Kathmandu

Have you just become a manager, just been promoted to the post? You may feel you are the boss but you must take into consideration a lot of things to become one of the best managers — well liked by those who work under you and for whom you work.

Mr Know It All

If you were promoted to production manager, you may feel you know everything about production. But, you sure don’t know everything about the most important part of your job — managing people. Listen to the people around you. Ask for their input when appropriate. Keep an open mind.

I am the BOSS!

Trust me, everyone in your group knows who the new manager is. You don’t have to make a big show about being ‘the boss’. You do, however, have to demonstrate that, as the boss, you are making a positive difference.

Not my way of doing things

Don’t re-invent the wheel. Just because the way something is done isn’t the way you would do it, it isn’t necessarily wrong. Learn the difference between ‘different’ and ‘wrong’.

Why take a risk

Maybe you didn’t ask for the promotion. Maybe you are not sure you can do the job. Don’t let that keep you from doing the job to the best of your ability. Upper management wouldn’t have put you into the job if they didn’t have confidence that you could handle it.

I know what they need

Maybe you worked alongside these people for years. That doesn’t mean you know them. Learn what makes them excited, how to motivate them, what they fear or worry about. Give enough time to know them as individuals because that’s the only way you can effectively manage them. Your people are what will make or break you in yourquest to be a good manager. Give them your attention and time.

I am busy now

Since s/he just promoted you, surely s/he understands how busy you are and won’t need any of your time, right? Wrong. Your job, just like it was before you became a manager,

is to help your boss.

Make sure to budget time to meet with him/her to both give information and to receive guidance and training.

Better not face problems

You can no longer avoid problems or hope they will work themselves out. When something comes up, it is your job to figure out the best solution and get it done. That doesn’t mean you can’t ask for other’s input or assistance, but it does mean you are the person who has to see it gets taken care of.

I am different

Just because you are the boss doesn’t mean you aren’t human, that you shouldn’t laugh, or show emotion, or make an occasional mistake.

Let their problems be theirs

The people in your group will be under pressure from every direction. Other departments may want to blame you for failed interfaces. Your boss may want to dump all the unpleasant jobs on your department, HR may decide the job classifications in your area are overpaid. It’s your job to stand up for your people and make sure they are treated as fairly as possible. They will return the loyalty.

I am not responsible

Like it or not, as the manager, you are responsible for everything that happens in your group, whether you did it, or knew about it, or not. Anything anyone in your group does, or doesn’t

do, reflects on you. You have to build the communications so there are no surprises, but also

be prepared to shoulder the responsibility. It goes hand-in-hand with the authority.