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28/11/2012




Important things to know
    as a new leader
     LCP’s Survival Guide




                 Learning Consultancy Partnership
     Ascot House, 18-20 Third Avenue, Brighton & Hove, BN3 2PD

                       enquiries@lcp.org.uk

                         http://lcp.org.uk

                          01273 590232
2

Contents
Who are Learning Consultancy Partnership? ................................................................................................................................ 3
Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Beat the statistics ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Common mistakes ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Implementing a 90 day plan .......................................................................................................................................................... 8
Essential skills................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
References ................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Recommended reading list .......................................................................................................................................................... 13
Appendices................................................................................................................................................................................... 14




                                                                                                                     ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership                lcp.org.uk
3

Who are Learning Consultancy Partnership?
Learning Consultancy Partnership are an East Sussex based firm providing leadership training, executive coaching and
learning and development consultancy. Additional specialist services are language and communications training, train the
trainer, 360° feedback and psychometric testing - including conflict resolution tool Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode
Instrument (TKI) and personality assessment Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®). To find other research papers and
articles please visit our website lcp.org.uk or call us on 01273 590232.


Acknowledgments
Learning Consultancy Partnership would like to say a special ‘thank you’ to these individuals who took time out of their busy
schedules to share their experiences and advice as part of the guide:


       Vandy & Marc Massey, CEO and director of Engauge, a specialist provider of 360-degree reports.
        http://www.engauge.co.uk/
       Pete Burden, partner of SeeStep, a consultancy focused on helping people build conscious business.
        http://www.seestep.com/ or http://conscious-business.co.uk/
       Julia Chanteray, CEO of The Joy of Business, a consultancy specialising in advising and supporting small businesses
        focused on growth. She is also President of Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce.
        http://www.thejoyofbusiness.co.uk/blog/
       David Winter, acting head of C2 Careers & Professional Development Consultancy, who help organisations to
        develop engaged and effective employees by transforming attitudes and actions. http://www.c2careers.com/
       Debbie Woudman, an LCP consultant specialising in leadership development and diversity and inclusion.
        http://lcp.org.uk/index.php/debbie-woudman-consultant-brighton-sussex/
       Judith Christian-Carter, ex-teacher and owner of Effective Learning Solutions Ltd, specialising in instructional design
        and e-learning. http://www.effectivelearningsolutions.co.uk




                                                                             ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
4

Introduction
Congratulations! You have just been promoted into your first management role. You want to be an effective manager but
you may be worried about how others will perceive you as a leader.

Many have argued that it takes just over six months, on average, for new leaders to reach the part of the learning curve at
which they start creating net value for their organisations. Watkins, (2003), in his book, The First 90 Days calls this the
‘break-even point’ and lays out a framework for shortening the transition period for new leaders. The aim of this guide is to
provide you with a few tips to help you shorten your own transition period and get up and running in your management role.

The first step for you as a new leader is to make a mental break from your old job and prepare thoroughly for the new one.
Perhaps the biggest danger you face is to assume that what made you successful up to this point in your career will continue
to do so. As someone new to people management you will need to research everything about your new role: your tasks and
implicit responsibilities; your markets, products, technologies and systems; and if you are new to the organisation you will
need to learn about its culture and politics too.

For recently promoted managers, the most important tasks are creating a network of contacts, both inside and outside the
organisation, and building a relationship with their new manager. We recommend getting to know your manager through a
series of carefully planned conversations about the role and responsibilities, your manager’s expectations of your
deliverables, his/her personal preferences, such as how they like to be kept updated and resources available to you.
Appendix A is a conversation template you may want to use as a guide to get you started.

Yet, in studying leadership programmes at US companies, Watkins found only a few that try to coach managers on how to
accelerate their transitions. If organisations are able to support their new managers through effective coaching during
transition, this would enable them to reach their break-even point one month earlier than the average six months and this
would result in a significant return on investment for the organisation as well as numerous benefits for the individual and
their team.


        “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
        Dwight D. Eisenhower

        It is people’s perception of you that makes one a leader. Qualities like charisma and respect are not what the
        leader has but rather the way people see them. They will follow you willingly and with enthusiasm if they think
        you know where you are going and believe that your end point is better than theirs. Leaders have faith in their
        ability to make the right decision at the right time but will also have a back-up plan just in case. It is about
        preparing for eventualities that may or may not currently exist. Leadership is a subject that continues to engage
        everyone more so than, probably, any other management topic as it such a vast area of discussion. At its simplest,
        leadership is seen as the act of leading others – but it is so much more than that! Leaders need our permission to
        lead and that is not given lightly. These days is seems that leadership is closely linked to such things as
        relationship management, emotional intelligence and respect and it is these feelings which give leaders their
        permission. JFK once said that leadership and learning are indispensable to each other – leaders continue to learn
        and it is one of the attributes that makes good leaders. Ultimately we are all leaders to some extent as we have
        followers no matter how seldom or for how short a period.

            -   Vandy & Marc Massey




                                                                                  ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
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Beat the statistics
As a new manager you want to beat the statistics outlined below: 1

               Ineffective management is estimated to be costing UK businesses over 19 billion per year in lost working hours –
                BIS 1
               43% of UK managers rate their own line managers as ineffective and only one in five are qualified – BIS
               Nearly three quarters of organisations in England reported a deficit of management and leadership skills in
                2012. This deficit is contributing to our productivity gap with countries like Germany, the US and Japan – BIS
               Incompetence or bad management of company directors caused 56% of corporate failures – BIS
               40% of new leaders in high stake roles are out the door within 18 months - Heidrick & Struggles
               People need help in their First 100 Days, but often are left to sink or swim 2
               6.2 months is the break even point for new managers 3
               22% of staff turnover occurs in the first 45 days of employment – The Wynhurst Group 4
               The cost of losing an employee in their first year of their employment is estimated to be three times salary – The
                Wynhurst Group
               The failure rate for new leaders who enter organisations from outside is high. More than 40 - 50% of senior
                outside hires fail to achieve desired results 5
               42% of new managers don’t understand what it takes to succeed – Finding the Rung 6
               89% have at least one blind spot - Finding the Rung
               Only 1 in 10 leaders were actually groomed for the job - Finding the Rung
               Half took the role an increase in compensation—only 23% actually wanted to lead others - Finding the Rung
               More than half of leaders learned through trial and error - Finding the Rung




In your first few weeks in your new job it is unlikely you will have a significant impact on performance as you are still
learning, but you can score small victories and signal that things are changing.

So your objective at this early stage is to build personal credibility with your team and other key stakeholders. You will need
to identify who your audiences are and focus on what they expect from you. Next, it’s important to plan how you can meet
those expectations, or in the case of unreasonable expectations, communicate how you may need to revise them. In
essence, “It is better to under promise and over deliver than to over promise and under deliver”

In the first six months of the role values are established that stay forever and the trick is to move from being told what to do
to managing yourself and others. Just because you were good at your old job it doesn’t mean you are automatically going to
be a good leader as this requires a completely different skill set.

Good people managers do not solve their team’s problems for them; rather they support and coach their people to solve
their problems themselves. This means you need to move away from ‘doing the doing’ to planning and assigning work,
coaching and providing feedback to others on their performance. As a manager you need to pull the team together and
improve performance by making others productive rather than relying on your own individual contribution in getting the job


1
    Leadership & Management in the UK. The Key to Sustainable Growth. BIS Department of Innovation & Skills July 2012.
2
    Navigating culture is biggest hurdle facing leaders. First 100 HR Editorial, June 2012.
3
    monster.com, 2007 Survey.
4
    The Wynhurst Group, On Boarding Seminar at SHRM Conference, 2007.
5
    Watkins, M., (2003). 90 Day Manager.
6
    Erker, S. & Bradford, T. (2011). Finding the First Rung, A Study Of The Challenges Facing Today’s Frontline Leader.




                                                                                                ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
6

done. One of the things new managers find the most difficult in the beginning is delegating tasks and responsibilities to
others so they become completely overloaded.

Remember, your own manager will not expect you to know how to tackle every aspect of your new job from the outset, but
they will assume that you will ask for the help you need. So, if your organisation wants you to take on a legally sensitive task
such as giving a performance review and you've never done it before don't try to wing it. Instead, ask for coaching from a
more experienced leader or get advice from your human resources department.




        For many years leadership has been seen in terms of positional power (sometimes called legitimate power). And the
        majority of people probably still think of it in that way. That is certainly the media's view of leadership, for example. The
        CEO is the leader because they also are in a position of power in the organisation.

        However, leadership these days has started to take on a different meaning. For years, some people have described
        leadership as a behaviour - something people do, as opposed to a quality that some people have - and therefore others
        don't.

        Ideas such as "servant leadership" - where leaders are servants first, contributing to the well-being of the people and
        community around them - have also helped shift the dominant assumption from a hierarchical model to one where we
        start to believe we can all act like leaders.

        The Prime Minister, or Alan Sugar, might be seen as being more in the first camp.

        Whereas Clare Sutcliffe might be in the second camp. Clare is a young woman who decided that there was a structural
        problem in the way IT skills were being taught in primary schools. Teachers couldn't programme so they couldn't teach
        programming. And this meant a whole generation of kids might graduate knowing only how to consume IT, not produce
        with it.

        So without any positional power to speak off, she went out and set up a series of after school clubs to teach
        programming (Code Club).

        This is about leading from the heart for the individual - tapping into emotional strengths, and finding a way around
        emotional blockages. All of which requires an inner journey of self-development and discovery. A journey which may be
        personally difficult and challenging at times.

        Lacking positional power, this kind of leader also depends on other, often external, sources of power. This might mean
        tapping into the energy and goodwill that already exists in the community. For example, in the case of Code Club, there
        was presumably a latent power in the volunteers and Clare found a way to release this energy. This kind of power is
        sometimes called 'power with' - as opposed to the more hierarchical 'power over'.

        So any of us can be a leader, but we need to do (at least) three things:

                    Decide that we won't just allow others to be leaders - and decide that we can become leaders ourselves;
                    Learn about ourselves and go on that internal journey of self-discovery to uncover our inner strengths and
                     our blocks;
                    Learn the skills of more modern leadership, such as "power with" and "power through" - tapping into other
                     sources of energy and power beyond those that depend on hierarchy and the status quo.

            -    Pete Burden




                                                                                      ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
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Common mistakes

The following are common mistakes new managers make – try to avoid them

     Taking too much control - Even though you are responsible for the productivity of your employees and generating
      results, do not use this as an excuse to micro-manage as this will spurn resentment. Check out your team members’
      knowledge, skills, experience and confidence in taking on certain responsibilities and then delegate appropriately.
      See Appendix B for the different levels of delegation.

     Not being assertive enough – You were one of the team and now you are the team leader, but being a pushover just
      because you want everyone to like you is not being a leader. Be assertive when it counts as you don’t necessarily
      need people to like you, it’s their respect for you that counts.

     Changing everything - Be careful not to abuse your new power by making unnecessary changes just because you
      can. Talk to your employees and find out what they think would be good changes. Don’t turn everything upside
      down without their input, or you’ll have some very unhappy team members.

     Not admitting your mistakes - You are bound to make mistakes as a new manager, you are still learning and may not
      have known any better. Whatever the reason, be willing to admit your mistakes and apologise or correct them. Your
      employees and own manager will respect you a great deal for it.

     Not getting to know your employees - The people you manage are more than your employees. If you get to know
      them on a personal level and show genuine interest in who they are, they will feel much more comfortable working
      for you. It is also a good idea to share your preferences with them and find out what theirs are too. For example,
      how do you like to receive information- are you a detail person or do you prefer the ‘big picture?’ Being clear about
      how you like to work in the beginning can save a lot of misunderstandings later on.

     Delegating too much – This is the opposite of point 1. Don’t delegate work just because you don’t want to do it.
      Delegation is about developing others and improving performance and should be used as a tool to do both.

     Forgetting to listen - It’s important to listen to your employees as they are knowledgeable about their jobs, so make
      sure you listen to them. We recommend that as well as team meetings you schedule, and commit to, regular one to
      ones so every team member has an opportunity to discuss their performance with you privately. You will foster a
      much more accepting and productive work environment if your employees know their opinions matter.

     Telling a lie - Don’t ever lie to your employees about anything. If you’re caught in a lie, they will lose all respect and
      trust for you. Having that respect and trust is absolutely vital to being an effective manager.




        On the first day of my first job as an Area Housing Officer, at the tender age of 22, one of my new team brought in
        some cakes as a welcome to the team. They were pretty nasty cheap pink cakes, so I declined them, but I realised
        about 10 seconds after saying no that I should have eaten the cake, to show that I was part of the team and
        appreciated the welcome. 23 years later, I still cringe at my snobbishness about the cakes.

            -   Julia Chanteray




                                                                                 ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
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Implementing a 90 day plan
  No matter what type of situation you are entering, it is useful to write a 90 day plan and to get buy- in from your
  manager. Usually, you will be able to devise a plan after a couple of weeks in the new job, when you have begun to
  connect with the organisation and to get the lay of the land.

  Your 90 day plan should be written, even if it just consists of bullet points. It should specify priorities and goals as well as
  milestones. Critically, share it with your manager and get their approval and feedback on it. This plan then serves as an
  informal ‘contract’ between the two of you about how you are going to spend your time, spelling out both what you will
  do and what you will not do.

  0-30 days

  To begin to develop your plan, divide the 90 days into three blocks of 30 days. At the end of each block you will have a
  review meeting with your manager. Naturally you are likely to interact more often that that with your manager, hence
  you should typically devote the first block of 30 days to mainly learning and building your personal credibility and
  network. Negotiate for this early learning period and then try to hold your manager to that agreement. There is a
  danger here of getting too involved in tasks and neglecting your personal learning and development. To avoid this set
  weekly goals for yourself and establish a personal discipline of weekly evaluation and planning. Your key outputs at the
  end of the first 30 days will be a diagnosis of the situation, identification of key priorities, and a plan for how you will
  spend the next 30 days.

  30-60 days

  In your plan address where and how you will begin to seek some early wins. In your review meeting with your manager
  try to focus on your learning in terms of your strengths and ongoing development needs, continue to clarify your
  manager’s expectations of your performance and aim to get buy-in to your plan for the next 30 days. Continue the
  weekly discipline of evaluation and planning.

  60-90 days

  At the 60 day mark, focus your review meeting on assessing your progress towards your agreed goals in your plan for the
  previous 30 days. You should also plan with your manager what you will achieve in the next 30 days (that is, by the end
  of 90 days). Depending on the situation, and your level in the organisation, your goals at this juncture might include
  identifying the resources necessary to pursue major initiatives, fleshing out your initial assessment of strategy and
  structure, and presenting some early assessments of your team to your manager.


                Some of the courses I did in my first years as a manager have stayed with me for the rest of my
                career. In particular, I was lucky enough to go an influencing skills course, and a course for female
                managers on how to develop gravitas. I still use many of those techniques every day in my work.
                Make the time and the opportunities to develop your skills, learn as much as you can, and make
                this a habit of a lifetime.

                    -    Julia Chanteray




                                                                                 ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
9

Essential skills
To be effective, the following key skills will support you through your transition period and
enable you to grow as a manager:

      Communication - Effective communication is essential when you’re a manager. You have to communicate with each
       of your employees. You have to communicate “sideways” with your co-workers and customers. And you have to
       communicate upwards with your own managers.

      Listening skills - Listening skills are key to good communication, it’s the only way you’re really going to find out
       what’s going on in your organisation, and it’s the only way that you’ll ever learn to be a better manager.

      A commitment to the truth - People tend to tell managers what they want to hear. The only way you’ll get the truth
       is if you insist on it. Listen to what people tell you, and ask questions to probe for the truth. Develop information
       sources outside of the chain of command and regularly listen to those sources as well. Make sure you know the truth
       — even if it’s not good news.

      Empathy - This is the softer side of listening and truth. As a manager you should be able to understand how people
       feel, why they feel that way, and what you can do to make them feel differently.

      Persuasion - Put all four of the preceding skills together, because as a manager you’ll need them when you try to
       persuade someone to do something you want done.

      Leadership - Leadership is a specialised form of persuasion focused on getting other people to follow you in the
       direction you want to go. It’s assumed that the leader will march into battle at the head of the army, so as a manager
       be prepared to make the same sacrifices you’re asking your employees to make.

      Focus - The key to successful leadership is focus. As a manager focusing effort means picking the most important
       thing to do and then concentrating your team’s effort on doing it.

      Division of work - This is the ability to break down large tasks into sub-tasks that can be assigned to individual
       employees.

      Obstacle removal – Inevitably, problems will occur. Your ability to solve them is critical to the ongoing success of
       your organisation. Part of your job as a manager is to remove the obstacles that are preventing your employees
       from doing their best.

      Resilience - Not all problems can be solved. When senior management complains about certain things that can’t be
       avoided it’s your job as a manager to take the heat. But what’s more important, it’s your job as a manager to absorb
       the heat to keep it from reaching your employees. It’s the manager’s responsibility to meet objectives. If the
       objectives aren’t being met, then it’s the manager’s responsibility to:
       - Make sure that senior management knows about the problem as early as possible.
       - Take all possible steps to solve the problem with the resources you’ve been given.
       - Suggest alternatives to management that will either solve the problem or minimize it.
       - Keep the problem from affecting the performance or morale of your employees.

      Uncertainty removal - When higher management can’t give you consistent direction in a certain area, it’s up to you
       as a manager to shield your employees from the confusion and remove the apparent uncertainty. This can be
       difficult when you don’t have the information yourself but keeping the team focused on short terms goals and what
       can be achieved can help when undergoing significant change.

      Administrative and financial skills - Many managers have a budget or input into one and you’ll have to be able to set
       the budget and then keep within it. As a manager you will also have to deal with hiring, firing, rewarding good


                                                                           ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
10

employee performance, dealing with unacceptable performance from some employees, and generally making sure
that your employees have the environment and tools they need to do their work.




 There are three mantras that I have got into the habit of repeating to myself since I took on a management role in my
 career and professional development consultancy.

 “Failure is natural” This sounds pretty negative, but it’s true. Leadership is a complex business and no-one will get it
 perfectly right first time, no matter how good you were in your previous non-leadership roles. You have to make a lot of
 decisions when you don’t have all the information you would ideally like to have. There’s so much to get to grips with that
 you are bound to drop something. The important thing is how you deal with failure. Welcoming failure as an opportunity
 to learn something important will enable you to become a better leader more quickly than trying to avoid the appearance
 of failure.

 “Deal with the real, not the ideal” When things do go wrong, it’s very easy to let your emotions overwhelm your brain
 because of the expectations you have placed on yourself and others. This mantra focuses my attention on the current
 moment and prompts me to ask “What can I actually do now?” rather than “What should I have done differently?” There
 will be time for the reflective learning later, now I need to fix the problem. It also stops me waiting for ideal conditions to
 act that never come along.

 “Has this happened before?” There’s so much to learn that it’s easy to assume that you have to develop a whole new set
 of skills from scratch. This mantra reminds me to look for aspects of the particular challenge I am facing that are similar to
 things I have dealt with in my previous roles using my natural strengths. It gives me a sense of perspective as the answer is
 almost certainly “yes”. Finally, it reminds me to get help and advice from others with more experience.

        -   David Winter




My story would be about 4 Big C's - the importance for a leader to demonstrate Competence, Courage, Composure and
Confidence. My leader used this as a backdrop to explain some important qualities that she was looking for from us - her
leadership team.

Shortly after she shared this concept, I found myself in charge of a major TUPE involving 150 UK based staff heading into
our organisation. However, the existing employer denied us the opportunity to meet with their people; in fact, they were
downright obstructive. It was a really messy situation - all being on site but with nothing to do. I remembered the 4C's; I
couldn't do anything about the inflexibility of the other employer, but I could retain my composure, and confidently move
into a competent contingency plan. It took a lot of courage to say we have to change direction, but when I look back those
4 C's were most important in helping us achieve what was eventually a very smooth transition.

    -       Debbie Woudman




                                                                              ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
11




                       A Q&A Session with the Leadership and Management Guru!

Q:   I’m starting my new manager’s job tomorrow and I’m really scared that they won’t like me. Am I worrying
     unnecessarily?

A:   Of course you are! Being a manager and leader of people isn’t a popularity contest you know. It’s a matter of
     gaining their respect and, in turn, showing that you respect them.

Q:   So how can I gain their respect?

A:   Well, the first thing I would say to you is that you should be yourself. In other words, don’t try to be someone that
     you’re not because people can easily see through such a façade. Unless you’re a brilliant actor, you’ll slip up and the
     real you will be revealed. Any respect you may have gained will then be lost. Remember, it takes a long time to
     gain respect but only a few seconds to lose it!

Q:   OK, I get that but what else do I need to do?

A:   You also need to be both firm and fair. Now, this comes easier to some people than to others but, nevertheless,
     these two behaviours are crucial. You are a leader, right? So you need to make good, fair and balanced decisions
     and then stick to them.

Q:   That’s easy for you to say but what if I make the wrong decision?

A:   No one is infallible, not even the most outstanding of leaders. So you must always listen to others and be prepared
     to change your mind if necessary, but always tell them your reasons for doing this. In this way you will show them
     that you are fair and prepared to listen. A lot of people fail as managers and leaders because they won’t listen to
     others. So always remember that.

Q:   You say that I have to respect them, but what if I don’t or can’t?

A:   It’s not easy sometimes I know. It’s very hard to respect someone who you don’t like, is two-faced, let’s you down or
     is a trouble-maker. More likely that not, you’ll go out of your way to try and get them to respect you only to find out
     that they have betrayed you in some way. Such is human nature I fear but you must rise above it. Talk to them in a
     private and secure environment, ask them what their problems are with you, what the barriers are, and so on. Dig
     and keep digging until you understand where they are coming from. Then discuss and agree with them how you are
     both going to move forward and work together. But, remember, to keep your eye on them to make sure that they’re
     keeping their side of the bargain.

Q:   So, apart from gaining their respect, what else do I need to do?

A:   Well, and this is all about respect again in so many ways, you need to show that you support them. I’m not talking
     here about always backing them, because if they stuff up you won’t be able to do that. What I mean is that if they
     are criticised or treated unfairly then you must be seen to support them, even if you risk the ire of your peers and
     those to whom you report.

Q:   Gosh, that will take some doing. In fact that scares me! What if I back the wrong horse?

A:   Don’t be scared because it will be obvious to you when you need to do this. However, if you don’t stand up for them
     when necessary then you’ll lose them and then they will no longer trust you and follow you. It’s as simple as that.
     Beside which, in the end most of your peers and your direct reports will respect you for supporting them. It’s not
     short-term gains we are talking about it, it’s the longer-term ones that matter the most.




                                                                           ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
Q:   No, I understand that and I’ll do my level best to do this when necessary. So, what else do I need to
     remember?
12




      Q:       No, I understand that and I’ll do my level best to do this when necessary. So, what else do I need to remember?

      A:       One of the most important aspects of all successful leaders is that they lead from the front. They aren’t scared, they
               do as they say, they carry the torch, and they conduct themselves in exactly the same way as they want those they
               lead to behave.

      Q:       But what if can’t do this? What happens then?

      A:       There is no such word as ‘can’t’! You, and everyone else come to that, can do whatever you set your mind to. I
               know that it might be uncomfortable at first but the best leaders and managers are those who have discovered how
               to operate outside their comfort zones. If anything that’s essential doesn’t come naturally at first, then you’ll have
               to work at it until it does.

      Q:       Well, you’ve certainly given me a lot to think about. Thank you. So, finally, what would you tell me to do first
               thing tomorrow at nine o’clock?

      A:       Just start as you mean to go on and you won’t go far wrong. All the very best to you and remember that I’m always
               here if you need to talk to me at any time.

               Now, just go out there and do your stuff!

           -     Judith Christian-Carter




Conclusion
You have been promoted because you have proved you have the knowledge and attitude required to manage. You may not
demonstrate all of the desired management skills, but in order for you to reach break-even point, be really successful and to
get promoted to the next level of management you will need to develop them.

For every one of these skills, there are various levels of performance. As a new manager you are not expected to be
competent at every one of these skills, but you should be aware of all of them, and you should do everything you can to
learn more about and practice each skill. Some of that knowledge will be obtained through formal learning and
development, but much of the knowledge will come through hands-on experience.

Attitude, as much as knowledge, governs achievement, as a new manager try not to take anything for granted and always
focus on doing the very best that you can. Learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat them and remember to always ask
for feedback, as in many cases you won’t know what you could do better unless someone tells you.

We wish you the very best in your managerial career.



                                                                                     ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
13

References

How to Become a Manager - Harwell
The First 90 Days - Michael Watkins
The Leadership Pipeline
New Manager’s Survival Guide: 8 Manager Mistakes to Avoid


Recommended reading list

The First 90 Days - Michael Watkins
The Leadership Pipeline




                                                            ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk
14

Appendices




             Appendices
               Please print attachments
  Appendix A – New manager conversation template

  Appendix B – Levels of delegation




                                      ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership   lcp.org.uk

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LCP's Survival Guide for New Leaders

  • 1. 28/11/2012 Important things to know as a new leader LCP’s Survival Guide  Learning Consultancy Partnership Ascot House, 18-20 Third Avenue, Brighton & Hove, BN3 2PD enquiries@lcp.org.uk http://lcp.org.uk 01273 590232
  • 2. 2 Contents Who are Learning Consultancy Partnership? ................................................................................................................................ 3 Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Beat the statistics ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Common mistakes ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Implementing a 90 day plan .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Essential skills................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 References ................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Recommended reading list .......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Appendices................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 3. 3 Who are Learning Consultancy Partnership? Learning Consultancy Partnership are an East Sussex based firm providing leadership training, executive coaching and learning and development consultancy. Additional specialist services are language and communications training, train the trainer, 360° feedback and psychometric testing - including conflict resolution tool Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) and personality assessment Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®). To find other research papers and articles please visit our website lcp.org.uk or call us on 01273 590232. Acknowledgments Learning Consultancy Partnership would like to say a special ‘thank you’ to these individuals who took time out of their busy schedules to share their experiences and advice as part of the guide:  Vandy & Marc Massey, CEO and director of Engauge, a specialist provider of 360-degree reports. http://www.engauge.co.uk/  Pete Burden, partner of SeeStep, a consultancy focused on helping people build conscious business. http://www.seestep.com/ or http://conscious-business.co.uk/  Julia Chanteray, CEO of The Joy of Business, a consultancy specialising in advising and supporting small businesses focused on growth. She is also President of Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce. http://www.thejoyofbusiness.co.uk/blog/  David Winter, acting head of C2 Careers & Professional Development Consultancy, who help organisations to develop engaged and effective employees by transforming attitudes and actions. http://www.c2careers.com/  Debbie Woudman, an LCP consultant specialising in leadership development and diversity and inclusion. http://lcp.org.uk/index.php/debbie-woudman-consultant-brighton-sussex/  Judith Christian-Carter, ex-teacher and owner of Effective Learning Solutions Ltd, specialising in instructional design and e-learning. http://www.effectivelearningsolutions.co.uk ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 4. 4 Introduction Congratulations! You have just been promoted into your first management role. You want to be an effective manager but you may be worried about how others will perceive you as a leader. Many have argued that it takes just over six months, on average, for new leaders to reach the part of the learning curve at which they start creating net value for their organisations. Watkins, (2003), in his book, The First 90 Days calls this the ‘break-even point’ and lays out a framework for shortening the transition period for new leaders. The aim of this guide is to provide you with a few tips to help you shorten your own transition period and get up and running in your management role. The first step for you as a new leader is to make a mental break from your old job and prepare thoroughly for the new one. Perhaps the biggest danger you face is to assume that what made you successful up to this point in your career will continue to do so. As someone new to people management you will need to research everything about your new role: your tasks and implicit responsibilities; your markets, products, technologies and systems; and if you are new to the organisation you will need to learn about its culture and politics too. For recently promoted managers, the most important tasks are creating a network of contacts, both inside and outside the organisation, and building a relationship with their new manager. We recommend getting to know your manager through a series of carefully planned conversations about the role and responsibilities, your manager’s expectations of your deliverables, his/her personal preferences, such as how they like to be kept updated and resources available to you. Appendix A is a conversation template you may want to use as a guide to get you started. Yet, in studying leadership programmes at US companies, Watkins found only a few that try to coach managers on how to accelerate their transitions. If organisations are able to support their new managers through effective coaching during transition, this would enable them to reach their break-even point one month earlier than the average six months and this would result in a significant return on investment for the organisation as well as numerous benefits for the individual and their team. “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” Dwight D. Eisenhower It is people’s perception of you that makes one a leader. Qualities like charisma and respect are not what the leader has but rather the way people see them. They will follow you willingly and with enthusiasm if they think you know where you are going and believe that your end point is better than theirs. Leaders have faith in their ability to make the right decision at the right time but will also have a back-up plan just in case. It is about preparing for eventualities that may or may not currently exist. Leadership is a subject that continues to engage everyone more so than, probably, any other management topic as it such a vast area of discussion. At its simplest, leadership is seen as the act of leading others – but it is so much more than that! Leaders need our permission to lead and that is not given lightly. These days is seems that leadership is closely linked to such things as relationship management, emotional intelligence and respect and it is these feelings which give leaders their permission. JFK once said that leadership and learning are indispensable to each other – leaders continue to learn and it is one of the attributes that makes good leaders. Ultimately we are all leaders to some extent as we have followers no matter how seldom or for how short a period. - Vandy & Marc Massey ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 5. 5 Beat the statistics As a new manager you want to beat the statistics outlined below: 1  Ineffective management is estimated to be costing UK businesses over 19 billion per year in lost working hours – BIS 1  43% of UK managers rate their own line managers as ineffective and only one in five are qualified – BIS  Nearly three quarters of organisations in England reported a deficit of management and leadership skills in 2012. This deficit is contributing to our productivity gap with countries like Germany, the US and Japan – BIS  Incompetence or bad management of company directors caused 56% of corporate failures – BIS  40% of new leaders in high stake roles are out the door within 18 months - Heidrick & Struggles  People need help in their First 100 Days, but often are left to sink or swim 2  6.2 months is the break even point for new managers 3  22% of staff turnover occurs in the first 45 days of employment – The Wynhurst Group 4  The cost of losing an employee in their first year of their employment is estimated to be three times salary – The Wynhurst Group  The failure rate for new leaders who enter organisations from outside is high. More than 40 - 50% of senior outside hires fail to achieve desired results 5  42% of new managers don’t understand what it takes to succeed – Finding the Rung 6  89% have at least one blind spot - Finding the Rung  Only 1 in 10 leaders were actually groomed for the job - Finding the Rung  Half took the role an increase in compensation—only 23% actually wanted to lead others - Finding the Rung  More than half of leaders learned through trial and error - Finding the Rung In your first few weeks in your new job it is unlikely you will have a significant impact on performance as you are still learning, but you can score small victories and signal that things are changing. So your objective at this early stage is to build personal credibility with your team and other key stakeholders. You will need to identify who your audiences are and focus on what they expect from you. Next, it’s important to plan how you can meet those expectations, or in the case of unreasonable expectations, communicate how you may need to revise them. In essence, “It is better to under promise and over deliver than to over promise and under deliver” In the first six months of the role values are established that stay forever and the trick is to move from being told what to do to managing yourself and others. Just because you were good at your old job it doesn’t mean you are automatically going to be a good leader as this requires a completely different skill set. Good people managers do not solve their team’s problems for them; rather they support and coach their people to solve their problems themselves. This means you need to move away from ‘doing the doing’ to planning and assigning work, coaching and providing feedback to others on their performance. As a manager you need to pull the team together and improve performance by making others productive rather than relying on your own individual contribution in getting the job 1 Leadership & Management in the UK. The Key to Sustainable Growth. BIS Department of Innovation & Skills July 2012. 2 Navigating culture is biggest hurdle facing leaders. First 100 HR Editorial, June 2012. 3 monster.com, 2007 Survey. 4 The Wynhurst Group, On Boarding Seminar at SHRM Conference, 2007. 5 Watkins, M., (2003). 90 Day Manager. 6 Erker, S. & Bradford, T. (2011). Finding the First Rung, A Study Of The Challenges Facing Today’s Frontline Leader. ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 6. 6 done. One of the things new managers find the most difficult in the beginning is delegating tasks and responsibilities to others so they become completely overloaded. Remember, your own manager will not expect you to know how to tackle every aspect of your new job from the outset, but they will assume that you will ask for the help you need. So, if your organisation wants you to take on a legally sensitive task such as giving a performance review and you've never done it before don't try to wing it. Instead, ask for coaching from a more experienced leader or get advice from your human resources department. For many years leadership has been seen in terms of positional power (sometimes called legitimate power). And the majority of people probably still think of it in that way. That is certainly the media's view of leadership, for example. The CEO is the leader because they also are in a position of power in the organisation. However, leadership these days has started to take on a different meaning. For years, some people have described leadership as a behaviour - something people do, as opposed to a quality that some people have - and therefore others don't. Ideas such as "servant leadership" - where leaders are servants first, contributing to the well-being of the people and community around them - have also helped shift the dominant assumption from a hierarchical model to one where we start to believe we can all act like leaders. The Prime Minister, or Alan Sugar, might be seen as being more in the first camp. Whereas Clare Sutcliffe might be in the second camp. Clare is a young woman who decided that there was a structural problem in the way IT skills were being taught in primary schools. Teachers couldn't programme so they couldn't teach programming. And this meant a whole generation of kids might graduate knowing only how to consume IT, not produce with it. So without any positional power to speak off, she went out and set up a series of after school clubs to teach programming (Code Club). This is about leading from the heart for the individual - tapping into emotional strengths, and finding a way around emotional blockages. All of which requires an inner journey of self-development and discovery. A journey which may be personally difficult and challenging at times. Lacking positional power, this kind of leader also depends on other, often external, sources of power. This might mean tapping into the energy and goodwill that already exists in the community. For example, in the case of Code Club, there was presumably a latent power in the volunteers and Clare found a way to release this energy. This kind of power is sometimes called 'power with' - as opposed to the more hierarchical 'power over'. So any of us can be a leader, but we need to do (at least) three things:  Decide that we won't just allow others to be leaders - and decide that we can become leaders ourselves;  Learn about ourselves and go on that internal journey of self-discovery to uncover our inner strengths and our blocks;  Learn the skills of more modern leadership, such as "power with" and "power through" - tapping into other sources of energy and power beyond those that depend on hierarchy and the status quo. - Pete Burden ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 7. 7 Common mistakes The following are common mistakes new managers make – try to avoid them  Taking too much control - Even though you are responsible for the productivity of your employees and generating results, do not use this as an excuse to micro-manage as this will spurn resentment. Check out your team members’ knowledge, skills, experience and confidence in taking on certain responsibilities and then delegate appropriately. See Appendix B for the different levels of delegation.  Not being assertive enough – You were one of the team and now you are the team leader, but being a pushover just because you want everyone to like you is not being a leader. Be assertive when it counts as you don’t necessarily need people to like you, it’s their respect for you that counts.  Changing everything - Be careful not to abuse your new power by making unnecessary changes just because you can. Talk to your employees and find out what they think would be good changes. Don’t turn everything upside down without their input, or you’ll have some very unhappy team members.  Not admitting your mistakes - You are bound to make mistakes as a new manager, you are still learning and may not have known any better. Whatever the reason, be willing to admit your mistakes and apologise or correct them. Your employees and own manager will respect you a great deal for it.  Not getting to know your employees - The people you manage are more than your employees. If you get to know them on a personal level and show genuine interest in who they are, they will feel much more comfortable working for you. It is also a good idea to share your preferences with them and find out what theirs are too. For example, how do you like to receive information- are you a detail person or do you prefer the ‘big picture?’ Being clear about how you like to work in the beginning can save a lot of misunderstandings later on.  Delegating too much – This is the opposite of point 1. Don’t delegate work just because you don’t want to do it. Delegation is about developing others and improving performance and should be used as a tool to do both.  Forgetting to listen - It’s important to listen to your employees as they are knowledgeable about their jobs, so make sure you listen to them. We recommend that as well as team meetings you schedule, and commit to, regular one to ones so every team member has an opportunity to discuss their performance with you privately. You will foster a much more accepting and productive work environment if your employees know their opinions matter.  Telling a lie - Don’t ever lie to your employees about anything. If you’re caught in a lie, they will lose all respect and trust for you. Having that respect and trust is absolutely vital to being an effective manager. On the first day of my first job as an Area Housing Officer, at the tender age of 22, one of my new team brought in some cakes as a welcome to the team. They were pretty nasty cheap pink cakes, so I declined them, but I realised about 10 seconds after saying no that I should have eaten the cake, to show that I was part of the team and appreciated the welcome. 23 years later, I still cringe at my snobbishness about the cakes. - Julia Chanteray ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 8. 8 Implementing a 90 day plan No matter what type of situation you are entering, it is useful to write a 90 day plan and to get buy- in from your manager. Usually, you will be able to devise a plan after a couple of weeks in the new job, when you have begun to connect with the organisation and to get the lay of the land. Your 90 day plan should be written, even if it just consists of bullet points. It should specify priorities and goals as well as milestones. Critically, share it with your manager and get their approval and feedback on it. This plan then serves as an informal ‘contract’ between the two of you about how you are going to spend your time, spelling out both what you will do and what you will not do. 0-30 days To begin to develop your plan, divide the 90 days into three blocks of 30 days. At the end of each block you will have a review meeting with your manager. Naturally you are likely to interact more often that that with your manager, hence you should typically devote the first block of 30 days to mainly learning and building your personal credibility and network. Negotiate for this early learning period and then try to hold your manager to that agreement. There is a danger here of getting too involved in tasks and neglecting your personal learning and development. To avoid this set weekly goals for yourself and establish a personal discipline of weekly evaluation and planning. Your key outputs at the end of the first 30 days will be a diagnosis of the situation, identification of key priorities, and a plan for how you will spend the next 30 days. 30-60 days In your plan address where and how you will begin to seek some early wins. In your review meeting with your manager try to focus on your learning in terms of your strengths and ongoing development needs, continue to clarify your manager’s expectations of your performance and aim to get buy-in to your plan for the next 30 days. Continue the weekly discipline of evaluation and planning. 60-90 days At the 60 day mark, focus your review meeting on assessing your progress towards your agreed goals in your plan for the previous 30 days. You should also plan with your manager what you will achieve in the next 30 days (that is, by the end of 90 days). Depending on the situation, and your level in the organisation, your goals at this juncture might include identifying the resources necessary to pursue major initiatives, fleshing out your initial assessment of strategy and structure, and presenting some early assessments of your team to your manager. Some of the courses I did in my first years as a manager have stayed with me for the rest of my career. In particular, I was lucky enough to go an influencing skills course, and a course for female managers on how to develop gravitas. I still use many of those techniques every day in my work. Make the time and the opportunities to develop your skills, learn as much as you can, and make this a habit of a lifetime. - Julia Chanteray ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 9. 9 Essential skills To be effective, the following key skills will support you through your transition period and enable you to grow as a manager:  Communication - Effective communication is essential when you’re a manager. You have to communicate with each of your employees. You have to communicate “sideways” with your co-workers and customers. And you have to communicate upwards with your own managers.  Listening skills - Listening skills are key to good communication, it’s the only way you’re really going to find out what’s going on in your organisation, and it’s the only way that you’ll ever learn to be a better manager.  A commitment to the truth - People tend to tell managers what they want to hear. The only way you’ll get the truth is if you insist on it. Listen to what people tell you, and ask questions to probe for the truth. Develop information sources outside of the chain of command and regularly listen to those sources as well. Make sure you know the truth — even if it’s not good news.  Empathy - This is the softer side of listening and truth. As a manager you should be able to understand how people feel, why they feel that way, and what you can do to make them feel differently.  Persuasion - Put all four of the preceding skills together, because as a manager you’ll need them when you try to persuade someone to do something you want done.  Leadership - Leadership is a specialised form of persuasion focused on getting other people to follow you in the direction you want to go. It’s assumed that the leader will march into battle at the head of the army, so as a manager be prepared to make the same sacrifices you’re asking your employees to make.  Focus - The key to successful leadership is focus. As a manager focusing effort means picking the most important thing to do and then concentrating your team’s effort on doing it.  Division of work - This is the ability to break down large tasks into sub-tasks that can be assigned to individual employees.  Obstacle removal – Inevitably, problems will occur. Your ability to solve them is critical to the ongoing success of your organisation. Part of your job as a manager is to remove the obstacles that are preventing your employees from doing their best.  Resilience - Not all problems can be solved. When senior management complains about certain things that can’t be avoided it’s your job as a manager to take the heat. But what’s more important, it’s your job as a manager to absorb the heat to keep it from reaching your employees. It’s the manager’s responsibility to meet objectives. If the objectives aren’t being met, then it’s the manager’s responsibility to: - Make sure that senior management knows about the problem as early as possible. - Take all possible steps to solve the problem with the resources you’ve been given. - Suggest alternatives to management that will either solve the problem or minimize it. - Keep the problem from affecting the performance or morale of your employees.  Uncertainty removal - When higher management can’t give you consistent direction in a certain area, it’s up to you as a manager to shield your employees from the confusion and remove the apparent uncertainty. This can be difficult when you don’t have the information yourself but keeping the team focused on short terms goals and what can be achieved can help when undergoing significant change.  Administrative and financial skills - Many managers have a budget or input into one and you’ll have to be able to set the budget and then keep within it. As a manager you will also have to deal with hiring, firing, rewarding good ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 10. 10 employee performance, dealing with unacceptable performance from some employees, and generally making sure that your employees have the environment and tools they need to do their work. There are three mantras that I have got into the habit of repeating to myself since I took on a management role in my career and professional development consultancy. “Failure is natural” This sounds pretty negative, but it’s true. Leadership is a complex business and no-one will get it perfectly right first time, no matter how good you were in your previous non-leadership roles. You have to make a lot of decisions when you don’t have all the information you would ideally like to have. There’s so much to get to grips with that you are bound to drop something. The important thing is how you deal with failure. Welcoming failure as an opportunity to learn something important will enable you to become a better leader more quickly than trying to avoid the appearance of failure. “Deal with the real, not the ideal” When things do go wrong, it’s very easy to let your emotions overwhelm your brain because of the expectations you have placed on yourself and others. This mantra focuses my attention on the current moment and prompts me to ask “What can I actually do now?” rather than “What should I have done differently?” There will be time for the reflective learning later, now I need to fix the problem. It also stops me waiting for ideal conditions to act that never come along. “Has this happened before?” There’s so much to learn that it’s easy to assume that you have to develop a whole new set of skills from scratch. This mantra reminds me to look for aspects of the particular challenge I am facing that are similar to things I have dealt with in my previous roles using my natural strengths. It gives me a sense of perspective as the answer is almost certainly “yes”. Finally, it reminds me to get help and advice from others with more experience. - David Winter My story would be about 4 Big C's - the importance for a leader to demonstrate Competence, Courage, Composure and Confidence. My leader used this as a backdrop to explain some important qualities that she was looking for from us - her leadership team. Shortly after she shared this concept, I found myself in charge of a major TUPE involving 150 UK based staff heading into our organisation. However, the existing employer denied us the opportunity to meet with their people; in fact, they were downright obstructive. It was a really messy situation - all being on site but with nothing to do. I remembered the 4C's; I couldn't do anything about the inflexibility of the other employer, but I could retain my composure, and confidently move into a competent contingency plan. It took a lot of courage to say we have to change direction, but when I look back those 4 C's were most important in helping us achieve what was eventually a very smooth transition. - Debbie Woudman ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 11. 11 A Q&A Session with the Leadership and Management Guru! Q: I’m starting my new manager’s job tomorrow and I’m really scared that they won’t like me. Am I worrying unnecessarily? A: Of course you are! Being a manager and leader of people isn’t a popularity contest you know. It’s a matter of gaining their respect and, in turn, showing that you respect them. Q: So how can I gain their respect? A: Well, the first thing I would say to you is that you should be yourself. In other words, don’t try to be someone that you’re not because people can easily see through such a façade. Unless you’re a brilliant actor, you’ll slip up and the real you will be revealed. Any respect you may have gained will then be lost. Remember, it takes a long time to gain respect but only a few seconds to lose it! Q: OK, I get that but what else do I need to do? A: You also need to be both firm and fair. Now, this comes easier to some people than to others but, nevertheless, these two behaviours are crucial. You are a leader, right? So you need to make good, fair and balanced decisions and then stick to them. Q: That’s easy for you to say but what if I make the wrong decision? A: No one is infallible, not even the most outstanding of leaders. So you must always listen to others and be prepared to change your mind if necessary, but always tell them your reasons for doing this. In this way you will show them that you are fair and prepared to listen. A lot of people fail as managers and leaders because they won’t listen to others. So always remember that. Q: You say that I have to respect them, but what if I don’t or can’t? A: It’s not easy sometimes I know. It’s very hard to respect someone who you don’t like, is two-faced, let’s you down or is a trouble-maker. More likely that not, you’ll go out of your way to try and get them to respect you only to find out that they have betrayed you in some way. Such is human nature I fear but you must rise above it. Talk to them in a private and secure environment, ask them what their problems are with you, what the barriers are, and so on. Dig and keep digging until you understand where they are coming from. Then discuss and agree with them how you are both going to move forward and work together. But, remember, to keep your eye on them to make sure that they’re keeping their side of the bargain. Q: So, apart from gaining their respect, what else do I need to do? A: Well, and this is all about respect again in so many ways, you need to show that you support them. I’m not talking here about always backing them, because if they stuff up you won’t be able to do that. What I mean is that if they are criticised or treated unfairly then you must be seen to support them, even if you risk the ire of your peers and those to whom you report. Q: Gosh, that will take some doing. In fact that scares me! What if I back the wrong horse? A: Don’t be scared because it will be obvious to you when you need to do this. However, if you don’t stand up for them when necessary then you’ll lose them and then they will no longer trust you and follow you. It’s as simple as that. Beside which, in the end most of your peers and your direct reports will respect you for supporting them. It’s not short-term gains we are talking about it, it’s the longer-term ones that matter the most. ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk Q: No, I understand that and I’ll do my level best to do this when necessary. So, what else do I need to remember?
  • 12. 12 Q: No, I understand that and I’ll do my level best to do this when necessary. So, what else do I need to remember? A: One of the most important aspects of all successful leaders is that they lead from the front. They aren’t scared, they do as they say, they carry the torch, and they conduct themselves in exactly the same way as they want those they lead to behave. Q: But what if can’t do this? What happens then? A: There is no such word as ‘can’t’! You, and everyone else come to that, can do whatever you set your mind to. I know that it might be uncomfortable at first but the best leaders and managers are those who have discovered how to operate outside their comfort zones. If anything that’s essential doesn’t come naturally at first, then you’ll have to work at it until it does. Q: Well, you’ve certainly given me a lot to think about. Thank you. So, finally, what would you tell me to do first thing tomorrow at nine o’clock? A: Just start as you mean to go on and you won’t go far wrong. All the very best to you and remember that I’m always here if you need to talk to me at any time. Now, just go out there and do your stuff! - Judith Christian-Carter Conclusion You have been promoted because you have proved you have the knowledge and attitude required to manage. You may not demonstrate all of the desired management skills, but in order for you to reach break-even point, be really successful and to get promoted to the next level of management you will need to develop them. For every one of these skills, there are various levels of performance. As a new manager you are not expected to be competent at every one of these skills, but you should be aware of all of them, and you should do everything you can to learn more about and practice each skill. Some of that knowledge will be obtained through formal learning and development, but much of the knowledge will come through hands-on experience. Attitude, as much as knowledge, governs achievement, as a new manager try not to take anything for granted and always focus on doing the very best that you can. Learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat them and remember to always ask for feedback, as in many cases you won’t know what you could do better unless someone tells you. We wish you the very best in your managerial career. ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 13. 13 References How to Become a Manager - Harwell The First 90 Days - Michael Watkins The Leadership Pipeline New Manager’s Survival Guide: 8 Manager Mistakes to Avoid Recommended reading list The First 90 Days - Michael Watkins The Leadership Pipeline ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk
  • 14. 14 Appendices Appendices Please print attachments Appendix A – New manager conversation template Appendix B – Levels of delegation ©2012 Learning Consultancy Partnership lcp.org.uk