Advice for first time managers

DDI Australia general manager Mark Busine believes managers should be well trained and multi-skilled. Picture by Nicole Cleary.

MANAGING TIPS

If you've just been given your first job managing staff sans advice, coaching or training listen up.

The modern manager is a communicator, collaborator, motivator and facilitator, according to Mark Busine, general manager of leadership consulting firm DDI Australia.
Busine says Australian employees worked best when they feel involved rather than dictated to. They also want to be told the reasons behind decisions.

"Australians tend to be more cynical than, say, workers in the US. To be committed we need more justification than just a vision statement,'' Busine said.
"That is a positive attribute, but it creates interesting challenges for managers.''

He said while the "command and control'' style of management was woefully out of date, it was still used when managers were poorly trained.
Poor productivity and staff retention were likely results, yet many companies left first-time managers to sink or swim, Busine said.

To add insult to injury, not only do many companies fail to provide people-management training, they complain about it.
DDI surveyed leaders and HR managers in Australia and New Zealand to find the majority lacked confidence in first and mid-tier managers.
The HR managers surveyed reported that 63 per cent of "leaders'' promoted failed and, in most cases, the reason was "personal or interpersonal'' issues.

Here are Busine's tips for success for new managers:

• Meet each individual privately and ask if they have any issues or concerns. Find out what excites and motivates them.
• Focus on earning people's respect, not on becoming everyone's friend.
• Be yourself; don't radically change your behaviour.
• Focus on doing the best job you can.
• Be honest about what you know and don't know.
• Be willing to listen to and value others' opinions.
• Treat everyone the same.
• If you have been elevated in your existing team, speak to team members to diffuse tension about your promotion.
• Resist the urge to share information inappropriately.
• Be understanding.

By Kate Southam, Editor of careerone.com.au

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