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Originally Posted On: https://hansschumann.com/2024/07/10-strategies-to-thrive-as-a-people-manager/

10 Strategies to Thrive in Your First People Manager Role

So, you’ve been promoted to your first role as a people manager. Congratulations! This is a significant milestone in your career, and while it comes with its set of new challenges and responsibilities, it also offers an incredible opportunity for growth. As a career coach, I’ve helped many professionals transition into management roles, and I’m here to share some tips to guide you through this exciting journey.

How do you feel about your new role as a people manager?

Hopefully, you are looking forward to your new responsibilities. If, on the other hand, you feel conflicted about managing people or even anxious, you are not alone.  Many of my clients are unsure whether they will enjoy leading people as they prefer focusing on using their technical skills; for example, giving legal advice, coding software or creating designs.

Embracing people management comes with many advantages. You may be happy with your current role for the time being, but will you still be in five years’ time? Gaining experience in people management builds the skills required to qualify for leadership roles in the future, so you will have more choices in your career. You won’t just be an experienced subject matter expert, but also a seasoned manager and leader.  This means that you won’t have to compete with younger and cheaper colleagues for the same job.

Managing people can also be incredibly rewarding as it offers the opportunity to shape and inspire a team, fostering both individual growth and collective success. As a manager, you have the privilege of guiding team members through challenges, celebrating their achievements and watching them develop their skills and confidence over time.

So, how do you thrive as a people manager?  I have broken this down into 10 simple steps:

1. Understand Your New Role

Transitioning from an individual contributor to a people manager is a significant shift that requires a change in mindset. As a manager, your success is no longer measured solely by your personal output but also by how effectively you can lead and uplift your team.

Before you dive into managing others, ensure that you have a clear understanding of your new responsibilities. What exactly are you supposed to deliver with your team? I recommend agreeing on specific goals and objectives with your line manager.  This entails understanding the priorities of your line manager and how they are linked to the overall key objectives of the business. Once you understand the bigger picture and your line manager’s expectations, you can set the right priorities and goals for your team. Communicate them to your reports so they know how your role impacts their work and what you aim to achieve together. Hopefully, this will also make them feel excited about the direction in which you will take them.

Remember, your success is now measured by your team’s achievements. Prioritise their development and performance over trying to do everything yourself. This mindset shift is essential for your new role.

2. Get to Know Your Team

Building strong relationships with your reports is key to creating high-performing teams. You might want to spend your first weeks meeting each team member in person. Ask questions that will help you understand their strengths, development requirements and career aspirations. They will value it if you take time to get to know them as a person, so make sure that you show interest in them and don’t just talk about their workload.

This isn’t about being their best friend but about building trust and rapport. When your team trusts you, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.

3. Set up Your Team Governance

As a new people manager, you will need to decide how you want to work with your team and how often you want to meet them as a whole and individually. A routine of regular touchpoints helps a team settle into your new management:

• Team meetings: Many team leaders find it helpful to have weekly meetings to discuss workload and priorities. Teams that have daily KPIs (for example, sales targets) may even meet daily. In addition, you want to schedule additional, longer events for team building and training. I offer Enneagram for Teams as a powerful way to improve team effectiveness, engagement and wellbeing.

• One-on-one meetings: These are key to getting the most out of your staff. Schedule regular sessions with each team member to discuss their progress, address any concerns and provide feedback. These meetings are also an excellent opportunity to find out what motivates each person. Is it career progression, work-life balance or personal development? Tailoring your management approach based on each individual’s values, preferences and circumstances can significantly boost team morale and productivity.

• Social events: Don’t forget the fun part!  Social events help your team members get to know each other and bond.  It can be part of your wider strategy of generating a sense of belonging and camaraderie in the team. If, like me, you are introverted and task focused, this may not come naturally to you.  In that case, you can always delegate the organisation of social events to your team members.  But you need to show up for the event and make an effort to connect!

4. Build Effective Communication Skills

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful people management. It’s essential to foster an environment where open and honest communication is encouraged. This openness builds trust, which is crucial for any functional team. Practise active listening—pay attention to what your team members say and also to what they might not be saying. This can provide invaluable insights into their thoughts and feelings.

I recommend making an effort to be accessible and approachable, as this will encourage your team members to come forward with their ideas, concerns and feedback, creating a healthy, two-way communication channel.

Be explicit about what you expect from your team members in terms of performance and behaviour, and equally make it clear what they can expect from you as their leader. This clarity will prevent misunderstandings and set a solid groundwork for mutual respect and cooperation.

5. Master Delegation

One of the most important changes when becoming a people manager is letting go of your old tasks and responsibilities. You will need to embrace delegation and trust your team with tasks you once handled yourself. This not only frees up your time for higher-level responsibilities, but also empowers your team by giving them a sense of ownership. If your team members are not yet skilled enough to take on your work, then it’s your job to train, coach and mentor them so that they reach the required standard.

Delegation is not just a way to reduce your workload; it’s a critical tool for team development, productivity and effectiveness. As a new manager, you might be tempted to oversee every detail, but micromanaging can stifle your team’s initiative and growth. Instead, focus on identifying tasks that you can delegate and select the right person for each task based on their skills and development needs.

When delegating tasks, be specific and clear about what needs to be done and by when. Agree on precise deliverables and dates, and how you would like to be briefed or involved. Conflicts often arise when expectations have not been clearly communicated. Ambiguity can lead to mistakes and frustration.

It’s important to communicate the significance of the task at hand and how it fits into the larger picture of the team’s goals. Follow up without micromanaging; check in at agreed-upon milestones and offer support as needed.

There are many different delegation styles to choose from. Choose a style which is appropriate for the task at hand, the skills and attitude of the team member and the outcome you want to achieve.  Sometimes you might want to be prescriptive and tell your staff what and exactly how you want a task to be done. This might be an appropriate delegation style if your instruction is urgent, the team member lacks experience or you want to maintain control.

On other occasions, your instructions could be generic so that your team member can decide autonomously how they will complete the task. This will give you less control but increases staff engagement and learning. Between these two styles are many shades of delegation style and I recommend you familiarise yourself with them.

6. Manage Performance Through Nurture and Challenge

To get the best out of your team, you need to monitor performance and take immediate action when team members underperform. This is where so many line managers fail.

Performance management is not about telling your staff off. It’s about supporting them by holding them accountable to agreed-upon goals. I suggest approaching them with a curious rather than judgmental mindset to find out why things did not go according to plan. Instigate constructive conversations to find solutions jointly.

It’s crucial to offer constructive and timely criticism to help your team improve. Feedback should be appropriate, specific and focused on behaviours rather than personal attributes. Your role is to guide and support your team, not to criticise them personally. Be specific about what needs to change and how they can do it.

Equally important is positive reinforcement. Acknowledge and praise good work regularly. This not only motivates the individual but also reinforces the desired standards for the team.

If you find giving feedback difficult, remember that things will get worse if you avoid holding your staff accountable. You don’t do them a favour if you let them get away when failing to meet agreed objectives.  You will serve them better if you help them grow. They need to know that you will always call them out if they do not do what they agreed.  If a team member promised an update on Wednesday but does not contact you on the day, ask them in a non-confrontational manner what happened. Maybe there are valid reasons that are holding your team member back, and you might be able to help. If you keep doing this, your team will quickly learn that Wednesday means Wednesday.

7. Support Professional Development

I recommend that you discuss your team members’ ambitions and training needs individually. Help them identify their career goals and create a plan to achieve them. Ideally, each team member should have an annual development plan that is bespoke to their situation. If possible, invest in providing access to training, executive coaching and development programmes. Supporting their professional development shows that you care about their future, not just their current performance.

Creating individual development plans in collaboration with your team members can be a great way to formalise this process.

8. Managing Conflict

No doubt there will be conflicts for you to handle. It’s an unavoidable reality for any people manager. If managed correctly, they can be a catalyst for growth and innovation. Indeed, in Tuckman’s well-known model of team development, “storming” is one of the four stages in any team development cycle that moves a team from the initial stage of “forming” to the desired stage of “performing”. So, don’t try to avoid conflicts. They are the bread and butter of running a team and have their purpose.

As a manager, it’s crucial to understand the dynamics behind team conflicts and to address them constructively. Identifying the root causes, whether they stem from miscommunications, conflicting interests or personality clashes, is the first step towards resolution.

Maintaining neutrality and promoting an open dialogue are essential strategies in conflict management. Encourage all parties to express their viewpoints and work together to find a mutually acceptable solution. This approach not only resolves the immediate issue but also strengthens the team’s ability to handle future challenges collaboratively.

9. Build a Positive Team Culture

Creating a positive team culture is crucial for maintaining high morale and productivity, and it can also be more fun for you and your team. Here are three ways in which people managers can do this:

• Create joint experiences: If possible, get your team together in person for bonding and team building. I recommend a mixture of team-building events, trainings, workshops and purely social events.

• Encourage Collaboration: Encourage your team members to support each other by calling out positive examples and celebrating successes, both big and small. Recognising achievements boosts morale and fosters a sense of community within the team.

• Recognise and reward:  Recognition and rewards are powerful tools for motivating your team. Celebrate achievements and milestones, both big and small, to let your team members know that their efforts are noticed, valued and appreciated. This not only boosts morale but also encourages a culture of excellence and accountability.

10. Lead by Example

Leading by example is one of the most powerful ways you can influence your team’s culture. Demonstrate the values you want to see in your team—whether it’s integrity, diligence, creativity or empathy. Team-building activities, such as Enneagram Team events, can also play a crucial role in strengthening bonds and improving collaboration among team members.

As a manager, your behaviour sets the tone for your team. How you show up will be regarded as acceptable behaviour. Here are a few pointers that explain what this means in practice:

• Keep it professional: If you make cynical comments about other departments or inappropriate remarks about other employees, your team members may join in. You soon have a culture where people bond by exchanging toxic comments.  Luckily, it also works the other way around if you role model positive behaviour.

• Show Integrity: Always be honest with your team, even when the news isn’t good. Keeping promises and following through on commitments builds trust and respect. Your team will look to you for guidance, so it’s important to be a role model in this regard.

• Demonstrate Work Ethic: Be reliable and consistent in your efforts. Show up on time, meet your deadlines and put in the hard work. Your dedication will inspire your team to do the same.

• Maintain a Positive Attitude: A positive outlook, especially during challenging times, can be contagious. Encourage resilience and help your team stay motivated even when faced with setbacks. Your attitude can significantly influence the team’s overall morale and productivity.

Next Steps: From People Manager to Leader

While you are currently focused on managing your team, it’s never too early to think about the next step in your career: transitioning from manager to leader. Here are a few key hallmarks of leadership:

• Develop a Vision: Start thinking about where you want to lead your team in the future. A clear vision can inspire and motivate your team. Share this vision with them and involve them in the journey. This will guide your team’s efforts and help align their ambitions with the broader objectives of the organisation.

• Create a Strategy: Develop a strategy to achieve your vision. This includes setting long-term goals and identifying the steps needed to reach them. Ensure that your team’s goals align with the broader organisational strategy.

• Drive Change: Be a change agent within your organisation. Lead by example in driving positive change and stay open to new ideas. You could start by exploring what change and innovation you can drive in your own team and then consider how to promote change in the wider organisation.

• Continue your own learning and development: The best leaders are those who continually seek to improve themselves. Engage in self-reflection regularly and seek feedback from your team and peers about your management style. This feedback can be invaluable in helping you understand your strengths and areas where you can improve.

Consider seeking out professional development opportunities, such as workshops, seminars or mentorship, to enhance your skills and knowledge. Setting personal goals for growth will help you stay focused and motivated, and it will also set a positive example for your team about the value of lifelong learning.

Hiring an executive coach is probably the best investment in your career and leadership. You will find a coach behind most successful leaders.

Feeling fired up or anxious ?

Stepping into a people management role for the first time can be daunting, but with the right mindset and skills you can become an effective and inspiring people manager in no time, and also enjoy the ride.  By following the tips in this article, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful first-time manager. You will not only enhance your own skills but also foster a supportive, productive and motivated team.

You don’t have to do it alone

People management and leadership can be learned like any other skills. I can help with this. Together, we can break this down into small, manageable steps. Becoming a great manager may be easier than you think!

Feel free to reach out if you are interested in further guidance or support on your management journey. Many of my clients invest in working with me to make them more effective and fulfilled in their careers. As a career and leadership coach, I’m here to help you succeed. You can book a free Discovery Call here.

Remember, management is a journey, not a destination. Embrace the challenge, enjoy the journey and watch how you and your team thrive!

Good luck with your new adventure in people management!