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7 Key Tips For Professional People Moving Into Management
The best performers in a particular profession are usually exceptionally good at what they do. As a result they often find themselves promoted into roles where the success they achieve no longer just depends on what they do but also on their ability to manage and get the best from others. For some it can be a struggle but often some simple things can make big differences to your success.
- Promote Yourself
- Find Out What Makes You And Your Team Members Tick
- Achieving deadlines
- Getting regular feedback
- Variety of projects
- Attendance at a training event or conference
- Get Some 360° Feedback
- Put A Development Plan In Place
- Make Time For Planning
- Get A Great Team To Support You
- Find A Mentor, Buddy Or Coach
This might seem like a strange tip, but you really do need to step into your new role and recognise you are doing a different job. One of the common mistakes people make is to spend 100… of their time doing all of the things they previously did, leaving no time to manage.
If you are to effectively motivate yourself and other team members, you need to understand what motivates. Remember that what motivates you might turn others off completely. Some potential motivators include:
One of the most powerful things you can do is to get some 360° feedback on your strengths and development needs. Pick a cross-section of bosses, peers and subordinates and ask them for feedback. If you self-assess and get feedback from others, you will get some clear insights.
As you move into a new role, you will have development needs. If you don’t, why have you taken the job? List out all of the skills, knowledge and personal attributes that you will need to perform at your best. Use you own and the 360° feedback to identify your development priorities. Use this information to set out quarterly development activities.
If you are going to successfully respond to competing demands, you need to make sure you are focusing on the activities that matter. Make time weekly and daily to look at where you are spending your time. Key to effective multi-tasking is to make sure that you are responding to immediate needs and laying foundations for the future. Setting out the work schedule for the next quarter is an example of laying foundations for the future.
Having the right people around you, doing what they do best, is essential. Make time early on to review your team. If you find you have square pegs in round holes, do something about it. While it might be tempting to just to ignore the problem, it is not a good long-term strategy. It might be that the person who is not right for your team could be ideal in another part of the organisation that will utilise their strengths.
When you move into management it can be a lonely existence. It can feel like you are carrying the load of everyone and not having any support yourself. Finding a mentor, buddy or coach can offer you the opportunity to talk confidentially with someone who can act as a sounding board for you. There could be someone in your organisation or a previous boss or colleague who might be able to fulfil the role.
The Bottom Line: At the end of the day, moving into management is a major change for internal auditors. By recognising the challenges and taking steps to address them, you can ensure that you make a smooth and effective transition.
Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people to become highly effective managers. He invites you to sign up for his free e-course, Management Mastery, at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk
About the Author Duncan Brodie
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.
