Being promoted to management is a huge accomplishment and an indication that someone has noticed the good work you are doing. If you are fortunate, your promotion has come with increased pay and perks (are company cars still a thing?), and your new title will hopefully create new, exciting opportunities for you. This is all cause for celebration. At the same time, if your organization is like most, you have likely been promoted based on your performance and skill in your past role rather than your potential performance and interest in your new role as a supervisor. I wonder, during the process of selection, did anyone ask you if you wanted to supervise other people? Did anyone assess your capability and commitment to leading a team? Further, did they do anything to prepare you for it? Unfortunately, less than half of new managers receive any training or support in their supervisory roles leaving them underprepared and in most cases, overwhelmed. Is this where you are? What are you doing about it?
As you prepare for your new role as manager, here are some important things to keep in mind.
SUPERVISING OTHER PEOPLE IS DIFFICULT AND TAKES TIME TO DO WELL
Supervising other people well is a skill like any other. Why we expect people to do it naturally without any training or guidance is beyond me. Imagine implementing a new database at work and just hoping that everyone figures it out. The truth is, there is a lot that goes into becoming a strong leader. This includes the development of a multitude of skills, as well as the cultivation of a leadership mindset. This shift is often a significant and uncomfortable one, and many managers choose not to make it. Will you? As Jack Welsh famously said, “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” Are you able to make this shift? Are you committed to growing your team? And what about that team? Are you managing them all exactly the same or have you recognized the importance of treating them as the individuals they are with their own personalities, goals, strengths and working styles? In addition to developing these individuals, how are you developing your team? How are you building relationships with each and with all? How will you ever learn to do it all well?
SUPERVISING OTHER PEOPLE GETS EASIER- IF YOU SO CHOOSE
The adage about leaders being born and not made is being replaced by the idea that leaders can be developed through training, coaching and support. It is true that some leadership skills and traits come more naturally to some than others, but it is also true that anyone can become a stronger leader if they choose. But you have to choose. If you invest the time and resources to getting better, you will. But if you lack both the interest and motivation to get better, you won’t. So ask yourself, are you willing to invest the necessary time, energy and resources into developing yourself as a leader? Are you committed to your new role and doing it well? Are you willing to put your team first and prioritize their needs over your own? Are you willing to take more than your share of the blame and less of the share of the credit? Are you comfortable knowing that your decision to grow as a leader will require constant and consistent effort and intention? Are you willing to do what it takes?
MANAGING IS A MINDSET
Developing leadership skills is a necessary but insufficient component of becoming an effective supervisor. At the core of effective leadership is cultivating a leadership mindset. This mindset is centered on the beliefs that:
1) Your team is your priority
2) It is your role to support, develop and recognize your team members
3) Becoming an effective leader requires time, energy and intentionality
If you keep these beliefs at the center of your work, you are already well on your way. The skills will come with time and practice, but the mindset must be there throughout. Do you already have it? If not, are you willing to cultivate it?
SKILLS MATTER TOO
A proper leadership mindset is the foundation of successful management, but it is a shaky one if you don’t have the skills you need to supervise properly. There are many of these skills, some of which you already have and others you will need to develop. Many are skills you have used before becoming a supervisor- prioritizing, organization, communication, time management- and others you may be using for the first time- particularly the skills of giving feedback and delegating. There are lots of trainings, webinars, mentors, books, coaches and workshops to help develop these skills. If you are serious about being successful in your new role, you will need to invest in them. Is this something you are willing to do? How will you go about it? What skills do you already have? Which ones do you need to develop? How do you know? What is your plan?
YOU MUST COMMIT TO YOUR TEAM
When you become a manager you will likely still have other tasks and responsibilities. Too often, these tasks and responsibilities take precedence over the time needed to lead your team effectively. To manage successfully, you will need to learn how to balance your many tasks and responsibilities. But to truly lead, you will need to prioritize your staff. In many cases you will have to choose, and you need to choose your team. Their needs, their development, their satisfaction, their support must come first. They are the backbone of your organization and their success is your organization’s success. You will need to learn how to delegate and effectively manage your time to make this work. Are you willing to do this? Can you put your team’s needs above your own? Can you advocate with your own supervisor to make sure your team is properly supported? Are you willing to put yourself on the line for them?
YOU MUST COMMIT TO YOUR GROWTH
Like any skill, learning how to be an effective supervisor never really ends. To become and remain strong, you need to commit to your growth throughout your career and continue to invest the time and resources into developing and honing your skills. This includes actively seeking and implementing feedback from those above and below you and changing with the times as necessary. It means being humble and honest about where you are and where you need to be. It is a dedication to yourself as well as to your team to become the best supervisor you can be. Are you committed to this? Are you willing to open yourself up to direct and honest feedback about your performance? Are you prepared to invest time, energy and resources into your growth?
YOU WON’T BE A GOOD SUPERVISOR IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE A GOOD SUPERVISOR
Learning the right skills and investing in your growth will help you become a stronger supervisor but it will never make you a great one if you don’t care. Your team can quickly tell the difference between a true commitment to them and a haphazard one. On the other hand, embracing your role and truly dedicating yourself to it will be obvious to your team and they will respond accordingly. So ask yourself, honestly ask yourself, do you want to be a supervisor? Are you motivated by the opportunity to work with and develop a team? Does the managerial part of your job excite and drive you? Do you want to be a good supervisor?
IT’S OKAY IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE A SUPERVISOR
Because most people work in organizations where becoming a supervisor comes with higher rank and pay, many people who don’t want to be supervisors are left with the unenviable choice of staying in a lower position or becoming a reluctant supervisor. It is a tough choice and I don’t envy anyone facing it. It is important to consider that, if you don’t want to be a supervisor, the rank and pay may not be worth the extra work and responsibility that being a supervisor entails. If you can, stay true to your gifts and interests and find a position that gives you the rank and pay you desire without the responsibility of being a supervisor. Not easy I know. But not impossible either.
Being a supervisor is a responsibility and an opportunity to affect true change. Becoming a strong supervisor is not an automatic process but instead requires great investment and time. This investment is well worth it when you appreciate the importance of what you are doing, you take the role seriously and you do it well. If, on the other hand, you lack the drive or interest to be a supervisor, the role will quickly drain and discourage you. It is important as you being your managerial journey and throughout it to ask yourself if this is a role you are committed to doing well. If the answer is yes, make that commitment and stick to it. if the answer is no, do something about it rather than shortchange those you have been charged to serve. Either way, there is always support to help you along the way. When you are ready for that support, we are ready to provide it. Contact us anytime. We cannot wait to work with you!
If you would like more support to become a stronger supervisor, we invite you to join our value-packed, self-paced virtual course, From Struggling Supervisor to Thriving Leader. This course will give you everything you need to better support your staff while becoming a stronger leader. Start today and revisit the material as mnay times as is helpful. Click the photo below for more information.
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