How Can New Managers Help Direct Reports – Just Ask!

How Can New Managers Help Direct Reports – Just Ask!
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How Can New Managers Help Direct Reports to Succeed?
A smart question for new supervisors to ask – how can new managers help direct reports to succeed?  You’d be surprised how many new manager training participants are afraid to not only  get feedback from their direct reports but also to ask them how they can best help them to succeed.

Being a New Manager is Not Easy
Going from counting on yourself to having to rely on others can be a big change.  Letting go of your ego after you are promoted can also be tricky.  And because more companies are flattening their organizational structure to gain efficiencies, managers have wider responsibility over more employees.

Managing Others is Getting Harder and is No Longer a One-way Street
Combine this with the fact that a stunning 81% of front-line managers report not being satisfied with their own performance, and it becomes pretty clear that the old-fashioned hierarchical style of management no longer works to get consistently high performance.

What To Do as a New Manager
So, back to our original question — how can new managers help direct reports to succeed?  As a new manager, your success depends upon the success of those who report to you.  Because of this, your first step is to ask — “How can I best support your success?”

Put Your Ego Aside
Then be ready to put your ego aside as a new leader and truly listen to the answer and to do something about it. The key is not to be patronizing but to be sincere in your intention to help. At worst, you will have opened the door to future, frank communications. At best, there will be tangible steps you can take to help you and your team to succeed.

Four Types of Employees Who Need Your Help
Some new managers stay out of the way of their employees (especially when things are going well) because they don’t want to interfere or hover. While you do not want to micromanage your team, think about how welcome a gesture of support would feel to an employee who:

  1. Is struggling
  2. Needs a morale boost
  3. Feels underappreciated
  4. Would welcome help in obtaining more resources to get the job done

The Bottom Line
Your direct reports need to know what to expect from you and what you expect from them. Be clear, be consistent, and make sure you know how you can best help them to succeed personally and professionally.

To learn more about being an effective manager, download 3 Must-Have Ingredients of High Performing Teams for Managers

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