I have been in a formal leadership position supervising people for over 20 years. I still wonder how anyone thought I was ready for that role in those early days. Looking back, I realize I knew absolutely nothing of what it would take to be effective in my job.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about those starting up in their first supervisor, team leader or manager role. We've seen significant changes in the workplace after the pandemic which includes hiring a large number of people in a short period of time and having many leaders relatively new in their roles. Some of my clients are also in this stage of their lives. Some of them are new parents or thinking about starting a family. And yes, the vast majority are women.
There are so many resources available for new managers. In fact, it can be overwhelming for them, their direct manager and the HR department to determine a learning and development plan.
As I reflected on this day to day challenge many of us face (whether you are the new manager or the senior leader), I decided to use the power of three to simplify the answer to the question: How do you know if you are an effective manager?
Clarity regarding goals and expectations: Anyone managing people needs to be clear about the goals the team needs to accomplish and/or the individual goals team members are responsible for. They also need to deliberately outline expectations that might not be goals related. For example, as your manager, I encourage you to make as many decisions without consulting with me as you are able to; I prefer that you limit the amount of emails you send me and instead, you save most questions for our 1-on-1 meeting, etc.
In public service, we don't have sales targets to meet and many times, the goals can lack specificity. With time, an effective manager will develop the skills to take something broad and outline specific outcomes the team can work towards.
No one wants a micromanager or an absent manager. Be someone who is clear, your direct reports will appreciate that.
Provide your team with the tools, resources, systems and development opportunities they need to reach the goals and performance expectations set. And then, get out of the way! Yes, I mean that. As a manager, it is no longer about your technical expertise that got you the job. It is now up to the team to get the work done with your support, of course. Disconnect from the how and let them figure it out. That doesn't mean that you can let them go down a path that does not make sense. Your role is to coach and mentor them to reach those goals and expectations. You might be surprised to see that their solution is far better than what you would have come up with. This step is crucial and that's where most new managers get it wrong, inadvertently creating a team culture where people don't feel valued and don't contribute as much as they could.
Provide feedback and determine what might be needed to get them to the next level. Basically, make a note of what went well and what didn't as the team worked on reaching those goals. Were they maybe lacking certain skills, is it possible that one of the systems in place is not the best? In what areas could each individual develop further and what can you do as a manager to facilitate that? This part is not only about acknowledging someone for their contribution, it is also about noticing what is needed to help them reach their next level which in turn will benefit you and the rest of the team and the organization.
This three part process is a loop. The more your practice each part, the more effective you will become.
I'd love to hear which one of the three you struggle with the most or, if you are a senior leader, where do you think the managers that report to you could use some help.
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