It's
a common scenario: A managerial position becomes available and is
filled by a top performer with minimal or no previous management
experience. Yet it makes sense. Shouldn't a top performer be able to
easily make the transition to manager? Shouldn't that person be able to
guide others to his or her same level of productivity? The answer is a
100 percent, absolute maybe.
While
top performers likely have solid domain skills, coupled with a strong
motivation to succeed, there's a good chance they have not been afforded
sufficient opportunity to develop effective management techniques. For
some, these skills can be learned on the job. For others, the
consequences of a poor managerial fit can be significant in terms of
lost productivity and morale for the new manager and his or her direct
reports.
Therefore,
prior to promoting a top performer with minimal or no managerial
experience, assess the candidate's strengths and forward-looking
potential in nine core areas of effective management.
This
analysis can ensure consistently smooth management transitions and keep
a company operating at peak performance as it identifies whether a top
performer is ready to lead now, is better-suited for some limited
managerial experiences and additional training, or perhaps has a skill
set and disposition that will only thrive in an individual contributor
role. Consider: Can the new manager execute these nine core skills?
1. Move from tactical to strategic.
Is
the employee ready to let go of his or her day-to-day responsibilities
and play a more conceptual or strategic role? Some managers believe they
need to understand every last detail of what their employees are
working on.
Commonly referred to as "micro-managing,"
this type of behavior can make otherwise content employees burn out and
leave a company. For a top performer who excels at the tactical level,
managing others to achieve the same level of success may not seem as
fulfilling.
Is
the employee prepared for this potential shock? Many top performers are
capable of the transition from tactical to strategic thinking, provided
they have access to the right resources, such as a mentor or applicable
management training courses.
2. Defend the team.
Is
the employee ready to defend his or her new direct reports and support
them in public? Is the employee ready to be a leader? Leaders absorb
rather than deflect criticism. Leaders push praise downward to their
employees and proactively look for ways to portray their direct reports
in a positive light.
In short, leaders have a deep understanding of the phrase, "praise in public, condemn in private."
Lots of top performers have healthy, competitive egos. Don't assume
that deflecting praise and supporting direct reports is a natural
instinct for new managers.
3. Build trusting relationships.
Can
the employee develop a strong, trusting relationship that engenders
compassion and prudent responses to change? As a cautionary tale,
"Jerry" really enjoyed working for a manager until the reasons behind
some recent absences came into question.
Jerry's
son was in and out of the hospital, and thus, he needed to unexpectedly
miss some work during a two-week period. Rather than show compassion
and understanding, Jerry's manager accused him of interviewing. The
manager's paranoia quickly became a self-fulfilling prophecy, as Jerry
decided it wasn't worth working for someone who so quickly questioned
his integrity. Jerry's example illustrates the risk associated with
promoting a top performer before understanding his or her ability to
trust and respect others.
4. Delegate.
Does the employee know how to assign work and shepherd that work through to completion? Consider the following scenario:
Manager:
"[Employee], I need you to do X. I need this done because of Y. I'd
really like to have this work completed by Z. Do you have any questions?
Was this clear?"
Employee: "Got it."
Manager: "Great. Please let me know if you need any additional help."
This
seems simple. Employees like to understand what work is expected of
them, why the work is important, and when the work should be completed.
Once the assignment is given, managers can use a variety of actions to
stay on top of progress, including daily check-ins, one-on-one meetings
and regular staff meetings. This example is deceptively easy; yet, in
the frantic pace of business, this type of clear, concise, two-way
communication often is lost.
5. Teach and mentor.
In
the event that assignments require additional help or instruction, does
the top performer embrace the idea of teaching and mentoring? Does he
or she have the patience to answer employees' questions respectfully, in
detail, more than once? Managers who return employee questions with an
impatient or arrogant tone will eventually find they have fewer
questions to answer, as employees will be more reluctant to expose their
weaknesses or challenge ideas.
Managers
who answer employee questions in an unassuming, non-condescending
manner will be able to foster and sustain open communication channels
that are vital for employee development and team productivity.
6. Admit mistakes.
Does
the employee know how to apologize or acknowledge a mistake? For
example, a new manager arrogantly corrects an employee in a
cross-functional meeting and subsequently learns the employee's
assertion was accurate. Does the manager have the self-awareness and
willingness to admit the mistake not only to the employee but also to
the other meeting participants? This is necessary to help restore
cross-functional trust in the employee who the manager publicly and
erroneously contradicted. These corrective steps will be appreciated by
most employees. On the other hand, if the manager doesn't take these
steps, he or she will quickly lose the team's respect.
7. Leverage others' strengths.
Is
the employee threatened by colleagues who have greater subject matter
expertise? For a newly promoted manager, there is an increased
likelihood that certain employees will know more about a specific
domain. For example, a new vice president of brand marketing may be
asked to manage the product marketing group, as well. Is this vice
president willing to roll up his or her sleeves and learn about that
group on a tactical level?
Rather
than hide from knowledge they don't have, the best managers ask the
right questions to understand their employees' day-to-day
responsibilities. By doing so, effective managers can engage subject
matter experts to provide a well-articulated recommendation and then
implement, adjust or reject that proposal based upon their sense of how
it fits into the broader company strategy.
8. Manage each employee.
Can
the new manager alter his or her managerial approach by direct report?
Does the prospective manager have a one-size-fits-all management style,
or does he or she recognize that individuals may need to be managed
differently? Employees with young children are likely to request time to
attend school events or unexpectedly miss work due to a child's
illness.
Younger,
single employees may be hungry to prove themselves by offering to own
too much work. Can the potential manager recognize the employees'
motivational differences and alter his or her managerial style
accordingly? The best managers hold everyone on the team accountable for
expected behaviors and results, while also understanding and
capitalizing on the individual motivations of each team member.
9. Take time to manage.
Has
the company given the new manager the time needed to actually manage?
If a top performer has moved from individual contributor to managing a
group of five or seven people, for example, there is undoubtedly a need
to scale back on tactical, role-based activities to find the pulse of
his or her new team.
A
managerial role requires building a rapport, delegating
responsibilities and architecting a team's broader long-term strategy.
When promoted, many top performers will initially carve out more work
time per day to ambitiously try to handle their legacy tasks and their
newly acquired role. This early push is not sustainable. The new
manager, and the company, will need to understand and be receptive to
the fact that his or her individual responsibilities should now account
for no more than 50 percent of work time, and likely much less.
Each
of these nine components of effective management requires organization
commitment and an adjustment period in order to achieve a smooth
transition, best fit and continued productivity for new managers and
their employees. However, there often is more accountability for the
organization regarding this ninth and final point.
Are
top performers expected to manage effectively and maintain their
previous workloads? Or are they given the time they need to manage their
new direct reports? Providing employees with a manager's title without
supplying enough time for them to actually manage is a fruitless
exercise.
The Case for Careful Selection
There
are potential consequences of not incorporating these nine dimensions
into the managerial selection process. Ineffective managers can alienate
other departments, or worse, their employees, which can lead to
significantly reduced group productivity and increased attrition. As
merit budgets tighten and companies try to do more with less, the
cascading effects of a toxic manager pose an even greater threat to
organizational success.
Top-performing
individuals don't necessarily become top-performing managers. To
succeed, new managers require time, training and guidance. Management
consultants may never reach full agreement on the components of
effective management, but these nine core skills comprise a practical
evaluation of a top performer's readiness to manage and a company's
readiness to prepare employees for this next step.
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Jitendra Singh
