Written by: Nikki McGoohan, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
John has been in the Sales Dept for 3yrs and every year has exceeded his targets. The Area Sales Manager is leaving and Monica the Sales Director feels John would be the perfect replacement as his sales skills are excellent and feels that this would be very beneficial for the team. On Friday afternoon Monica calls John into her office to offer him the position, his salary will increase by €10k with a review after six months. They discuss the role and Monica gives him the weekend to think about it. On Monday he accepts the offer and starts his new role the following week so that he can spend two weeks with the outgoing Area Sales Manager.
When it comes to the 6monthly review Monica isn’t happy with the performance of the team, John is feeling frustrated as he said he didn’t realize what the role fully entailed and the staff are also disgruntled and are hesitant to take instruction from him.
The above scenario whilst the exact details may change is very common in businesses. An employee is very good technically so is promoted to the position of supervisor, line manager. The issue is that they have no experience in “managing” people and also unless managed properly it is very difficult to go from working alongside someone to all of a sudden having them report to you. Another aspect worth considering is his own manager and what skills she has developed in this area, as she was promoted in the same manner.
One definition of the word promotion is an “activity that supports or encourages a cause, venture, or aim”. That is exactly what any leader should do when they are promoting an employee, supporting, and encouraging. The challenge is to know when to do both without micromanaging the person.
My top 4 tips for managing promotion would be as follows:
Plan for the promotion.
Don’t go into panic mode because someone tells you they are leaving and you feel you have to put someone else in the position “yesterday”. Prepare a job description for the new position and spend time with the current manager to discuss what exactly the job entails. I have seen it many times when managers fail to have clarity on someone’s role and may not be aware of the full extent of their tasks.
Then critique this against the current skills and experience of the person you are considering. As you would with a Training Needs Analysis write down the areas for upskilling and seek out a mentor and/or relevant training which will be provided. Make sure that the content of any training is relevant to your organization.
Be realistic about your own leadership qualities.
It can be difficult for us to stand back and look at our own skills and needs and just because we are in a leadership position feel that we cannot admit that we don’t have all the answers. The reality by doing this we are helping our future leaders to grow and giving them one of the biggest gifts, the freedom to not have to pretend they have all the answers and give them the opportunity to learn from their own team and others.
“To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge”. ‒ Nicolaus Copernicus
Snakes and Ladders.
Be prepared to take one step forward and a couple back but with the right encouragement and support they will reach the top of the ladder and if for whatever reason it doesn’t work out you will still be further on as you will have the systems in place for the next time.
Dealing with former co-workers.
It is very important that you address this with sensitivity and don’t underestimate the negative impact this can have if not dealt with correctly. You need to show support for your new supervisor and that everyone is clear about what their position is and their level of authority. This is especially true when it comes to their decision-making. Some of the other employees may be eager to show that they should have been picked for the position or that the new supervisor isn’t up to the task. Consistency in your approach is key and also making sure that if you do need to reverse any decision you let them be the ones to take the lead.
Taking the time to look at the different aspects of the role, having those honest conversations, putting a structure in place, and providing the right support, will start the new relationship for everyone on the team on the right foot and hopefully a better 6monthly review.
Nikki McGoohan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Nikki McGoohan is the Director of Propel 2Gether Ltd where she works with organizations at various stages of their growth and development in the areas of business mentoring, executive and personal coaching, and training. Nikki has experience in management and general business acumen which helps her to understand the dynamics, complexities, and challenges of SME’s and the individuals who lead them. Through collaboration and listening to understand their businesses, she can assist them to identify the current issues they are experiencing, evaluate them and together develop a roadmap to move forward in a way that is true to their vision.
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