Congratulations! All your hard work has finally paid off and you have been promoted to manager! It’s your chance to show your real worth by leading your team of employees onward to greatness! It’s a very exciting prospect, but it can also be a bit overwhelming, there’s often a big difference between the daily realities of managing a group of people and what they might have taught you in business school. Here are some tried and true tips to help you get used to being at the helm and ensure you stay at the top!
Scheduling – It sounds so simple, Employee A will work the A shift, then Employee B will come to work the B Shift, and so on, right? The only thing is, Employee A has requested time off for family matters, and Employee B has called in sick! What to do? The answer is to have a good back up plan in place that includes the flexibility needed to handle the unexpected. Employee C just loves some overtime. Perfect! One great tool to use is the digital miracle of modern roster management software that can save you a lot of headaches when it comes to making your staffing plans!
Delegating – You are no longer just another worker ticking off items on your daily to-do list, now you are the one writing those to-do lists and passing them out to your workers! You have a lot of new responsibilities, yes, but you also have the power to delegate a portion to staff members who have the right skills and training. Make sure everyone can pitch in in their own unique way, and don’t be afraid to give some orders to do things they might not be accustomed to doing- they are expecting you to lead, and for the most part will be eager to follow, especially if you are confident and fair in the demands you place on them. When everyone’s contribution is vital, you have succeeded in building a great team that can do great work together.
Listening – Several recent employee surveys suggest that the most important trait of a manager whom they respect and enjoy working for is the art of listening. Everyone is an individual with individual needs, opinions, and contributions to make. A good manager is also a good listener and will take the time to hear what their employees are telling them and take it into account. No one knows their jobs better than the people who do them, they might very well have some useful things to contribute!
History has shown us that the best leaders are the ones who are willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in with the dirty work. Sure, maybe you don’t have to spend all day digging, but if you pick up a shovel once in a while it earns you a lot of respect, respect that will come in handy when you need to make the really tough calls!