Promoting New Managers? Tell Them What to Expect

As an HR professional, you are often directly responsible for selecting employees to move into management positions. Even when you don't make the decision yourself, it's likely that you are involved in the selection process. You can help your company and your employees by taking steps to be certain that the people that you choose for promotion into supervisory positions have a clear vision of exactly what they're getting into before they decide whether or not to step up into this type of job. Three Tips to Prepare New Managers for Change When discussing a potential change from a line level position to a supervisory role, it's up to you to be sure that the person who is being considered for promotion has a realistic idea of just how things will change. Here are a few things that you need to be sure to explain to potential new supervisors: • Change in Focus - The focus changes for employees who move into supervisory roles. Rather than concentrating on the quality of their own work and productivity levels, new supervisors will become responsible for directing and coaching other people. Delegation, performance management and big picture thinking are essential for supervisory success. • Listening Skills Are Key - Managers spend more time listening than anything else. Supervisors must maintain open lines of communication with their employees, and this means that listening is an essential - and time consuming - function of any supervisory position. • Coworker Relationship Changes - When transitioning to a supervisory role, new managers will find that their co-workers treat them differently. It's hard going from employee to supervisor - for the new manager as well as the rnformer peers who are now subordinates. By stressing these points to potential new supervisors, you will be providing them with important information that can help them make wise decisions about whether or not moving into a management job is really the right choice.