“Before I was promoted to supervisor, I was really good friends with everyone in the department. Now I feel like everybody hates me,” moaned my client. They don’t seem to understand that I am now in charge of them, and I’m having a particularly hard time with one employee who thinks she can get away with pretty much anything. What should I do?”.
Being promoted from within a department to become the manager of that team is one of the more challenging career situations I’ve helped people navigate and gone through myself. As my client discovered, switching from being a peer who had previously spoken “trash” about the manager with other coworkers to becoming the subject of others’ talk can be stressful.
Being responsible for the performance and outcomes of your department as the new manager makes the transition from coworker to department manager challenging. Former coworkers frequently don’t want to treat you as the boss; instead, they might prefer to continue treating you as one of the group out of habit or out of jealousy.
Keep in mind that your role as the new manager is about motivating others to achieve results, not about trying to be popular. Especially if one or two other people applied for the position you ultimately received, you might not be able to win over everyone in the department. Whatever happens, maintain your attention on the task at hand, put forth your best effort each day, treat everyone fairly, and respect should follow.
- Realize relationships may change. When transitioning from a coworker to a supervisor, expect the dynamic between you are your coworkers to change. …
- Ask for feedback. Becoming a supervisor is a major change in your career. …
- Treat your team members equally.
What is transitioning to supervisor like?
Transitioning to supervisor is a big step in your career. When assuming this leadership position, be aware that your coworkers may have a different opinion of you because you will now be in charge of overseeing their work. As you advance from team member to supervisor, be prepared to assume more responsibility. You might start working on high-level projects more often than just with your team. You might collaborate more closely with other managers and business executives while providing support for your team to make sure everyone is achieving the company’s objectives.
Tips for successfully transitioning to supervisor
You can succeed in your transition to a supervisory role by following these suggestions:
Realize relationships may change
Be prepared for the dynamic between you and your coworkers to change as you move from being a coworker to a supervisor. It’s time for you to take on the role of a leader, which entails working to assist your team members and ensuring that they are accomplishing their objectives. Some of your former peers may now look up to you as their manager. Make sure you develop into a positive role model who is eager to offer guidance and criticism. Although you can still be friends with your coworkers at work, be aware that if you accept this job, things might change.
Discuss the change with your team
Spend some time conversing with your team to ease into your transition. Let them know that you are assuming a new position and describe your new duties. Use this opportunity to discuss your work management strategy with them and assist them in setting goals. Explain to your team what your responsibilities as a supervisor are and that you are available to provide assistance or advice as needed.
Ask for feedback
Becoming a supervisor is a major change in your career. You can discover your leadership strengths and weaknesses by getting input from your team. If your organization has additional supervisors, ask them to evaluate your leadership skills. Receiving this feedback can assist you in making changes to your working method and keeping doing the things you do well.
Seek advice from other leaders
See if you can meet with other leaders to get their advice if this is your first time holding a leadership position. If you want to ask them crucial questions for your new position, offer to buy them coffee. Find out what their biggest challenges are in leading and what they wish they had known when they first assumed their role. To be successful in a new position, you must first establish your own network of supporters.
Treat your team members equally
Some of your coworkers may have grown closer to you before you became a supervisor. You must be careful to avoid showing favoritism based on these prior relationships as a supervisor. Instead, consider this chance as a chance to start over with each of your team members. Give everyone a chance to demonstrate that they have the abilities to succeed in their positions. You must be as impartial as you can when distributing assignments or providing performance feedback. Make sure you are acting as an ethical and egalitarian leader rather than feeling tempted to assign your friends more fun tasks.
Be respectful and professional
You are in charge of fostering harmony at work as a manager. You need to make sure you are only speaking in a respectful and kind way about your coworkers, rather than participating in rumors. You have an obligation to lead by example for your group, so always act with decorum and professionalism. Make sure you keep your coworkers’ conversations private, especially if they are sharing sensitive information. Demonstrate to your team that you are a reliable and encouraging leader.
Ask for training materials
There will be a lot to learn when beginning in your new position. Make sure your predecessor or the human resources department is providing you with the training materials you require. Inquire if they would be willing to provide you with some hands-on training if you accepted this position before your current supervisor leaves. In this manner, you will feel fully equipped to assume your new leadership position.
Show your confidence
Taking on a new position can be difficult, but it can also be a great chance to advance your career. Try to demonstrate to your team that you are self-assured and up to the task as you continue to feel more at ease as a leader. When you enter the room, greet your team members and inquire about their well-being. Be prepared to present to teams and speak up when necessary. The time has come to demonstrate your deserving of your new position.
Set goals and expectations
Make sure you and your team have clear expectations and goals in place. You can make sure that everyone understands what they must do to contribute to the team’s success by regularly discussing the metrics you want to achieve with your team. Use the SMART method when assisting your team members to set goals. As a result, each of their objectives is clear, measurable, doable, timely, and relevant. You can assist people in setting more sensible, better goals by employing this technique.
New Supervisor Training Series – Transitioning to Supervisor
FAQ
How do I go from team lead to supervisor?
- Stop doing and start delegating. The most common challenge. …
- Be flexible. …
- Be particularly mindful of how you manage your time. …
- Spend more time learning the whole business. …
- Never forget the customer’s perspective, which is the most crucial one.
What are guidelines to help frame the transition to a supervisory role?
Engage every employee personally while the transition is taking place. Do not disclose confidential information about the former supervisor. Model confidentiality and professionalism. When establishing the new role, exercise caution to not have more authority than is necessary.
How do you move up as a supervisor position?
- Know your strengths and weaknesses. …
- Be a strong decision maker. …
- Conquer time management. …
- Know how to delegate. …
- Develop strong written and oral communication skills. …
- Manage up.
How do I become a good first time supervisor?
- Be Comfortable With Your Role. …
- Spend Time in Understanding Your Subordinates. …
- Understand the Business. …
- Learn Leadership Skills. …
- Be an Example for Your Peers. …
- Create Simple Processes for Maximum Productivity. …
- Learn to Make Firm Decisions. …
- Learn to Have an Objective Perspective on Things.
