Managing a team for the first time: mistakes to avoid
13 September 2013
Read by 2416 persons
70% of a person's image is built during the first few days.
Make allies rather than opting for a power struggle.
Listening and humility remain essential qualities for a good start to your new mission.
It is important to clearly state objectives, calm spirits and above all silence rumors.
“I remember a manager who had a bad first experience managing a team. He was promoted within his group to manage one of the subsidiaries. Despite his many qualities, he could not assert himself, earn the respect of his former colleagues because he struggled to communicate about the stakes, to define priorities... As a result, the group ended up parting ways with him”, says an HR director.
This story is not isolated. Many such things happen in companies, but not all end in separation. However, it perfectly illustrates the difficulties that a manager who is experiencing their first management experience may face. The fact that they were promoted or recruited externally does not change these difficulties. Yet, some companies entrust responsibilities to managers who are novices in people management, without considering support, forgetting that technical skills are not sufficient for such a responsibility. "The transition was not easy for my first position. I had to learn to manage the group, manage conflicts and maintain team spirit around unifying projects. Luckily I was coached by a supervisor with whom I dealt with real situations", confides Abdesslam Omari, CEO of Soft Key Technologies.
It should be emphasized in this regard that a new manager, especially if they come from outside, is not necessarily welcomed by everyone with open arms. And for good reason, due to a difficult internal situation, memories left by a charismatic predecessor or a new strategy in sight, much will be expected of him. Therefore, nothing will be forgiven. HR specialists also recall that 70% of a person's image is built during the first few days of integration. In other words, the person must act cautiously. "Showing himself to be contemptuous and arrogant towards his collaborators, a new manager did not last long in the company. And for good reason, the employees had strongly protested for him to change his behavior", says a manager.
It should not be forgotten that a bad start inevitably compromises working relationships afterwards because it will be difficult to establish authority. In doing so, the new manager - if recruited from outside - must be well aware of the reasons for their recruitment, the state of mind of their future team, the company culture, the reasons for their predecessor's departure... The company, for its part, must make an effort to welcome them in good conditions. You should not wait until the last minute to furnish their office, find them an assistant, or wait a few days to provide their new computer. A mentor manager is also not too much.
Schedule individual interviews to get to know each team member
As in any self-respecting company, integration is prepared. Announcing the arrival of the new member, presenting them to colleagues on the first day, and a meeting with the closest collaborators are all steps to be followed.
The superior should also brief the newcomer on company life (if they come from outside), its mode of operation, its products and services and of course what is expected of them.
Once in place, they should not remain cloistered in their office, but show curiosity. And the first work meeting is often decisive.
On this occasion, it is important to clearly state the objectives, calm spirits and above all silence rumors, if any, because employees need to be reassured. "We must clarify things from the start. Giving meaning to this team, building a common vision and redefining missions for each person are essential", explains Patrick Barrau, professional coach and CEO of the Maroc Devenir firm. Individual interviews are also important to gradually discover the new collaborators.
Know that the first relationships are often essential to see what is good in the organization but also to correct the situation in case of malfunctions. Strained relations from the start will only complicate the mission.
Ideally, a balance between directive and participative management should be achieved
For many managers, listening and humility remain essential qualities for a good start to their new mission.
“I remember being the youngest sales manager in the company with experienced and older sales representatives to manage. It wasn't always easy, but I learned that credibility is earned on the ground over time”, underlines Laurent Boleau, CEO of the real estate portal Selektimmo.
If you inherit a difficult team, one that shows resistance to change, gets bogged down in personal rivalries or is demotivated, you will need to seek to make allies rather than opting for a power struggle.
Ideally, a good balance should be struck between directive and participative management. It is a question of showing collaborators the path to take and showing them how to achieve it without being afraid to impose a solution or an idea when it comes to solving a problem.
Thanks to attentive listening, which makes it possible to understand the needs and expectations of collaborators, the manager can also act gradually to break down resistance. "Better integration of a new manager also depends on their availability. An open door is the guarantee of a good working relationship", continues Mr. Barrau.
Ultimately, the good manager is the one who has succeeded in setting up an efficient operating system for their collaborators, who will leave landmarks when they leave their post, and also an excellent memory for their professional and behavioral qualities.
Reading
Learning to manage a team
A manager's first steps are never easy. For those managing a team for the first time, this book will allow them to discover new facets of management. It helps to: w desacralize the role of manager to better exercise it; w adapt to situations and the stage of development of your team and each of its members to better supervise it; w mobilize all the resources of effective communication. Managers will realize that to achieve this, a thorough self-knowledge is necessary: it will allow them to better assert themselves, learn to mobilize their network and develop their emotional intelligence.
“Managing for the first time”, by Frédéric Crépin, Editions d'organisation (June 2004).
Questions to Abdesslam Omari, CEO of Soft Key Technologies “It is necessary to avoid imposing a method through constraint”
How did you approach your first team management position?
Taking charge of a team is a stimulating step in the life and career of a manager. It is synonymous with more responsibility. My first management of a team took place in Canada where I started my career as an information systems consultant. I climbed the ranks within a team until I became the supervisor. The transition was not easy. I had to learn to manage the group, manage its conflicts and maintain team spirit around unifying projects. Fortunately I was coached by a supervisor with whom I dealt with real situations. My management of a team in Morocco was a totally different exercise from the one I carried out in Canada. We can say that in Morocco I lived my second “first” experience. The accessibility of technology, the level of expertise and the general state of mind of human resources led me to adapt my approach to team management. It was necessary not only to cement skills but also to compensate for the lack of training to encourage the emergence of a group at the service of its company and its clients. Once the team was formed, it was necessary to organize work sessions so that everyone adjusted their behavior and their way of doing things in relation to the group; I myself had to adapt and adapt my way of doing things.
What difficulties did you encounter in your early days?
As I said, I learned the ropes in Canada, a country where the culture of teamwork is very important. Everyone is responsible for their tasks which always fit into one or more objectives/projects, without failing in their performance and results. In Morocco, the reactivity and the obligation to produce deliverables to justify the progress of projects are not yet part of the customs. Indeed, Moroccan skills must be recognized for their unparalleled technicality. But the efficiency of a team is judged on both substance and form. It must be able to manage projects and do so in total comfort and transparency with the client. This is a daily challenge that I lead with my team composed of both employees and independent consultants.
What mistakes should be avoided?
The main mistake to avoid is trying to impose a method through constraint. It is necessary to try to understand the dynamics of a group in order to integrate it and not to overshadow it.
Manager's opinion Laurent Boleau, CEO of Selektimmo, real estate portal “Credibility is earned on the ground over time”
I approached my first management experience by trying to remain myself as much as possible. I remember being the youngest sales manager in the company with experienced and older sales representatives to manage. Credibility is earned on the ground over time. Another memory, a position in Toronto (English-speaking region: editor's note), in Canada, where, during the first months, I had a real linguistic handicap. I needed to prepare my interventions both in substance and in form: goodbye humor and spontaneity, at least for a few months! I would also add that humility is the first quality to have. We do not erase the past because what has been done certainly had value. So you have to know how to listen, for example by meeting individually all the members of your team before holding a general meeting, to take the temperature, without resigning from your mission. You have to gently follow your direction without necessarily denying that of your predecessor. I would say that it is essential to give time to time and not to put yourself in action mode immediately. This allows you to analyze and understand the situation in order to act better. You must be a bearer of a vision and share it with your collaborators. As for the mistakes to avoid, I think that you must first be irreproachable. If I ask that the meeting starts at 8 am, I am on time in the room. Rigor and organization are two essential elements to which must be added listening in order to be able to decide with full knowledge of the facts. The goal is not to be nice but factual and concrete to be seen as the manager that the company and the people need.
Manager's opinion Aziz Taib, HR director in an industrial group “My watchword: it's communication”
My first experience as a manager was not easy. I was called upon to manage a dozen collaborators older than me, whose average age was around 45 years old. It was difficult because it was necessary to determine how to work with different personalities. In addition, I had to adapt to the company culture since I had just arrived. As a newcomer, I could neither sanction nor reprimand anyone in the first few weeks. Under these conditions, the only solution in terms of behavior is to keep your cool. At the same time, I tried to sensitize and train them on different aspects of management to bring them to share the same visions in terms of work. My watchword was: communicate. It is a very important means of getting closer to your collaborators.
Brahim Habriche.
Lavieeco.com
Posted online on September 13, 2013.
Make allies rather than opting for a power struggle.
Listening and humility remain essential qualities for a good start to your new mission.
It is important to clearly state objectives, calm spirits and above all silence rumors.
“I remember a manager who had a bad first experience managing a team. He was promoted within his group to manage one of the subsidiaries. Despite his many qualities, he could not assert himself, earn the respect of his former colleagues because he struggled to communicate about the stakes, to define priorities... As a result, the group ended up parting ways with him”, says an HR director.
This story is not isolated. Many such things happen in companies, but not all end in separation. However, it perfectly illustrates the difficulties that a manager who is experiencing their first management experience may face. The fact that they were promoted or recruited externally does not change these difficulties. Yet, some companies entrust responsibilities to managers who are novices in people management, without considering support, forgetting that technical skills are not sufficient for such a responsibility. "The transition was not easy for my first position. I had to learn to manage the group, manage conflicts and maintain team spirit around unifying projects. Luckily I was coached by a supervisor with whom I dealt with real situations", confides Abdesslam Omari, CEO of Soft Key Technologies.
It should be emphasized in this regard that a new manager, especially if they come from outside, is not necessarily welcomed by everyone with open arms. And for good reason, due to a difficult internal situation, memories left by a charismatic predecessor or a new strategy in sight, much will be expected of him. Therefore, nothing will be forgiven. HR specialists also recall that 70% of a person's image is built during the first few days of integration. In other words, the person must act cautiously. "Showing himself to be contemptuous and arrogant towards his collaborators, a new manager did not last long in the company. And for good reason, the employees had strongly protested for him to change his behavior", says a manager.
It should not be forgotten that a bad start inevitably compromises working relationships afterwards because it will be difficult to establish authority. In doing so, the new manager - if recruited from outside - must be well aware of the reasons for their recruitment, the state of mind of their future team, the company culture, the reasons for their predecessor's departure... The company, for its part, must make an effort to welcome them in good conditions. You should not wait until the last minute to furnish their office, find them an assistant, or wait a few days to provide their new computer. A mentor manager is also not too much.
Schedule individual interviews to get to know each team member
As in any self-respecting company, integration is prepared. Announcing the arrival of the new member, presenting them to colleagues on the first day, and a meeting with the closest collaborators are all steps to be followed.
The superior should also brief the newcomer on company life (if they come from outside), its mode of operation, its products and services and of course what is expected of them.
Once in place, they should not remain cloistered in their office, but show curiosity. And the first work meeting is often decisive.
On this occasion, it is important to clearly state the objectives, calm spirits and above all silence rumors, if any, because employees need to be reassured. "We must clarify things from the start. Giving meaning to this team, building a common vision and redefining missions for each person are essential", explains Patrick Barrau, professional coach and CEO of the Maroc Devenir firm. Individual interviews are also important to gradually discover the new collaborators.
Know that the first relationships are often essential to see what is good in the organization but also to correct the situation in case of malfunctions. Strained relations from the start will only complicate the mission.
Ideally, a balance between directive and participative management should be achieved
For many managers, listening and humility remain essential qualities for a good start to their new mission.
“I remember being the youngest sales manager in the company with experienced and older sales representatives to manage. It wasn't always easy, but I learned that credibility is earned on the ground over time”, underlines Laurent Boleau, CEO of the real estate portal Selektimmo.
If you inherit a difficult team, one that shows resistance to change, gets bogged down in personal rivalries or is demotivated, you will need to seek to make allies rather than opting for a power struggle.
Ideally, a good balance should be struck between directive and participative management. It is a question of showing collaborators the path to take and showing them how to achieve it without being afraid to impose a solution or an idea when it comes to solving a problem.
Thanks to attentive listening, which makes it possible to understand the needs and expectations of collaborators, the manager can also act gradually to break down resistance. "Better integration of a new manager also depends on their availability. An open door is the guarantee of a good working relationship", continues Mr. Barrau.
Ultimately, the good manager is the one who has succeeded in setting up an efficient operating system for their collaborators, who will leave landmarks when they leave their post, and also an excellent memory for their professional and behavioral qualities.
Reading
Learning to manage a team
A manager's first steps are never easy. For those managing a team for the first time, this book will allow them to discover new facets of management. It helps to: w desacralize the role of manager to better exercise it; w adapt to situations and the stage of development of your team and each of its members to better supervise it; w mobilize all the resources of effective communication. Managers will realize that to achieve this, a thorough self-knowledge is necessary: it will allow them to better assert themselves, learn to mobilize their network and develop their emotional intelligence.
“Managing for the first time”, by Frédéric Crépin, Editions d'organisation (June 2004).
Questions to Abdesslam Omari, CEO of Soft Key Technologies “It is necessary to avoid imposing a method through constraint”
How did you approach your first team management position?
Taking charge of a team is a stimulating step in the life and career of a manager. It is synonymous with more responsibility. My first management of a team took place in Canada where I started my career as an information systems consultant. I climbed the ranks within a team until I became the supervisor. The transition was not easy. I had to learn to manage the group, manage its conflicts and maintain team spirit around unifying projects. Fortunately I was coached by a supervisor with whom I dealt with real situations. My management of a team in Morocco was a totally different exercise from the one I carried out in Canada. We can say that in Morocco I lived my second “first” experience. The accessibility of technology, the level of expertise and the general state of mind of human resources led me to adapt my approach to team management. It was necessary not only to cement skills but also to compensate for the lack of training to encourage the emergence of a group at the service of its company and its clients. Once the team was formed, it was necessary to organize work sessions so that everyone adjusted their behavior and their way of doing things in relation to the group; I myself had to adapt and adapt my way of doing things.
What difficulties did you encounter in your early days?
As I said, I learned the ropes in Canada, a country where the culture of teamwork is very important. Everyone is responsible for their tasks which always fit into one or more objectives/projects, without failing in their performance and results. In Morocco, the reactivity and the obligation to produce deliverables to justify the progress of projects are not yet part of the customs. Indeed, Moroccan skills must be recognized for their unparalleled technicality. But the efficiency of a team is judged on both substance and form. It must be able to manage projects and do so in total comfort and transparency with the client. This is a daily challenge that I lead with my team composed of both employees and independent consultants.
What mistakes should be avoided?
The main mistake to avoid is trying to impose a method through constraint. It is necessary to try to understand the dynamics of a group in order to integrate it and not to overshadow it.
Manager's opinion Laurent Boleau, CEO of Selektimmo, real estate portal “Credibility is earned on the ground over time”
I approached my first management experience by trying to remain myself as much as possible. I remember being the youngest sales manager in the company with experienced and older sales representatives to manage. Credibility is earned on the ground over time. Another memory, a position in Toronto (English-speaking region: editor's note), in Canada, where, during the first months, I had a real linguistic handicap. I needed to prepare my interventions both in substance and in form: goodbye humor and spontaneity, at least for a few months! I would also add that humility is the first quality to have. We do not erase the past because what has been done certainly had value. So you have to know how to listen, for example by meeting individually all the members of your team before holding a general meeting, to take the temperature, without resigning from your mission. You have to gently follow your direction without necessarily denying that of your predecessor. I would say that it is essential to give time to time and not to put yourself in action mode immediately. This allows you to analyze and understand the situation in order to act better. You must be a bearer of a vision and share it with your collaborators. As for the mistakes to avoid, I think that you must first be irreproachable. If I ask that the meeting starts at 8 am, I am on time in the room. Rigor and organization are two essential elements to which must be added listening in order to be able to decide with full knowledge of the facts. The goal is not to be nice but factual and concrete to be seen as the manager that the company and the people need.
Manager's opinion Aziz Taib, HR director in an industrial group “My watchword: it's communication”
My first experience as a manager was not easy. I was called upon to manage a dozen collaborators older than me, whose average age was around 45 years old. It was difficult because it was necessary to determine how to work with different personalities. In addition, I had to adapt to the company culture since I had just arrived. As a newcomer, I could neither sanction nor reprimand anyone in the first few weeks. Under these conditions, the only solution in terms of behavior is to keep your cool. At the same time, I tried to sensitize and train them on different aspects of management to bring them to share the same visions in terms of work. My watchword was: communicate. It is a very important means of getting closer to your collaborators.
Brahim Habriche.
Lavieeco.com
Posted online on September 13, 2013.
