Transition

After remaining employed at a company for a while one may find themselves being promoted or hired into a new position. For some, a period of change from one job title to another can be rapid and smooth. While for others, this period of change can serve up its own heathy dose of obstacles and issues to prevent a smooth sailing transition period. But what are the causes of a rough transition? Often times new managers lack the support that they require in order to be a successful manager. This is sometimes due to resentment of the new manager due to the promotion. When co-workers witness themselves being passed up for a managerial spot, especially when the company hires in house, it can spur negative feelings and grudging compliance. Another reason the transition period is difficult is because managing and being an individual contributor are different tasks entirely. While becoming a top performer in the company takes a certain level of grit and determination, becoming a manager takes an entirely different skill set for the job to be done ethically and efficiently. Managing takes a lot more humility because you are often delegating tasks to others that you’ve already done time and time again. As we can see, a lot of agony can be present for the new manager because of how little lower titled job’s do, in order to prepare you for a managerial future.

How can we ease tension in this transitional period? Our text presents us with four essential skills that should be cultivated by a new manager. The first tip is titled “Letting go of doing”. This tip speaks to how the new manager must remember that they are in a new role. They used to be the contributor to their department and they must now turn the reigns over to those below them. The second tip is titled “Knowing what managers do”. This requires the new manager to take a step back and observe the scope of their work. Are they delegating tasks to the correct employees? Do they understand their coworkers talents and weaknesses? Are they instituting goals that push their teams capabilities but remain reachable? Are they cultivating leadership potential within their team in order to prevent rough transitions in the future? Al of these questions help the manager get a feel for where they are as a manager and where they must direct the most attention to when beginning. The next tip is titled “Measuring managerial success“. Rather than focusing on personal productivity, a manger must focus on team wide performance. They must learn to promote an environment that allows their team to operate efficiently, both as a unit and as individuals. The final tip is titled “Crossing boundaries”. This tip speaks to the load of communication that stems from being a manager. Instead of being held responsible for your own personal contribution, you are now help responsible for the entire operation. This means that new managers must learn to communicate ideas, goals, and criticism to every personality that’s hired below them.

In conclusion, I’ve never been in a management situation for a business. However I found that a lot of this information was still applicable for a different kind of transition. When I was 14 I made the transition from a football player to a football coach for my youth football team. While being a player your focus is placed on your individual assignment and often times your productivity on the field. You begin to be celebrated if your stat line yields impressive numbers. While making the transition to coach your motives must change. Rather than striving to build your personal reputation you must strive to mentor and develop young men of tomorrow. You must learn to manage an entire group of individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and learning styles. The hardest thing to do when making this transition for me was understanding how to separate myself as a coach. I was only 14, coaching 13-14 year olds that I had played with throughout my youth years. I had to learn to step into a more authoritative role with my friends which wasn’t easy by any means. If I had known then what I learned throughout this chapter I am sure that my transition period would have gone a lot smoother.