Do you remember the first time someone said “Congratulations…you’ve been promoted to manager?” Were you excited? proud? apprehensive? Your reaction probably had a lot to do with how prepared you felt for your new job.
First the why. Most new managers are promoted from individual contributor positions where they were the doers and high achievers. Newly promoted managers are not always aware of, or even like, the shift of priorities needed as a manager. Instead of doing everything themselves, their managerial priorities are now goal setting, communicating, and creating a motivational environment so their team succeeds.
Many organizations are implementing emerging leader programs to provide a preview for future managerial candidates. The first step is to identify the characteristics of a successful manager specific for YOUR organization, then consider the following methods to provide people with a realistic managerial preview:
- Mentoring – Identify experienced managers who are role models and are willing to mentor emerging leaders.
- Hands-on Practice – Provide emerging leaders with the opportunity to lead a project team or task force and then debrief what they learned about leading people.
- Classroom Training – Offer some of the same classes to emerging leaders that your current management team attends.
- Book club Discussions – Assign management books to emerging leaders and include experienced managers in the debrief discussions to tie the concepts to your organizational values and processes.
Many organizations have benefited from using the book “The Management Map…Navigation Tools for the New Manager”. It contains easy to read practical tips for new managers with chapters such as Visualizing Your Management Map, Navigating Company Expectations, Guiding the Journey and Navigating Road Blocks, Detours and Speed Bumps plus much more.
Contact Deborah.Avrin@ManagementSkillsInc.com for to discuss how your organization can utilize the “The Management Map” book during your managerial training. http://managementskillsinc.com/products/management-map/