Three Steps to Being the Boss, Not the Buddy: Advice for Recently Upgraded Supervisors

"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way."
- John C. Maxwell

Promotions Without Training

Let’s face it, this is one of the biggest problems these days as the next generation of employees is promoted to positions that require at least some leadership skills.

Ideally, your recently upgraded supervisors were culled not only because of their technical ability to do the job well, but also because they showed exceptional people skills that included some ability to lead others well.

If you didn't promote your supervisors based on their people, leadership, and technical abilities, then read more on emotional intelligence to understand the inherent dangers of letting IQ lead instead of EQ.

If you did base your promotions on these qualities, read on to find successful ways to train and provide support to this next generation of leaders within your company.

Friendly, Not Friends

Perhaps the easiest and most direct strategy that new leaders can follow is the notion, "be friendly, not friends" when it comes to understanding where to start with their new position.

The most difficult challenges newly upgraded supervisors face is that they do not understand how to interact with the very same people they worked NEXT TO yesterday that today they are LEADING.

The new leader should consider approaching all work interactions wearing the hat of a supervisor who understands the company’s expectations of him or her. All too often, new leaders continue the same, informal relationships with workplace friends that they previously had; although it can be awkward to make the jump to a lead position, it must be done.

Inevitably, there will be a transition time for a few weeks while the “dust settles” on the new position and everyone adjusts. But doing making your leadership clear upfront will make things much easier in the long run.

Simply put, the new leader must establish clear boundaries in the workplace with prior work relationships by explaining that from “9-5,” he or she must have a game face that is in alignment with the companies expectations of any leader, no matter what. To do otherwise is to endanger both the employee and the leader's jobs.

Professionalism at All Times

While pre- or post work activities can be more relaxed, new supervisors will still need to consider the professionalism of their actions if a social engagement brings them close to work partners in a non-work interaction.

For example, if the team is out for a happy hour celebration off-site, and drinking is being done, the new lead needs to keep consumption to one or two drinks total to keep from getting too “relaxed” with co-workers and saying things that are not exemplary of a good leader.

New Leaders Must Know What Is Expected of Them

These leaders must have a competent understanding of the skills, attributes, strengths, and weaknesses of everyone on his or her new team.

New supervisors must establish a baseline of understanding so they can create road maps for each team member that will complement the direction of the team and the organization as a whole.

Using employee assessment instruments like DiSC® can help take the mystery out of the professional traits and behavioral preferences of the team. When individual strengths and limitations are understood, the supervisor can more effectively put the right people on the right tasks based on what he or she learned from the assessment.

From here, the leader can start to understand the importance of developing a winning team as he or she settles into the new position.

Clarity of Vision

New managers must also have a clear concept of where the team is headed when it comes to company vision and departmental goals. At this point, it will be easier for the supervisor to keep in perspective where the team is headed and how to relay this to the team, regardless of the lack of time or experience in the new position.

As you train and develop support staff for new leadership positions, make sure that company expectations are very clear, that team objectives are well understood, and that a plan of attack has been developed as the new leader moves up the organizational ladder.

Effectively making the jump from employee to leader can be a huge opportunity to recruit and retain key workers in your organization. Just make sure that the right people are promoted for the right reasons and that they are given every resource to succeed.

For tips to effectively train your people and streamline your organization, and for other solutions to your staffing challenges, visit www.traininginabox.com. Sign up for our free newsletter at www.quicktrainingsolutions.com to make your HR training and development life easier. Ron Nielsen designs and delivers innovative and effective training solutions for businesses through NTG, his business development and training company.

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