How to be a manager

Who’d want to be a manager? After all, dealing with difficult people, solving disputes and taking on more responsibility comes with the territory.

But being promoted to a managerial position is one of the best ways to climb the career ladder, and get a fatter pay cheque to boot.

So if you’ve recently shifted into the hot seat, what’s the best way to step confidently into your new role, without feeling like an imposter?

Leadership expert Sally Foley-Lewis says there are usually a few common challenges for first-time managers.

First, if it’s a promotion within your company, there’s a fear of delegating certain tasks. Will anyone be able to do that task as well as you?

Then there’s the awkward reality of being promoted above the people you might usually enjoy Friday night drinks with.

“In Australia particularly, when new managers have been promoted within the company … they struggle with the fact that now they have to manage their mates,” says Foley-Lewis.

“It’s good to have a pretty open and honest conversation that goes ‘hey, I got this job, how are we going to make this work’?”

If one of your workmates went for the same job, but didn’t get it, it’s even more vital to address the “elephant in the room”, says Foley-Lewis.

“You could say, ‘I’m really sorry you didn’t get it and I appreciate this probably bites a little bit … what do you want us to do to move forward? Now that I’m in this role, how can I help you get a similar role’?”

Likewise, it pays to take the right approach when providing feedback, says Foley-Lewis.

“Talking about the task or the outcome or something, rather than getting personal, is really important,” she says. “Don’t attack the person. It’s about the behaviour, the task, the performance.”

Asking questions such as ‘what are you going to do to turn this around?’ turns it into a conversation, rather than a direction, she says.

Lucy Allen, career coach at The Graceful Collective, says treading lightly in your first days or weeks is a good way of giving everyone time to adapt.

“When you start a new job or a new position you don’t need to come in immediately and start making dramatic changes.”

But one thing that should be dealt with quickly is difficult situations with your staff, says Allen. “Often there can be a real nervousness about that. But the longer we leave it the more challenging it is to get on top of negative behaviour.”

Allen recommends having direct conversations when needed, but keeping your tone positive and professional.

Giving real-life examples of outcomes that you expect from staff in the future is an ideal approach, she says. Practice the conversation beforehand, and put some thought into it.

It’s also important to be able to accept feedback, and to realise you’re not going to be the perfect manager on day one, says Allen. After all, what better way of learning than on the job?

Allen believes a key factor of being a successful manager is to have a “growth mindset” – both for your own role, and for your employees.

If someone isn’t performing up to scratch, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a bad employee, she says.

If your staff member is lacking in confidence, she recommends talking to them about it, and providing positive words of encouragement.

However, if it’s a lack of competence, it’s more about identifying the skill gaps and sending them off for internal training – perhaps to shadow someone in another department– or more formalised training elsewhere.

A major factor for any manager is staying resilient under pressure, and Allen says you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for other managers’ support when you need it.

Foley-Lewis agrees, and recommends seeking out a mentor that can help you improve on any skills you may be lacking.

“If I’m not very good at delegating, I want to find someone who is a good delegator,” she says. “Don’t think it has to be in the organisation you’re in. It can be a past boss, a boss in your network or your industry.”

She says most people are quite happy to be a mentor. “Someone’s probably helped them to get to where they are; this is their way of paying it forward.”