New Role...

Dear All,

For the concerned, I've finally completed a year of my Management Training Programme.. makes me proud to say I survived, and did decently well too. But as I step into the new role of an Asst Manager, I feel a li'l overwhelmed.. Ever had that sensation of a cold ball in the pit of your stomach..?? Thats probably the best way to define what I'm feeling right now.

So I had this meeting yesterday with a couple of people at my office who too have recently risen above their erstwhile colleagues, and of course face the same situation as me. Some of the things we talked about made sense, and I wish to share it on this blog.So here goes...

The two main issues that an individual faces after he/she gets promoted are:

1. Ego Management of the Team which he/she was working with till date.

2. Getting things done.

Now I understand that the two are closely interlinked, but for the sake of simplicity lets examine them one by one. Ego Management is probably the most critical concern that a new Manager faces, especially when he/she has moved upwards among the team. The others will obviously look at him/her as an external party to their team, because he is no longer a buddy!!! He's become the BOSS. This became the highlight of our conversation and I realised that its not that difficult to break the ice. Instead of demanding your team to get the work done, let there be a common forum for both you and the team to discuss their targets. Show them how it is linked to your own, and offer assistance (whole-hearted) while they start working. This way you can really connect with the team again and what's more , your work's getting done.

What we seem to forget really is that our team needs to know that they are reporting to the same fun-loving buddy who used to work with them. Hence communication becomes very important. The more transparent we become, the more our team will trust us.

Secondly, getting things done(read Execution) is slightly less complicated once you've figured out the first part. Now that you become the linking pin between the Management and the staff, you are expected to get things done efficiently and effectively. This is just a fancy way of saying that the sword is constantly on your neck. If your team fails, you fail.This is a key concern for me because my colleagues is older to me in terms of experience and age. So if I had to get work done through him, I'd have to set an example first. My GM tells me the best way for a leader to inspire his/her team is to be inspired and set examples in whatever they do. Only then do you earn your team's trust and maximize yield.

In my concluding note, I'd just like to say that a manager is what he/she is because we can make decisions, popular and unpopular. Its what we do best!! So just remember, when it does come down to taking those decisions, ensure that you take your team along with it. Think, decide and do. Empower your team to do things, train them, coach them and remember, its all right if they make mistakes provide they don't repeat them.

Chao.