Ready for some scary statistics? In one study of 7,272 U.S. adults, Gallup found that 50 percent of employees left their job "to get away from their manager to improve their overall life at some point in their career."
In another study: The Workplace Research Foundation found that employees who are engaged are 38% more likely to have above-average productivity.
And we all know that a GOOD manager can make or break employee productivity and engagement.
So being ready for management should have more thought into it than just "They have worked here a long time or they are a subject matter expert"
Yes, you want to recognize someones hard work and dedicated, but you need to make sure they arrive as a manager with the right tool box! So lets consider:
Do they have the qualities of a Leader? Knowledge and Skills are great, HOW are they implementing it? Can they motivate, inspire, communicate with impact, make difficult decisions, deal with conflict?
Have they demonstrated those skills?
If not, do they have the motivation to develop those skills? You want to be checking in with some training companies, because Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance, (Cheesy but true!) NOW is the time to bridge the gap, not when you meet the first hurdle.
You MUST set them up for success.
How are the RELATIONSHIPS within the team already, their colleagues, other departments, customers and stakeholders? An enormous amount of a Managers positions success is dependent on their ability to communicate like a champ, what do I mean by that?
They should be able to:
- Actively Listen
- Empathy
- Understand others
- Provide and Receive Feedback
- Emotionally Intelligent
How do they make decisions?
Are they able to make informed decisions based on available data, prioritize tasks, and manage resources effectively. They should be able to analyze problems, evaluate options, and take decisive actions. The super staff member you are considering promoting should have demonstrated good decision-making skills in their current role, such as identifying opportunities, managing risks, and achieving results. If the employee lacks decision-making time to check in with corporate training!
And here is the KEY, you want to check in with their willingness and ability to learn. A high-impact manager must be able to adapt to changing circumstances, learn new skills, and stay up-to-date with industry trends. They should be able to seek feedback, reflect on their performance, and continuously improve, have a growth mindset, be open to feedback, and have a willingness to learn. What opportunities are there to provide professional development, mentorship, and coaching to support their growth?
Do they have the skills, are they willing, are they ready for the jump into people management? Then they are ready for promotion!!
Need to bridge the gap? We can help! Check out our Corporate Training offerings to develop upcoming, new and existing managers!
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