Promotions: From Employee to Manager

Promoting an employee to manager isn’t just beneficial for your employees but it is crucial for you, the business owner. It boosts morale, increases productivity and improves overall profits earned.

The promoted employee has proven they are capable of managing and motivating themselves, the task in the immediate future is to ensure that the same individual contributor will now successfully lead others on their team.

How can you help? Simple.

Meet with them regularly and coach them through the following steps of transition.

• Remind them of their existing strengths: The employee has proven that they can get the job done, now help them to be clear of their new expectations of orchestrating the work of others.
• Encourage over communication: First-time managers often underestimate the importance of sharing information with staff. Emphasize the importance of sharing the bigger picture as a way of helping employees to see the connection between their role and the success of the company.
• Help the employee to rely on their own unique way to lead: Help a new manager identify what they stand for and how they’ll help their team grow. Encourage them to envision a much admired manager or answer the question, “Why would anyone follow me?” Being themselves and focusing on their strengths is an important first step in any new manager’s leadership development.
• Recognize employees for a job well done: Coach the new manager on the importance of using frequent recognition as a way to foster a positive team environment.
• Encourage transparency: You know from your own experience that establishing a strong relationship with a team needs to happen quickly. The pressure of a promotion often puts a first-time leader into performance mode where they are overly concerned about productivity. But how do you teach someone what is second nature to yourself? With a tool called Making an Impact, new managers will have a compass on how to set up a meaningful initial staff meeting. The result, the team feeling more comfortable and confident with the change and the new manager building rapport with their team.

This proven, step-by-step process will help any new manager quickly build a solid working relationship with their staff. In one initial group meeting, not only will the manager feel empowered in their new position, but the overarching goals of your business will be accomplished in the long run.

Click the link to view our recent blog: For New Managers – Never Let Them See You Sweat! or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance and benefits.