Being a manager for the first time is similar to what a poor deer must experience when being rushed by one of those BMW’s with those hideously-bright purplish “true white” headlights in the dead of night! You’re center-stage with nobody, perhaps just a few people to clap for you once you’re done with your big speech. Starting out is tough, and it’ll only get easier for you if you have a strategy for getting to know your employees and their capabilities, setting appropriate goals to be achieved, and ultimately gaining everyone’s lasting respect.
Here’s a few great tips you can use to set the stage for ultimate team success right out the gate.
Start out humbly
Get to know the business before you start making really bold moves and shaking things up too much. While an experienced manager can charge in guns-a-blazing, a new manager needs to learn what’s really important to the business’s success and what can make it fail. Learn what your real priorities are, and identify what your employees can do. Grow into your new role naturally, so everyone can make the transition with limited stress.
Get to know everyone separately
Most employees are anything but loyal to a fault when it comes to management, if you don’t treat them with a certain level of equality and only call on them when you need something done or to reprimand them for a mistake. Instead, you should meet each of them privately in your office, or if you really want to get to know them, take them out for a casual lunch – somewhere they suggest if possible. Disregard their personnel file and don’t go into the meeting with any preconceived notions. Ask them about their aspirations, in the company and in their personal lives. Tell them about yours. Try not to even bring up work if you can help it.
Have a goal-setting team meeting quickly
Before situations start coming up that test your unique set of rules and expectations, sit down in a group with everyone after you and they have had a chance to get to know each other individually. Be friendly, but firm; tell them what you expect and what they should expect from you in return. Write down a list of achievable goals to get the ball rolling and make everyone feel juiced and ready to attack an important agenda.
Identify rotten apples and throw them out fast
It would be a serious pun to mention the metaphor that goes with this title. After you’ve had your individual meeting (perhaps during) you’ll have an idea of most everyone’s personality; be they a company yes man, or the defiant type that doesn’t like to conform to authority. Still, some are good at faking it, so you’ll have to watch how they operate around everyone else, and be vigilant for changes in their personality toward you over the first few weeks. Follow all legal processes including verbal, written, and final warnings. But don’t be afraid to pull the trigger fast when your gut tells you someone’s going to be more trouble than they’re worth.
Set definitive plans for your first year
Regardless of whether you’re an entrepreneur running their first company, or managing a team for a company you don’t own, the first year is super important! A startup isn’t going to last the first year if your planning isn’t tight. Same if you’re working for someone else, they certainly aren’t going to keep you around for a year if you’re not getting results. Meet with your team, meet with upper management or your investors if you’re an owner. Set specific goals for the first three months, the first six – identify where you and your team will be in a year. This will give structure and a set goal to strive toward for your dedicated employees. Tell your team to make you accountable, and that you expect them to be accountable to you and the rest of the team too.
Encourage cross-training and a real “team” atmosphere
Two very well trained employees are much more valuable than ten, when those two employees are capable of doing the same amount of tasks as the ten! Consider that people will get sick; some sick of doing the same thing every day, others literally sick and unable to do their job for a day or days at a time. Set up a cross-training program and try to switch up your employee’s daily jobs if you can. Encourage everyone to communicate what’s going on in their area of the company and to ask for everyone’s input when a roadblock to success pops up. Make sure you’re cross-training constantly, to better understand everyone’s job.
Do like Walmart does every morning
Sure, a few “bad apples” might not appreciate having to participate in the mandatory meeting/jazz-up session at the Walmart they work at. However, if you’ve ever been in the store early morning, you’ll likely note that there are a lot of smiles and energy present when they happen. Have a morning meeting, every morning, telling everyone the agenda for the day, then sing an uplifting song together, shout out your favorite motivational mantras. Have fun with this one and they will too!
I hope this helped at least a few new managers out there. Like anything else in life, being a good manager starts with good planning – and a little luck too!
Cover photo credit: audiolucistore / Flickr
