4 Ways to Prepare for a Management Role
The act of managing people is not a skill that can easily be obtained. There is a high amount of work and self-reflection that will need to be done to become the best manager you can be for your subordinates. I am in my late twenties and currently overseeing a team of assistants, and it is beyond difficult and challenging every single day. I am learning more about myself through this role, and over time I hope to become the leader I know I am capable of being. But that takes practice, dedication, and having the toolkit of what exactly is needed to step into a management role.
I am going to honest – I wasn’t prepared for the role I stepped into. I was not prepared to lead and the way I dealt with stress was unhealthy and debilitating. It is true that a manager is one who delegates, but also they are the overseer of certain tasks – so if mistakes happen it makes sense that you as a manager have to resolve and work through it with both upper management and your team. In a sense, you are the shield between those above you and the people who work under your supervision, and as that shield you must know yourself and continuously seek self-improvement. Having your team like you is only the half of it.
Know what your role requires
When stepping into a management role, the expectations will be different from what you were once used to. Understand what is required of you as both a supervisor and your individual job duties. Know who the important stakeholders are and who to collaborate with for each aspect of your job. Get a clear grasp of the functions of management, including hiring and staffing, training, performance evaluations, etc. And lastly, know the company’s strategy so you can build your team’s strategy and structure from it.
Know your subordinates and look after them
Knowing your team and creating trust within your team will help to build a more peaceful work environment. Of course, you will need to establish your authority and credibility as a new manager, but you also need to keep a balance by being able to listen to your team’s ideas and critiques. Your team will be full of people who will have their own lives and personal goals, and you will need to be able to meet each person where they are at. It is not a one size fits all type of position and being able to adapt to changes within your team and their workload is going to be vital.
I know I’ve had a situation where one of my assistants went from doing great work to suddenly making mistakes with many basic setups. Once we were able to have a conversation, I found out they had been having medical issues and were struggling with a new process that had been installed as well. They were able to open up to me on these issues because we had built that trust, and from there I was able to adjust their workload and when they left for medical leave, was able to re-assign their work and adapt to the new team dynamics. This is just one example, but such situations can happen often because life happens; and we’ll never know what is going on with someone unless we are open enough to ask rather than blame, and they are comfortable enough to tell us.
Know your Strengths, and seek support in areas you need improvement
Knowing what you are best at, or what works best for you in the workplace is imperative to being a good manager. However, recognizing your weakness and where you fall short is even more critical. Constantly self-reflecting and seeking to improve in your role will not just help you as a person, but also help in building your team. It is always good to ask for feedback when able to, especially from the people who work around you or your own team (if they are willing).
Asking your team for feedback and emphasizing that you want to improve as a manager can build trust and show that you are human too. I know many people look at their supervisor or boss as an entity who can easily have them fired, and that causes them to refrain from speaking up or giving criticism when needed. Still, asking for feedback is only part of it – you also need to be open to the feedback and willing to take forward what was said and actively improve upon yourself. This also applies to your team as well: know your team’s capabilities and what they may need more assistance in.
Delegate! Delegate!
Being able to delegate is essential, especially if you are a Type A personality like me, and just like to get the work done yourself for a variety of reasons. News flash: you can’t do everything by yourself, and even attempting to is the best way to self-sabotage your mental health and potentially your career. Delegating tasks is such an important role of management and being able to trust the people who work with you will help make your job much less stressful.
Also, being able to pass on certain tasks that you should not be doing will help you focus on your job role and strategizing next steps and goals for your team (this goes back to knowing your role and what is required). It also allows your subordinates to step up and learn new skills, as well as have agency over their work and not just feel as though they are being given nothing to do in the office because their manager does not ‘trust’ them. Although, to clarify, delegating does not mean passing all your responsibilities onto your team or giving them assignments you are required to do but don’t want to. There is a difference and being able to decipher that is important.
At the end of the day, remember it’s ok to make mistakes and not be completely ready for management. What is important is that you are willing to do better and be a better manager for your team, and for yourself. It can be a very difficult position to be in, but also incredibly rewarding.
Feel free to take a SWOT Analysis of Self to find out your current strengths and weakness.
