A Managers Hardest Transition

I've witnessed hundreds of managers struggle with the same thing.

They try to get 'off the tools' and instead keep diving back in and lose the respect of their team.

Here's how it often goes wrong for them:

In the beginning, they build a reputation by being excellent at their craft.

Their potential is obvious and people naturally gravitate towards them for advice, direction and help to solve problems.

They get promoted to Manager and oversee a team of people who were previously their co-workers. Nothing changes immediately. The team do their job and they still do theirs.

There isn't a catalyst that causes new managers to change the way they see themselves.

It's not obvious, but they're now judged by everyone in a completely different way.

They're no longer responsible for products and services directly. They're now responsible for the people in their care - who are responsible for products and services.

THE HARDEST BIT:

Rethinking their identity. Switching from being excellent at doing things themself, to finding new meaning and value in helping others do it better than them.

WHERE THINGS GO WRONG:

When a crisis occurs, their natural instinct is to get in there and fix it themselves instead of using it as an opportunity to teach their team and give them room to level up.

When this is done repeatedly, they become the person who is always vacuumed back in to solve a crisis and can never escape. This further reinforces their identity as being excellent as a doer and they miss the chance to be excellent as a manager.

WHAT ACTIONS TO TAKE INSTEAD:

To become successful as a manager, they must force themselves to rethink everything.

Here are a couple of things that come to mind:

- Change your identity from being the best to help others be the best

- Discover meaning in helping others become better than you

- Explore different ways you communicate to inspire action

- Revisit your habits and routines that get you results

- Investigate the habits and routines of others

- What new productivity feels like

- Your identity in the industry

- Expectations from others

- Where your focus is

- Your workday

- Your ego

Building a new identity as a manager is one of the most difficult transitions you ever make.

But it's also the most rewarding for those who pull it off.

Because, once you've mastered it and can help others go through the same process, you're now one of the biggest assets to any company.

Anywhere.