Becoming a manager: two crucial steps for a successful transition

Moving into a management role can be a very exciting time. While you generally expect to face many challenges related to your new role — you will, after all, have new tasks and a different level of accountability — you should also anticipate that this transition will also affect another important area: your relationships.

Indeed, going from colleague to manager can shake up many things, and yet it is possible to ensure a smooth transition.

Although your relationships with your former co-workers will change, it doesn’t mean that they have to become more difficult.

How can we do this? By taking the time to clarify things, with kindness, in two crucial steps. After all, who doesn’t benefit from clarity?

First step: Start with yourself

A bit of structured introspection can help to put your thoughts in order. This is especially important at a time of transition such as this when so much is changing at once, and it can be easy to lose sight of some essentials because everything is moving so quickly.

If you can naturally be inclined to want to clarify things with others, it remains that an important step should not be skipped: start with yourself, by finding your own answer to several questions.

Why exactly did you choose to become a manager? What qualities and skills were recognized when you were offered this position? How do you see yourself in the position you now hold in relation to your former colleagues?

And it is worth going even further, by examining your needs, expectations, and wishes.

What do you need from your team members? What expectations do you have of them? What do you hope to establish as a collaborative climate in this new relationship?

Once you’ve drawn this picture accurately, you can move on to the next step.

Second step: Turn to others

It is important to quickly schedule meetings with team members, some of whom may be former teammates, to establish — or re-establish — a foundation of trust and a work environment conducive to engagement.

To do this, one-on-one meetings are a must: they make it possible to initiate a dialogue that will continue over time, and that will ensure that employees feel seen, heard, and considered. And that is crucial when you become a manager!

Rooted in listening, this dialogue is a great opportunity to share the values that matter most to you and the standards you want to set for the team. It also serves to clarify the needs and expectations of each party in terms of communication and autonomy, and to share concerns that may be related to this transition.

Everyone benefits from being authentic!

Better late than never…

It’s never too late to start this process. Even if you’ve transitioned to a management position some time ago, you can always benefit from a moment to readjust your focus, even subtly!

After all, why not give yourself the opportunity to experience a successful transition and set up the conditions to excel as a team?