So, let’s break it down a bit and look at a few basic steps that will help us be effective in our new role.
First, let’s remember that the manager that we’re replacing, the one whose department we now feel needs a lot of changing, came in with the same good intentions we have. Humbleness is a good thing.
This job is not easy so the first thing we need to learn and continually get better at is patience. The speed of growth is slow, the speed of destruction is immediate i.e. bull in a china shop. Our patience will be tested against some mighty strong winds.
Next is emotional control. As a new manager we will get frustrated, exhausted and disappointed. How will we handle ourselves when we feel that way? It is so damaging when we lose our cool and say something like “This is so frustrating, why isn’t this getting done or figured out!”. Or we emotionally cave-in and say something like, “It’s OK, no problem, I’ll just take care of it”.
And to round it out, the impact we make with staff is determined by how we show up for staff. Growth, for us, is recognizing managing is about supporting, guiding, providing, not control. Our managing impact is determined by what example we set, our enthusiasm, our basic human caring and our love of what we do is expressed throughout our workday.
This is a good start. Remember that learning has a starting point but no ending point. Yes, it will be messy starting out, all learning curves are, as we continue to settle in, grow and develop. As is said, “we don’t want our time as a manager to be determined by how many times we fall down but by how many times we pick ourselves up.”
Managing well is an important offering in the world.
Thank you for your willingness and efforts!