New managers, the spotlight is on you
  • leadership
  • Blog post

New managers, the spotlight is on you

There is one fact that all new managers must learn and accept.

The second you walk into that new office, the world changes … a lot.

You’re not good old Fred or Wendy anymore – one of the gang who shares in all the fun, joys and sorrows of the frontline troops.

A transformation
Now, you’re the boss, which means not only that you’re responsible for your own and your employees’ success, but also that you’ve transformed into an entirely new entity.

On the day you become a manager, you embody the company to the people who work for you – becoming all the values and culture of your organization in one person.

If your business values deadlines, it’s meet them or die; if your CEO is all about delivery, you’d better deliver.

And as the boss, you’re not just on the job, you’re in the spotlight.

Playing to your ‘audience’
Every hour you work, you’ve got that white-hot bulb shining down. Your audience is the people who report to you; and your “performance” is the one they’ll use as the basis for their own.

Do it well, and you’ll be sending a troupe of great performers out into the world to dazzle their spectators – your customers.

Do it badly, and you’ll not only pay in reduced sales and morale, but you’ll also undermine the philosophy and values you were promoted to represent.

Key insights
So, New Manager, remember these three key insights:

  • While you may want to still be friends with your old pals, you can’t accept stalling or excuses. If your CEO wouldn’t do it, you can’t either.
  • If you don’t like giving orders, you’d better learn or leave. Your people need clarity of vision. They won’t know what’s expected of them if you don’t tell them.
  • You can’t kick your responsibility upstairs, downstairs or out the window. Saying, “the big boss will blow a gasket if we don’t meet this deadline,” won’t cut it. You need to let your reports know, “I’m expecting you to meet that deadline by any means necessary.” Not the CEO, Not the COO … you.

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