If you’ve recently appointed a new leader, you will wish them success in their role. However, keep in mind that making the transition from a team member to a leader or manager is one of the most difficult careers changes someone could make.
Many of the skills needed to be a great leader don’t come naturally, and the mistakes a new leader makes can be costly.
Your new leaders require motivation, training, and support to fulfill their roles effectively.
It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that new leaders feel confident and empowered to do their job efficiently. While businesses rightly invest time and money into developing senior managers, developing new managers is sometimes overlooked.
In a survey by Business Insider, 58% of new managers said they received no training. Your new managers want to succeed in their position just as much as you want them to.
Here are some of the best ways to guide them:
1. Plan an Induction
Every new employee, whether a leader or not, should receive an induction. It’s easy to think of induction as a formality, but it can be a very powerful way of motivating your new leader.
From day one, the company needs to demonstrate that they are supportive of its new leader. Giving a thorough induction will kick start their confidence, as they can learn about the values of the company and meet their team.
Naturally, nobody wants to be bombarded with too much information on their first day. However, giving new leaders all the information they need, from where the toilets are to passwords for logins, will make them feel welcomed and valued.
Induction is also a good time to get to know your new manager better. They will have a lot of skills and experience that you might not have discovered during the interview process.
2. Connect Them With Other Leaders
If you have a team of managers, introduce them to the new leader. This should be a given for all new leaders/managers. But meeting some faces of those who are in the same position can help with feeling overwhelmed.
If the new leader has an idea, they can ask the others if this has already been tried and receive feedback and input.
3. Effective Management Training
98% of new managers feel they need more training. Those who are new to management will be faced with issues they’ve never had to deal with before.
There are certain fundamental skills, such as delegating tasks, or giving feedback, that all managers will need.
If you can train them to do these essentials well, then everything else will be easier. Whether you decide to offer in-house, external training or both, effective training can create a great leader.
Leadership and management training courses are a great environment for employees to meet other leaders, share ideas, and bring a fresh outlook.
Training shouldn’t be seen as a way to complete a checklist, but as a way to develop and empower leaders in order for them to succeed.
4. Assign a Mentor
New leaders need somebody to teach them, help them fix issues, and be supportive.
A mentor should have experience within the company, and be able to help the new leader. For example, if there is one difficult team member, they can offer support on how to resolve the issue.
Most importantly, they need to be approachable, and have the time to work with the new leader.
It’s important that the mentor is the right person. Somebody could be an excellent manager but if they don’t have the time or are unmotivated to help, they won’t offer the right support to the new manager.
5. Talk to New Leaders Regularly
In order for a new manager to become a great leader, communication is key.
Communication is important for all roles, but if you want your leader to progress and be the best they can be, you need to talk to them.
Arranging one-on-one discussions and/or implementing continuous performance management can be incredibly helpful.
Never underestimate the power of regular conversations and feedback.
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How Can You Empower New Leaders?
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