Five Challenges Faced By New Managers
Consider this scenario – a management position becomes available in your company, and you decide to promote from within. Your new Manager is eager, passionate and full of potential. They are excited and enthusiastic about their new role, but are they suitably equipped to enter the unknown?
You may have experienced this scenario yourself during your career, and if you manage a business you’ll know that leading a team can sometimes be challenging and complex. As a business owner though, you have got a responsibility to support your new Manager and help them to navigate the challenges.
The first step is anticipating the struggles that they experience …
Transitioning from co-worker to Manager
Your new Manager no doubt already has working relationships with many of the people they are now responsible for managing. They might socialise together at weekends, and have friendships outside of the office. A promotion can disturb the status quo, and this can leave your Manager and their team feeling a little unsettled.
Juggling the new responsibilities
Prior to promotion, the new Manager knew what was expected of them, and probably only had to focus on meeting their own targets and deadlines. Without support and guidance, a new Manager can often feel like they have bitten off more than they can chew. Not only do they have their own work to do, but they now also have their management responsibilities which can seem overwhelming and stressful.
The art of delegation
As an inexperienced Manager it can often feel daunting to delegate work, and a more attractive option can be to try and do everything yourself. Any Manager who has tried this will know that it quickly leads to burn out, and it’s not a productive or sustainable way to operate. Delegation is most effective when there is a clear workflow in place, and the Manager clearly communicates what is expected of the team.
Change for change sake
A new manager is often over enthusiastic; they are keen to prove themselves and make a good impression and will look for ways to improve the productivity and effectiveness of the business. Whilst this attribute has to be admired, there is a balance to be struck and changes need to be carefully thought through, planned and communicated before implementation.
There’s no shame in asking for help
Managing people is tough, even for Managers with years of experience. There will always be new challenges to deal with, situations that are out of your comfort zone, and issues that seem impossible to handle effectively. If your new Manager doesn’t ask for help when they’re struggling, or they don’t have an appropriate support network in place, then things can quickly spiral out of control.
Becoming a Manager is an exciting time for your employee, and they will want to impress and prove to you that you made the right decision. But as an employer, you need to take the time to think about how you’ll help them to navigate these challenges. Your approach will largely come down to the individual, existing policies and procedures and the development path that you offer to your staff.
Are you confident that you’re fulfilling your responsibility when it comes to managing the career progression of your future leaders?
If you’d like to have an informal discussion about how we can help you to develop and support your new Managers, please get in touch by completing the Contact Form or calling us on 01604 763494 to arrange your no-obligation discussion.
