How to become a manager? Posting for traffic!

[Teasethedog]

Big opportunity here to have a really good shot at applying for and getting a supervisor role. I’ve spoken to the manager and am being strongly encouraged to apply.

Thing is I’ve no managerial experience and it’s managing 12 people! I know all the people and they are all very nice and supportive but it’s a different thing to be their manager?

How do you make that jump from non management to manager and how is it best to show I’d be capable during the interview?

Do I just say that I’d be firm but fair and treat everyone the same? I’d have their backs as long as they weren’t in the wrong etc but would expect to lay the law down if they needed it.

I’m really not sure what constitutes a good manager (I know what type I like) but what’s the best way to present myself and portray how I would be?

Any advice would be very gratefully received

Is there any chance you could get some training if you were successful? I did this - jumped from one of the team to the leader but was immediately put through an intensive leadership and management course which was invaluable.

Key things I remember taking away from the course and my first year in mgmt:

As a manager, your role is to serve the company but advocate for your staff. You need to understand a lot more about how the business operates / why / the bigger picture so that you can then enforce / cajole / motivate your team to achieve the goals that will help get your company where it needs to be.

You lead by example - and you must be much more professional. No huffing and puffing about bad days / too much work / bloody stupid management decisions. It is your job to serve so a bit of distance between your former colleagues and you will help that.

Your team need to think that they are your number one priority. Instigate / continue formal structure of 1:1, monthly reviews, appraisals and, this is the important bit, NEVER EVER EVER reschedule / bump / cancel these meetings however inconvenient they are for you. It will deliver absolutely a million times over (even though it's a huge pain in the arse) in terms of loyalty and staff engagement.

Never underestimate how important and therefore serious someone's comfort and ability to do their job affects their morale / motivation. Prioritise shifts / breaks / kitchen facilities / air con / car park politics - whatever it is that causes upset however petty. Use your new power to get it sorted somehow!! Plus tech - sort out phones / dodgy laptops / niggly software etc. Again, it will pay absolute dividends later and massively increases productivity when people stop having so much to moan about!

Recognise what you can train into someone and what is inherent. Focus on the people who have buckets of inherent qualities and spend less time / mental energy on those who will never quite make the grade no matter how much experience or training you give them.

Report regularly into your manager even if they don't ask for it - it's important to be a link in the chain even if it's one way traffic - you are doing your bit and will often save time answering questions etc later as you've been proactive about keeping them in the loop.

Good luck!!

Ah Fusion that is amazing!! Thank you so much! Loads of really great advice there, I’ll screen shot this, really appreciate the time you’ve given 😃

Ask for training and BE FAIR. You won't get an respect if you play favourites. Understand decisions from a business point of view but also advocate for your staff.

Do I just say that I’d be firm but fair and treat everyone the same?

I see what you mean, but part of being a manager is treating people as individuals - your team will have different needs and capabilities. You'll need to show flexibility and (especially in these times) real focus on their wellbeing.

I’d have their backs as long as they weren’t in the wrong etc but would expect to lay the law down if they needed it.

I think this is probably better phrased as encouraging an open and honest culture in your team. Consider how you would deliver feedback on performance and conduct issues - there are times when you need to be direct and 'lay down the law' but, if it's a problem of skill not will, you won't get anywhere with that approach - you'll need to work with the team member to find a solution.

'Having their backs' is important but bear in mind there will be conflict situations between the people below you, and the people above you - if you are caught in the middle you have to negotiate a way forward, look at compromise. You can't always defend your team against, e.g. an unwelcome change. Often you have to broker an arrangement that involves compromise on both sides, and be able to 'sell' that to your team and support them to adjust.

Good luck with your promotion.

I have moved from being part of a team to managing them....it’s hard.
The friendships you have as a team member cannot remain as is when you are a manager.
You need to be friendly, but not friends.
Be aware if times when you should take action (as a manager) but being a friend makes it awkward.

Always treat others as you want to be treated, but also stick to the rules.

Don’t let them manage you, you need to remain in charge, it’s surprisingly easy to end up being managed by your team, especially if there is really experienced/ long standing team members there.

Have a look for a free short course. Something like www.futurelearn.com/courses/people-management-skills

My manager is great. Very fair to everyone, harsh enough with people who don't pull their weight but still our friend. They manage a massive team and I'm in awe. I think they've learnt a lot from their manager though. Can you think what's good and bad about your manager? I would also be tempted to say what you've learnt in an interview.

Do some online leadership courses.

See if there will be support for you to adjust in the new role.

Look at things like conflict resolution and a colleague acting out of character.

Think carefully, it isn't for everyone. I hated it and left after 2 years.

Managing behaviour is harder than managing performance, especially if you've come "up from the team".

Perhaps think about how you'd approach that.

Personally, leading not managing is the way with a team. Leadership is strong. Management belongs in football!

What an interesting thread and a very good question.

What about requesting a mentor to help transition to team manager?

Watching with interest as have recently been promoted too.
My organisation doesn’t offer any management training so this is helpful. Am thinking of getting some management books.

Completely agree with Fusion.

If the organisation has a training offer or budget, be clear that you'd be enthusiastic about undertaking training and/or coaching. If not, Acas offer some good, free online training courses which can be extremely useful as a starting point/foundation. It would also be worth having a think about whether there are any senior managers who you could ask for some mentoring from.

Generally speaking, be fair not equal (as above), and be ready to become your team's one way filter. If you receive praise, it goes straight through you to your team. If you receive criticism, it stops with you and it's on you to pull out lessons learned that you can share with your team.

This is all so very helpful, thank you all so much.

The best leader I've had acted as a plastic umbrella not as a colander. Kept the rain from us but let the sun through!

Link for Acas free online courses - www.acas.org.uk/online-training

I'd also recommend googling management competence or management behaviour frameworks - UCL, Manchester University and PricewaterhouseCoopers have some good ones that you can find online and give some great tips on the behaviours you'll need to learn and display over time if you want to demonstrate sound management and leadership potential.

I can really reccomend the one minute manager books- v shirt but v memorable.
A mentor is an excellent idea.

@thesandwich

I can really reccomend the one minute manager books- v shirt but v memorable. A mentor is an excellent idea.

I came on to recommend the same book - One Minute manager is very very short but it's good. If not just Google anything about Ken Blanchard and Situational Leadership and it'll be useful.

It is a harsh learning curve! Relationships with previous colleagues do change and they will challenge your decision making. I've found it tricky having to make the on the spot decisions when you are trying to decide between what the boss wants and what your colleagues can cope with. Having to deal with those who seem to think they could have done better if they'd been given the role.

I haven't really got any tips, I'm going to be following the thread with interest though for some words of wisdom!

Great minds FIZZGIGG the books are short not shirt .....

If you are interviewing and you don’t have previous experience, you can point to times you have trained others, mentored new recruits or taken on extra responsibilities that involve organising others work.

If you know what type of manager you like to have (providing that's the right type 😂) you can say in interview that although you've not had formal management training you have learnt from both effective and not so effective managers. Obv only if that's true and you have some examples of where you've seen what not to do, and also if there's no one on the interview panel who might think you are talking about them negatively.
Think about what you've learnt from your previous managing people, both positive and negative, is what I'm saying.

Someone has seen the potential in you if you are being encouraged to apply, so take that as a positive too.

Remember that management has the interest of keeping the business going and meeting business goals, not just turning up and getting paid for it, so your focus would need to shift.

Staff moaning that they can't all get holiday at the same time takes on a new meaning for you now? How you manage that?

How you manage a new member of the team who is disruptive and they are falling out and team now not meeting targets?

Managing is easy when you've a good team and boss! Not so easy if you don't. Have a think about those types of scenarios and how you would actually deal with them.

Good luck!

I'm in this boat too, trying to write my intro on my cv this evening. It's hard!! Written the rest of it just not the intro!!!