The First-Time Manager (First-Time Manager Series)

by Jim McCormick

Engrained in this book is the belief that a well-led team will always achieve results that are superior to those of an individual.

Be thoughtful in your actions and always conduct yourself with class.

Being successful is about valuing, understanding, and guiding the most complex of all systems—people.

The best individual contributor doesn’t always make the best manager, although many companies still make the choice on that basis.

However, management skills are very different from the skills one needs to succeed as an individual contributor.

Managers need to focus on people, not just tasks. They need to rely on others, not just be self-reliant. Managers are also team oriented and have a broad focus, whereas non-managers succeed by having a narrow focus and being detail oriented.

In many companies, the opportunities for promotion are limited if you don’t go into management. As a result, some people go into management who shouldn’t be there—and they wouldn’t want to be in management if other opportunities existed for salary increases and promotion.

Far too many people accept management promotions because they feel (often rightly so) that they will be dead-ended if they reject the promotion.

Some people believe that if you want something done right, you’d better do it yourself. People with this attitude rarely make good leaders or managers because they have difficulty delegating responsibility.

In the best organizations, you’re not chosen for a managerial position because of your technical knowledge, but because someone has seen the spark of leadership in you.

A leader is a person others look to for direction, someone whose judgment is respected because it is usually sound.

Leaders can also set aside matters of personality and make decisions based on fact.

YOUR FIRST WEEK ON THE JOB as a manager will be unusual, to say the least.

Don’t believe that everyone is happy about your promotion.

Initially you will be measured against your predecessor in the position.

One of your first decisions should be to refrain from immediately instituting changes in the method of operation.

Above all, be patient.

When you do need to make changes, whether soon after your promotion or later, be as forthcoming as possible in explaining what will be taking place and why.

Always give the why. When people understand why something is being asked of them, they are more likely to comply.

Determining what to disclose and what to keep to yourself is part of the judgment you need to have as a manager.

If you are new to the position, don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” if you don’t. Your people don’t expect you to know everything.

Trying to fabricate an answer to a question you don’t know the answer to is always a bad idea, and will very likely cost you credibility and trust.

If you make changes immediately, you’l...

It is vital to remember that you’re the one who is on trial with your subordinates, not they with you.

You are going to be judged by how well your team functions—the results your team delivers—so the people who now work for you are the most important people in your business life.

If there is one area where many new managers blunder, it is the use of authority.

View the authority of the new position as you would a limited inventory. The fewer times you draw on the inventory, the greater is the supply that remains for when it is really needed.

If you don’t draw down your inventory of authority too often, the authority you may have to use in an emergency is more effective because it is infrequently displayed.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to de-escalate the overuse of authority.

Perhaps the greatest by-product of this softer approach is that you are not building a negative image that may be nearly impossible to erase later.

(Have you ever noticed that the more you allow the other person to talk, the higher you’ll be rated as a brilliant conversationalist?)

The purpose of having a conversation with the members of your team is to give them the opportunity to open the lines of communication with you.

Ask questions that will get them to expand on their points of view.

So your goal in these early conversations is to let your team members know you care about them as individuals and you’re there to help them achieve their goals.

Make them feel that it is perfectly natural for them to discuss challenges with you. By discussing small problems and small irritants, you may be able to avoid larger problems.

One of the problems many new executives confront is handling friendships with people in the department who now report to them.

It is obvious that you shouldn’t have to give up your friendships simply because you’ve received a promotion.

It is a mistake to allow your friendships to interfere with your method of operation. A direct report who is truly a friend will understand the dilemma in which you find yourself.

Although it is certainly true that you can be friends with people, you cannot expect to be friends with them in the same way in the context of work.

You need to hold all individuals to the same standards of performance, behavior, and accountability.

A good rule of thumb is not to have more direct reports than you can meet with once a week.

If your direct reports know they’ll get face time with you every week, they will be able to save up items they need to discuss until that meeting.

If your employees cannot count on having a regular opportunity to communicate directly with you, they will be more inclined to track you down whenever anything comes up that they think requires your attention.

If you can abide by weekly meetings with your direct reports and train them to hold as many issues as possible until those meetings, you will be surprised and pleased to see how many things they learn to resolve themselves that they otherwise would bring to you.

People who report to you are very aware of what kind of mood you’re in, especially if you tend to have significant mood swings.

Letting your irritation show occasionally can be effective, as long as it is sincere and not manipulative.

If an outside problem is gnawing at you and you need to deal with an employee in a critical situation, there is nothing wrong with saying to the employee, “Look, I’m really not in the greatest mood today. If I seem a little irritated, I hope you’ll forgive me.” This kind of candor is refreshing to a subordinate.

Never think for a moment that others don’t have the ability to judge your moods.

You should work hard at being even-tempered. But it is not a good idea to be the kind of manager who is never bothered by anything—a person who never seems to feel great joy, great sorrow, or great anything. People will not identify with you if they believe you disguise all your feelings.

To be an outstanding manager of people, you must care about people.

One of your main goals is to develop the trust and confidence of your employees, not only in their own abilities but in their opinion of you. They must have confidence that you are both competent and fair.