effects on your team’s effectiveness, it’s crucial to explore and determine which style best suits both you and your team.
Consult with your HR department to determine what training options are available that can help you identify your current leadership style and which style aligns with your team’s goals. The specific approach will depend on the company’s existing learning and development (L&D) programs, which could include in-person training, attending seminars, and events, or online training.
SHIFT YOUR FOCUS FROM TASKS TO PEOPLE
As a new manager, your primary focus will shift from overseeing project completion to ensuring that your team members have the necessary resources and support to achieve results across multiple workstreams. This means your focus should shift from the project itself to the people.
Don’t be afraid to build a relationship with your direct report, as it can foster trust and encourage them to share external factors that may affect their performance. In fact, research shows that employees at high-trust companies report less stress and burnout, and higher levels of productivity and engagement.
Prioritizing your one-on-one meetings is the first step to building this trust, so never cancel these meetings, and reschedule if you must. Give your direct report a sense of importance by making time for them. A good rule of thumb is to follow the 90/10 rule, with the direct report speaking for 90% of the meeting, while the manager utilizes the remaining 10%.
Additionally, leverage the workplace tools available at your company. Lately, I began utilizing a tool called 15Five. It provides an opportunity to collect discussion topics that direct reports wish to address, and offers practical follow-up measures. With this tool, I organize weekly check-ins that my team is required to fill out, which leads to more effective communication during our meetings and avoids any unproductive time.
Putting an emphasis on your one-on-ones is crucial for gaining insight into your direct report’s career aspirations, regardless of their chosen path. This will enable you to assign projects that not only align with your team’s goals but also aid in the development of the skills necessary for their future roles.
ADOPT THE ABILITY TO DELEGATE TASKS
Delegation is a critical management skill. Once you’ve identified your leadership style, adopting a management approach that prioritizes people will become more natural as you learn the art of delegation. It’s crucial to identify your direct report’s strengths and interests while also gauging the amount of work they already have on their plate.
Are they on the road to a promotion and taking on more responsibility? Are they active in employee resource groups? Do they have a direct report of their own?
Consider these questions, as they can help determine how much work can be realistically handled without affecting your team’s performance, among other factors.
Utilizing delegation tools such as Trello or Asana in the workplace can aid in visualizing the workload of your direct report and recognizing when they are nearing their limits. If your organization does not utilize these tools, you can design your own system—using universal tools like Word Doc or Excel—to chart your workflows and avoid over-delegating.
Over-delegating can trigger a chain reaction that culminates in employee burnout, in turn affecting your direct report’s well-being, and ultimately prompting them to leave the organization. Approximately half of the workforce have left their jobs in the past because it had a detrimental effect on their well-being and replacing them can incur costs ranging from 50% to 200% of their salary.
A good manager will do everything they can to keep their direct report satisfied, even if it means helping them find satisfaction in a job that’s not on their team.