This Tip looks at four additional challenges newly promoted managers need to meet, including authority limitations, lack of support, etc.
There are many potential mine fields when an individual contributor is promoted to a managerial position.
If you are a newly promoted manager, here are #7-#11 of the 11 challenges you may face- and how you can meet those challenges.
Four Additional Challenges Newly Promoted Managers Need to Meet
Note that the To Do’s include a variety of suggestions. Select what makes sense for you.
7.Authority limitations
If you work in software, you frequently lack direct authority over all stakeholders.
Since you have to depend on other teams, architects or product managers, this means that you will have to influence and negotiate with them to get things done.
To Do:
- Emphasize a common purpose to motivate the stakeholders to openly communicate and collaborate.
- Actively listen and tactfully respond to the other stakeholders’ concerns and recommendations.
- Try to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement when dissention occurs.
8.Technical /managerial balance
You have to stay technically sharp while still growing as a people leader. This can be overwhelming.
To Do:
- Develop and rely on time management and delegation skills.
- Make a conscious effort to avoid doing what is easiest before anything else.
- In your case, this will probably be the technical side of things.
- Be careful not to prioritize your technical knowledge over your leadership responsibilities.
- They are both equally important.
9.Career development
Your team’s growth is now your responsibility.
Mentor junior software engineers, provide timely and constructive feedback, and work with team members to develop personal career development plans.
There are many ways to help your team grow professionally.
To Do:
- Consider shadowing, cross-training, or mentoring.
- Have a team member sit with you to watch how you handle certain tasks (with the intention of delegating that task in the future).
- If you have a training budget, use it to bring in training or send staff out to training.
- If your budget is limited or non-existent, schedule lunch and learns so junior staff can learn from senior staff.
- Check online training opportunities.
- Have staff take advantage of webinars on relevant topics.
10.Lack of support and training
You may receive only minimal training or coaching for your role.
As a result, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsupported.
To Do:
- Ask to attend leadership training programs and leadership conferences.
- Suggest an internal leadership training series that all managers can attend.
- Among the series’ activities, have a panel of seasoned leaders who can share their wisdom.
- Find a mentor from among the more seasoned leaders.
- Ask for an executive coach.
- Form a peer learning group with other leaders, both seasoned and new, where you can meet regularly to discuss current challenges.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a more seasoned leader.
- Tell your own manager when you need more advice, direction, or support.
11.Letting go
You may find it difficult to let go of direct control over tasks.
To Do:
- Recognize that your role and responsibilities have changed.
- Become comfortable with delegation.
- Be aware that there are ways to monitor and retain oversight of the delegated task without micromanaging.
- If time permits, it’s all right to keep your hand in, as long as you’re not doing something one of the staff should be doing.
In summary, none of the transitional challenges that newly promoted managers face are insurmountable. They just require awareness and constructive action.
The ability to delegate comes up quite frequently in the offered To Do’s.
If this is an area of difficulty for you, I can help.
Schedule a free 30 minute strategy session using http://bit.ly/44yLO5l so I can show you how to delegate comfortably and effectively.
