View Full Version : General Thoughts on Managing Others
jennipurrr
7-29-12, 4:41pm
You guys may remember a few months ago I posted about my apprehension on applying for a new position in a completely different area of employer (big college). I appreciated the comments, but deleted the post because the job is actually related to online research and didn't want to jinx anything.
I am happy to report I did apply and was hired for the position! Its a big promotion for me...I start next week and am very excited about it. The technical aspects of the job and the nature of the work are right up my alley. Its really my dream job and everyone I have spoken to about it says the area is great and I am a perfect fit. The one thing that leaves me a little fearful (ok, shaking in my boots!) is that I will be managing a staff of five. Until this point I have only managed student workers who have been generally motivated and we have had more of a mentor/mentee relationship. These folks are a broad swath, two professional staff and three clerical. Its already been mentioned that a couple of them are not particularly easy to work with.
Even though I am now in my 30s, I look very young (someone asked me on my birthday recently if it was 21st...um, no, but thanks!) and still struggle with people giving me professional respect due to that. I have no idea if this will be an issue, but I can imagine it might be initially.
I've had great bosses and really crappy ones. I've been giving a lot of thought to that over the past few weeks. My new manager is aware that this will be my first foray into managing others, so hopefully he will be a good resource going forward. My current manager has an awesome management style, and somehow maintains a very good relationship with the people who report to her, but at the same time commands respect and high quality work...so I am taking a lot from her about being effective but not micromanaging.
I thought you all might provide a good perspective regarding this transition in career. Any fabulous books you read? Insight from making this transition?
I've still not fully assumed my managerial role, so the following are thoughts/experiences from having been a peon.
There's micromanaging and there's babysitting. Micromanaging is when you insert yourself into every aspect of the workload of people who report to you. They end up spending more time explaining what they're doing and justifying themselves to the boss than actually working. The boss at my last place was like that.
Babysitting is when there ARE problems with a given employee, and then they have to be watched.
If there is a problem with a particular employee that is affecting the rest of the department - such as this person slacking off and the rest of the department having to pick up slacker's workload - address the situation with the slacker immediately. AND let the rest of the department know (privately) that you are addressing said slack's situation. Ignoring a problem (or appearing to ignore a problem) that directly affects the rest of the department and adds to their stress is a really good way of hurting morale and possibly causing a mutiny. And if the issue requires someone being terminated, do it and don't drag it out.
Make sure you tell your staff thank you during and after a very busy or trying time. If the budget will permit it, have lunch brought it or bring donuts or even bake some cookies yourself. Not letting staff know you appreciate their above and beyond efforts is bound to get them resentful, sooner or later.
Make sure they know that no question is stupid and that they're welcome to come to you with any they might have. I've had bosses before you didn't want to be bothered with the underlings' questions, so you had to go to coworkers instead.
If you have a new person join the department, make sure they are adequately trained before turning them loose. There's nothing like struggling for months because no one could be bothered to train you properly, even when you've repeatedly asked for such training.
My learned-the-hard-way advice:
Don't expect everyone to like you, and don't take it personally if they don't. Praise in public, and counsel in private. I find regular weekly/bi-weekly meetings individually with everyone to be really helpful in bubbling up issues that need attention before they become a crisis. Find out what motivates each person, and try to reward them in the way they would like, rather than the way YOU would like. Make the goals clear, with deliverables and dates, but leave the execution to your staff.
If you're concerned about the appearance, you might want to see an image counselor/wardrobe consultant. I thought it was silly at first, but it made a huge difference in how I presented myself and made it easier to buy clothes since I was only trying on those things that would suit me, and I made fewer mistakes in clothing that didn't really suit, fit or make me feel fabulous.
I think you've already received some good advice, jennipur. Without trying to write a book on management, here's what's worked for me:
- As herbgeek said, don't expect everyone to like you, especially if you were colleagues or buddies before. Require respect for your position, not the love of the people who report to you. And remember that 80% of looking like a leader is acting like one.
- Transparency and consistency are key. Especially in your first management position and with your young appearance, you will live and die by your credibility. Anything you do to undermine that -- special treatment for a buddy, being caught saying you don't know something when clearly you do -- will cause damage from which it will take a long time to recover.
- One of my favorite management gurus is Tom Peters ("In Search of Excellence"). One thing he said that really stuck with me is that, when you become a member of management, you cease to be a productive member of the company. He was being a bit hyperbolic, but his point was that you are no longer in a position which provides customer revenue for your company, the way salespeople and customer-service agents and product assemblers do. Your job is to enable the work of those who do provide that revenue. Run interference for them (even if they're not "your" team). Encourage your team to make smart decisions at the most appropriate level (it might even be their level). And thank them. In a timely fashion. Always. It doesn't have to be anything huge. Even a little note or an acknowledgement in a meeting can be greatly appreciated. Those folks make your job possible and your success depends on them.
Good luck!
I second a lot of the advice above.
We have an excellent VP, and one thing he did when he came to our area was to have one-on-one meetings with each of us early on. It was closed-door, everything on the table, where we got to have our say in terms of job-related and co-worker related issues, good or bad, great or small. It was really a "clear the decks" kind of thing that enabled people to get things off their chest and also for the VP to see the overall picture of how things were functioning.
The outcome of the individual meetings was not shared, but changes were made starting a month or two into his tenure. At this point it's been a few years and things are going really well.
Finally, don't sweat the small stuff. I've known managers to carp on which way the vertical blinds can go, or whether you can drink coffee at your desk. Concentrate on what your own supervisor expects, and if you can deliver on their metrics including budget, you've done your job.
Congratulations on the promotion!
The best management tip I ever received: ALWAYS have any meetings with a staff person you supervise with the door shut. Every time. That way, a closed door does not signal trouble, it's simply the norm.
treehugger
7-30-12, 1:42pm
The best management tip I ever received: ALWAYS have any meetings with a staff person you supervise with the door shut. Every time. That way, a closed door does not signal trouble, it's simply the norm.
That is really good advice, and something I would never have thought of. My boss does this, and yes, it still makes my stomach flip a little when he asks me to come in and close the door. So far, it has never been bad news, but I guess I can't help assuming the worst. Anyway, I very much appreciate his consistency.
Kara
Congratulations on the promotion and best of luck with it. In addition to the other posters' very good suggestions, I also personally would emphasize considering upping your wardrobe to becoming even more "professional" (whatever that means!) than that of the people who report to you. This will send a lot of subtle messages about you and your rank, and it really can't hurt, especially if you look young for your age.
Also, I suggest visibly taking notes at every meeting you have with any staff member, whether in a group setting or in a private one. Write these notes by hand in a substantial-looking notebook. It signals that you are taking the conversation seriously, that you will have them to refer back to in the future, and, if necessary, have them in case of some problem down the road if HR or Legal gets involved. Best of luck!
Also, I suggest visibly taking notes at every meeting you have with any staff member, whether in a group setting or in a private one. Write these notes by hand in a substantial-looking notebook. It signals that you are taking the conversation seriously, that you will have them to refer back to in the future, and, if necessary, have them in case of some problem down the road if HR or Legal gets involved. Best of luck!
Taking notes is much better than forgetting something you promised to do or a question on which you need to follow up. However, I have run into moments when someone reporting to me was either discussing something that really is not tied directly to job performance (for example, challenges with a parent's or spouse's health) or a subject about which they were quite sensitive (for example, a lack of technical ability relative to the rest of the team). There are times when it's best to put down the pen and just listen. If it's something for which you think you should take notes, at least preface your note-taking by asking if it's alright with the person(s) you're speaking with.
Congratulations on the promotion and best of luck with it. In addition to the other posters' very good suggestions, I also personally would emphasize considering upping your wardrobe to becoming even more "professional" (whatever that means!) than that of the people who report to you. This will send a lot of subtle messages about you and your rank, and it really can't hurt, especially if you look young for your age.
Also, I suggest visibly taking notes at every meeting you have with any staff member, whether in a group setting or in a private one. Write these notes by hand in a substantial-looking notebook. It signals that you are taking the conversation seriously, that you will have them to refer back to in the future, and, if necessary, have them in case of some problem down the road if HR or Legal gets involved. Best of luck!
Hmmm...I do not know...I had a meeting with a VP once when I was trying to explain to him why a meeting with a group of employees had blown up in his face. He did not understand what I was explaining..and started "taking notes" during our meeting. But it was clear to me then and now that he never understood what I was telling him or why the meeting blew up.
Also, as a new (young) manager--dress the part, i.e. wear what the people a grade level above you wear.
I also agree with above posters who encourage closed doors for all meetings. People will tell you way more useful stuff if the doors are closed. And as a corellary....have some co-worker friends go in your office with the door shut and talk and see how much can be heard outside. My boss will call me from her work cell from outside the office, if it is something really sensitive. Because, even with the door closed, someone within 5 feet can still hear what is being said.
jennipurrr
8-19-12, 10:26am
Thank you all for the replies! Lots of good things to incorporate. So far things have been going well, I have just been super busy. Thanks again!
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