Having effective, confident leaders is one of the most important factors in creating company success. For first-time managers, however, finding a leadership style and methods for management that are effective can be difficult. As a result, many companies find themselves in a state of constant turnover among mid-level and front-line managers that is bad for business.
If you are looking for ways in which you can ensure the first-time managers at your company are successful, it begins with understanding the challenges that are unique to that role. Typically, first-time managers struggle with feeling overwhelmed, learning how to communicate with other leaders within the company, and adopting a leadership mindset. Here we will discuss how you can help first-time managers address those challenges to ensure they are effective in their new role.
Provide Resources
Many first-time managers are hired not necessarily hired to their positions because they have direct experience leading other people, but because they have displayed that they possess leadership qualities. That does not mean, however, that first-time managers know and understand their own leadership style. You can help first-time managers find their leadership style by providing them with a leadership toolkit that helps them to explore different leadership styles and gives information on how to best provide feedback and instruction to the employees they are supervising.
Encourage Communication
In any leadership role, communication is key. For first time leaders, however, it is extremely important that they learn how and when to communicate. One-on-one meetings with employees, other supervisors, and company leadership can help in teaching these skills. Furthermore, if a manager (first-time or not) holds one-on-one meetings with the employees they are supervising it will help them to develop rapport which fosters a positive work culture.
Create Opportunities for Mentorship
For first-time managers to become great leaders, they need to learn directly from the best leaders at the company. Therefore, in order to ensure success among first-time manager mentorship programs are key. Weekly meetings that include feedback and guidance from well-respected leaders are a great means by which to create mentoring relationships. And, if the opportunity presents itself, it is always beneficial for an incoming manager to shadow or work with the manager they are replacing for a short period of time (as long as the outgoing manager is well respected).
Invest in Training
A good manager is an engaged manager and one method that can be used to keep managers engaged is offering them opportunities for training and continuing education. When leaders are given the opportunity to better themselves through further education they are able to contribute more to the company and also feel as though they are appreciated and recognized for their efforts. Many successful companies offer opportunities for managers to earn degrees or certifications that are professionally beneficial.
By implementing these practices for ensuring success among first-time managers, companies invest in the future of their company by growing good leaders – leaders that will hopefully stick around for the long-haul.