Being a new manager can be frustrating for many. Here are a few tips on what to focus on during your first 12 months as a new manager.
- Create a Culture of Respect and High Performance – Create an environment where your team will want to do their best work.Build mutual trust, eliminate fear, reward innovation, challenge your team to have positive conflict to solve problems, reward your team for excellence, and teach them to quickly learn from mistakes.
- Build a Dynasty Worthy Team – We’ve all seen dynasties in sports, like the Yankees, Celtics, Steelers, and Canadians. Those teams became dynasties that dominated their sports for decades by building teams with talent and encouraging all members of the team to pursue team goals ahead of individual achievement. You must do the same by hiring people who are talented enough to excel in the job you’re hiring them for, and the next two jobs after that. Teach your teammates to perform at a very high level and motivate them by encouraging them on their actions which are consistent with your company’s values. Teams have to learn to win as a team.
- Hold Your Team Accountable for Their Results – Without results, there is little reason to persist in business. Hold everyone on the team accountable with the same standards as you, will ensure that all remain engaged and challenged to do their best work every day. If you have a track record of recognizing and rewarding outstanding performances, people will trust in the fairness of your leadership. If you demonstrate a willingness to address poor performance with professionalism, every member of the team will be motivated to work as a part of the team and trust that all teammates are rowing in the same direction, with the same commitment and effort.
- Encourage Your Team to Work for a Cause with You –In my experience, people want to be challenged to become their best, and they want to work toward more than just a living. When you define a mission and a vision for what the team can become and accomplish, and help them visualize the great success that winning for the cause will deliver, you will be amazed by how dedicated they will become in making it happen. When your team understands “why” it’s so important to do a great job and help the team win, they will carry you to victory.
- Coach Your Team to Success – Be a Leader, set an example, and view yourself as a coach, not just as a boss.If you want to be a successful leader, you will need to provide training that ensures performance and success. You will also need to drive your team to continue to develop skills and experiences that will drive future success in their careers. You will also need to occasionally confront struggling colleagues to inspire them to improve their performance. Learn to be a mentor and coach your employees to prepare them to be their best selves. Don’t use your authority to manage them. Use your skill as a teacher and a motivator to lead them!
Focus on these 5 leadership objectives for your first year as a manager and you’ll quickly ascend to leader status and begin to earn a loyal following from your team.
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