As a new manager, you may feel like you’ve got the cards stacked against you. Not only do you have a new job to learn, but team members are often apprehensive about working with you. What will you change? Who will you like and not like? Will that other guy’s brown-nosing get to you? It’s especially hard when you are replacing a favorite manager. On the other hand, you may have plans for making the changes the company needs and you don’t mind stepping on toes. What’s going to make this transition easier on everyone?
#1 – Introduce Yourself First
Don’t be the new mystery person in the office. Be the manager that walks out, offers a handshake and a smile, and introduces himself right away. It’s easy to get lost in the paperwork, organization and computer system, but it’s best to get out on the floor to introduce yourself first.
#2 – Meet People at Their Work Stations
A simple thing that can have a big impact is as simple as going to your employees and talking to them. Instead of waiting for them to approach you, go to them. You may even want to adjust your own work schedule to make it a point to see everyone and to get to know them on their turf. They’ll appreciate that you care enough to do that.
#3 – Learn from the Team
It’s also a good idea to take the time to learn the job from your team rather than coming in with a plan to make changes. You may have plenty of additional education and training than they do, but you should still learn how they do the job first. Learn each job on the floor with the senior member of the team that usually does the job well.
#4 – It’s a New Job
Remember that no matter what you did good or bad at your last job, this is a fresh start. Leave behind anything that gave you the one-up at your previous job. Your records don’t translate here. Don’t say, “This is what we did at my old job” because that’s not applicable here. Team members won’t like the comparison.
#5 – Be the Leader
You’ll also need to stand up and be the leader. Even though you are learning from the team, you still need to take a strong leadership stance from the beginning. That means being sure to take the heat, motivate others and coach your players to success.
Doing these things well will help you to build a strong team from the start. It takes time to get your feet wet at your new job. Give it the time it needs. Just remember that being a manager means you are leading with the skills you want your team to provide to you. If you are looking for a temporary staffing agency in Illinois, visit Davis today!
Enjoy a previous post on the topic of leadership in the workplace, from Davis Staffing!