Dear experienced managers,
I'm seeking advice on how to launch a new role into a small team. This new role has been gained through effectively promoting a team member (all colleagues were invited to apply, only the expected one did).
A team member has recently received a promotion so that they will be slightly more senior than the team he was in (they all had the same job description). The difference between the new role and the previous one is to develop and implement QA systems and supervise the work of the team mates.
This little team sits in a larger team consisting of a Director, Deputy Director (me), a person the same level as me but with no management responsibility - they have other responsibilities, and another member who is the same level as this new role. In total we are seven.
There are two reasons we developed the new role 1) a business need to develop the QA systems 2) staff retention.
I want advice please on how to 'launch' this new role with the team to ensure it's a success.
The QA issue has been lurking for ages and it will require grit and determination to get the whole team on board. Why? Team culture, no one is used to writing anything down. Team likes doing technical work best. Small busy and reactive team. Director doesn't say no v often to requests from above so whilst we churn out a lot of work actually we aren't doing the 'boring' but very important stuff. I understand I will need to manage better upwards, as well as down...and across! How best to get everyone on board?
The individual who has been recruited is technically very able, and has a good sense of what is required from a QA perspective. I am concerned about their tactfulness when 'supervising' colleagues. Plus, needs to develop skills in dealing with people that ahem, have a different opinion to them.
I'm concerned about the new role/person thinking it's easier than it is.
In general ,just any advice please especially where one person has received a promotion in a team. I find being a manager hard and I don't have much experience and these days, bandwidth as my job is just so busy. My manager is actually excellent but perhaps not at this type of thing - they are charismatic and very smart and finds everything very easy (it seems) and has great people skills but I don't thing they are very good at building a functional team.....!
I am of course dedicating time to investigating this not just on Mumnet but I know there is a lot of wisdom and experience so why not tap into that.
Thank you in advance