What things should a first-time manager take into account, researcher and trainer Jari Ylitalo?
“The most important thing to understand is that the manager’s role in work life is completely different from that of an expert. It may come as a surprise, or at least the enormity of the change may surprise the new manager,” says Jari Ylitalo.
It's a big transition because, in addition to the job role, the object of work changes: the things on which professionalism and success are based are different in management work to those in expert work.
“In a good company, you’re given time and support to grow into a manager, and it’s accepted that growing into a boss is a process.”
Ylitalo estimates that it takes six months to a year to adopt the new role.
What surprises should you be prepared for?
When a person transitions from a team member to manager, relationships change. The supervisor is no longer a peer within the team. The new role is accompanied by new relationships elsewhere in the organization.
“Team members might wonder why you attend so many meetings, and why no-one ever sees you anymore,” Ylitalo describes.
“It can also come as a surprise that a boss's work is never done — as an expert you at least sometimes feel it is.”
"Team members might wonder why you attend so many meetings, and why no-one ever sees you anymore."
What mistakes can a new manager make?
Ylitalo lists a few:
1. You imagine that your position brings power and that people will automatically do what you say because you’re a manager. This attitude usually doesn’t work in the long run.
2. You think that as a manager you have to know everything and you can't show that you don’t know something. A better model is to have the courage to not know, and if necessary, to say: I'll find out, I'll get back to you. Or even to ask: what do you think?
3. You imagine that the boss' job is a reward for your past success. It usually isn’t, and even if it was, the task still requires you to learn a new professional skill.
Can a manager be friends with their subordinates?
“If you're closer to certain team members, others may start to watch to see whether you’re favoring them.
People are sensitive to these situations: Do team members feel that the manager has an inner circle separate from the rest of the team? This depends on the openness and basic trust of the team, on whether relationships can be discussed, and on whether people dare to do so. If things are not discussed, the situation can escalate.”
If you end up as a manager of colleagues with whom you are also good friends, it’s important to talk about how you will maintain your professionalism.
“Sometimes changing teams is justified. You have to be aware of how personal relationships can affect team dynamics.
Can the new manager be “one of us”?
Not completely. The power relationship between the manager and the subordinate is asymmetrical, one has power over the other's terms of employment, their work, and the way in which this work is evaluated.
However, the relationship doesn’t have to be distant. “You have to accept that you can’t be equals,” says Ylitalo. He reminds us that a manager is almost “constantly on stage”.
People notice how the boss acts during interactions — who you eat with and who you pay attention to is noticed.
Who you eat with and who you pay attention to is noticed.
A manager must take their supervisory responsibilities and influence seriously. Leadership always has an impact on people's everyday work.
“Leadership influences how meaningful people feel their work is and how well they can do their work.”
