I was recently promoted to a position that involves supervising two other employees, which is something I have never done. What is the best way to approach this?

Congratulations! It is a big step and quite an accomplishment to supervise others. It also brings with it a high degree of responsibility, so it is smart to think about your strategy for how you are going to supervise.

Manage expectations before you manage people

Your new employees will have certain expectations about you, and your management style. If they have already worked with you, they may even have some preconceived ideas of how you plan to manage them. These notions can help you or hurt you, no matter which way they feel about you as a person, fellow employee, and potential manager.

Communication is key – right from the start

It is critical to start things off on the right foot with your new employees. Start with setting up private meetings with each one of them. Use this time (ideally away from the office over coffee or lunch) to listen to their perspectives on their situation. Ask them what’s been working, and what could be done better. Gain an understanding of what they want for their future career development. Don’t try to be their friend, but show them that you care about them, and want to help them with any issues they are facing. You can also talk to your management peers about their experiences in managing people, and how they are managing their teams.

Plan, plan, plan

Take some time to absorb what you’ve learned, and formulate a plan for your team and for each employee. Not everyone wants to be the next person to head up the organization. Your goal is to try to accommodate their individual goals within the broader goals of your department and those of the organization as a whole, and thereby create a true “win-win-win” scenario. Set objectives for each employee and yourself for the coming year, in conjunction with your employees and your manager.

Learn from good and bad managers you’ve had in the past

Think back to your own past managers – what behaviours did you appreciate and respect them for? What worked to motivate you to perform at your best? Conversely, what thoughts or actions caused you to resent them and create stress or disharmony for you? Look to current managers also – what do people say about them, what are they doing that seems to be working for them? Which managers are respected more than the others, and why?

Your employees choose to work for you

Remember that your team members choose to work for and with you every day. One of the most common errors made by new supervisors is to try to over manage, or be too dictatorial with their subordinates. The basis for this assumption can be the feeling that you must show strong leadership, but don’t confuse this with being disrespectful, abrupt, or rude. We are all free to work for whoever and wherever we want – it might just take time for your employees to get other employment, and then you may have a problem. Look for warning signs that your new employees are not happy, and take an opportunity to talk to them about how things are going. Usually, they do want to let you know why they may be unhappy.

Don’t try to be Superboss right from the start

You don’t need to be the Superboss right out of the gate. It will take time for things to fully gel for you, and for you to develop your own style of management and team culture. Remember that you should always remain flexible and adapt your style to changing circumstances. Don’t expect miracles right away.

You are not alone in your new adventure; use the resources and people around you, and assume the best of everyone. Most of all, show your new team members that you respect them.

Good luck!

Mitchell Stephenson M.A., CPCC, is a senior partner and a certified professional career counsellor at Catalyst Careers, a career transition, counselling, and outplacement firm. Mitch has been involved in human resources, career counselling and coaching in the health and legal sectors for many years. To contact him, visit: www.catalystcareers.ca.

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