10 Ways New Managers Become Great Leaders

"It is a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you are trying to lead and find no one there." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Persons accepting promotion from individual contributor to leader often do not realize the extent of the change. All too often they assume that they will be doing basically the work as before except that they will now be 'in charge'. In reality, a major change in responsibility is occurring. The new leader requires a different set of skills, attitude and behaviors. When we asked seasoned leaders what they wished they knew then that they know now, this is what they said:

1. Research your new job. Find out all you can about: the company (if it is one you have not previously worked for); the department you'll be working in; your new job responsibilities; the history of the position; your predecessor and his or her approach to the job; and your new subordinates ? if you don't already know them. Also learn the purpose of your department, team or unit ? what work is being done, what is the current state of play; your boss and your boss's boss expectations and if you have customers, what their expectations are.

2. Start planning in advance. Form at least a tentative plan - it will be harder to plan once you are in position. Think about what you want to achieve and how you would like to develop yourself to match the demands of the job. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses ? how can you deploy your positive qualities and experiences to advantage and compensate for your limitations. Above all, don't depart too dramatically and quickly from established practice.

3. Get to know your team. Meet with your team first together and then individually. Don't skimp on time ? these first meetings set the stage for building a productive relationship. Listen carefully, eliciting information about the work and about them as individuals. Consider leaving the team with a question to reflect on: "What should I do or not do to help you perform your job effectively?"

4. Focus on important relationships. Introduce yourself to customers (internal and external); suppliers, and the people who make up the professional network surrounding your job. Get to know your boss immediately. Find out such things as: the frequency of status reports (daily vs. weekly vs. monthly); the amount of information (just give me a quick update vs. a 5 page report); and the desired mode of communication (email, voice mail, face-to-face).

5. Identify likely standards of performance. Observe, listen and note what is acceptable and what is not in your new environment. Within a few weeks you should have some ideas of what your staff expects of you. Identify the criteria by which your boss, your peers, and your customers will judge you. Be honest with yourself ? can you meet those standards? If not, what do you need to do? Consider who could help you and what the price might be.

6. Power up your people engine. Make a point of noticing and showing appreciation when someone puts in extra time and effort. If you are aware that another team member wanted or expected to get your job, acknowledge the fact. Express the hope that you can work together on a friendly basis and say that you look forward to his or help.

7. Don't be the lone ranger. Lead by involving team members. Listen to what they are telling you, especially if the team has been working together for a long time. They probably have a better sense, then you as the new manager, of what is going on, what needs to be done, and where the sand traps are.

8. Set an example. Demonstrate strong personal commitment to achieving your department's or unit's or team's goals. Build warm, friendly relationships rather than remain aloof. However, there is a fine line between being friendly and being a pal. When you put on the manager's hat, your role changes. You want respect first and then hopefully being liked.

9. Take stock regularly. Take time to reflect on your progress at the end of your first week, your first month, and your first quarter. Identify issues that require immediate attention, and ways to deal with them, before they grow into big headaches. The pattern of behavior you set in your first three months will be extremely hard to change later. As a new leader, your primary task is to listen and learn.

10. Discover the leader in you. You can't make sense of your role as a leader unless you know yourself first. Look to others for guidance but be true to who you are. "Leadership is a matter of how to be not how to do it. In the end, it is the quality and character of the leader that determines performance and results", according to Frances Hellelbein of the Peter Drucker Institute.

Make sure you become a super not blooper leader.

Marcia Zidle, the 'people smarts' coach, works with business leaders to quickly solve their people management headaches so they can concentrate on their #1 job ­ to grow and increase profits. She offers free help through Leadership Briefing, a weekly e-newsletter with practical tips on leadership style, employee motivation, recruitment and retention and relationship management. Subscribe by going to http://leadershiphooks.com/ and get the bonus report "61 Leadership Time Savers and Life Savers". Marcia is the author of the What Really Works Handbooks ­ resources for managers on the front line and the Power-by-the-Hour programs ­ fast, convenient, real life, affordable courses for leadership and staff development. She is available for media interviews, conference presentations and panel discussions on the hottest issues affecting the workplace today. Contact Marcia at 800-971-7619.

---

Why Training Fails

Sometimes when I conduct my workshop on Effective Meetings, one of the participants will ask, "Where's my boss?"And I say, "Your boss claimed to be an expert... Read More

Morale Boosters: Feed the Troops First

When economic conditions turn tough or when the heavy work load seems never-ending, leaders tend to forget the "basics"?building commitment beyond the paycheck. It's the small things... Read More

Managing Rebellious Employees

Surveys of executives reveal that many companies fall short of their profit objectives due to "people problems." Research for my Absolutely Fabulous Organizational Change book found these... Read More

Motivating Employees - Ten Ways to Start You Off

Yet there is a place for those external 'raft-build's', 'away days' and 'paintballing'! Just get them in context; there is work to do up front to leverage... Read More

Stopping The Brain Drain: How To Capture Key Business Knowledge Before It Walks Out The Door

The verdict is in: More and more baby boomers will be leaving the workplace sooner, rather than later. Many industries are predicting that between 25 and 45%... Read More

Close the Performance Gap

One of the most difficult and emotionally draining situations you face as business owners or executives is employees not meeting your expectations. How can you handle it... Read More

Managing Group Meetings

MANAGING SMALL MEETINGS: Keep the size of the meeting as small as possible. The larger the group, the more complicated communication becomes and the more garbled the... Read More

How To Jump Start Your Profits and Keep Your Profits Rolling

There are so many ways to jump start your prifits and keep your profit rolling. These top 20 ways are essential if you want to run a... Read More

Christmas Carol Coaching - Help to Get Ahead at Holiday Time!

I've always been fascinated by situations where art imitates real life and right here is a perfect example, which links Christmas and business & personal development.If you... Read More

Why Good Enough... Isnt

About a year ago, I had an opportunity to have dinner with the CEO of an engineering startup company in Pennsylvania. As we discussed engineering design matters... Read More

Looking through the Glass Ceiling - Women in Management

Women have made tremendous contributions to society at every level; consider Joan of Arc, Golda Meier, Indira Gandi, Condalezza Rice.In writing this article my attention is to... Read More

Are You Managing to Lead?

For many people, the terms "manager" and "leader" are synonymous. In the business world, they are often used interchangeably, i.e. "team leader", "team manager", "project manager" -... Read More

Workplace Violence - People are Dying Going to Work

Workplace violence has become a tragic reality today. From minor instances of harassment to homicide today's workplace is littered with danger.Violence can be described as the unjust... Read More

Keep Your Good Workers by Building Good Leaders

A recent report from the American Hospital Association's Commission on the Workforce asked healthcare workers key questions about the performance of their front line managers. The study... Read More

Dont Sweat the Small Stuff with Your Credit Policy

Do you know how many customers you have that are past due right now? How many bad checks are sitting on your desk that you don't know... Read More

Use Every Weapon You Have

One of the strongest weapons available allows business, non-profit and association managers to begin changing the behaviors of their key external audiences in ways that lead directly... Read More

Don?t Get Down ? Manage Up!

"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him." - Aldous HuxleyEver have one of those supervisors... Read More

The Communications Myth

Living in the 21st Century is truly marvelous, isn't it? We live in a world of instant communications where everything we need to know is right at... Read More

Human Resources: The Misidentified Subject

Interest in the field of human resources has exploded in recent years due to the promises it offers for a better understanding of human beings at work.... Read More

Integrity... Should It Matter?

In our fast paced work culture, manned by technology savvy generation in a globally competitive environment, quality and productivity became the battle cry of corporations to stay... Read More

Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: Team Dynamics and Communication

This article relates to the Team Dynamics competency, which evaluates interpersonal communication, cooperation, and productivity between members of a single team, group, or department within your organization.... Read More

25 Super-Practical Steps to Build Your Business!

For the past several weeks, we have focused on some wonderful but (to my way of thinking) rather fancy ideas about life. I wrote about motivation (I... Read More

Dividing The Loot

It is when the going gets better, that the going gets tough. This enigmatic sentence bears explanation: when a firm is in dire straits, in the throes... Read More

The Paradox of Job Enrichment

Ellen was a clerk working for a large insurance company. One day, she spotted a glaring discrepancy in a form she was typing. Through a simple error,... Read More

Hire The Person, Not The Resume

"? [get] the right people on the bus, the right people in the right seats (and the wrong people off the bus) and then [figure] out where... Read More

Ten Secrets of Super Successful Meeting Planners

Whoever said that being a meeting planner was easy, lied! Rather, it should be classified under the tough and demanding job category. But, along with being tough,... Read More