How to make the transition from managing others to managing managers or a
function
When one moves from managing oneself to managing others or managing a function, a
new set of competencies are required in order to be effective in one’s new role. The
three key competencies are: formulating & implementing strategy, communications and
most importantly, being able to build managers as managers. The biggest change for a
new manager is to progress from being involved on the operational side to being an
effective and strategic manager of managers.
Move from an operational to a strategic focus:
“It is a huge shift for people to move from managing content to managing people, and
expertise is required to make this transition successful”, explains Sarah Babb, facilitator
of University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)’ programme,
‘Managing Managers for Results’. “You need to trust your managers, which will allow you
to focus on strategic, rather than content, issues. Often new managers are ill-prepared
to shift their focus however.”
Expand your focus beyond your own function:
Babb recommends utilising feedback processes, such as 360° feedback, coaches, peer
feedback and video feedback sessions, in order for managers to be fully self-aware and
to be able to view their new function holistically. “It is important to understand the
business as a whole, and not just your area, whether it be HR, Marketing, Finance or IT.
You need to add value across the board, which requires deeper insights and experience,
particularly to survive difficult times.”
Build self-awareness and your relationships between functions:
Being able to recognise signs of dysfunction in your management skills is as important
as being aware of your strengths. These include not having formed relationships across
the business, still being involved in operations, not delegating, and poor strategic
development.
It can be difficult to form strong peer group connections if functions are competing
however, therefore networking with others in your discipline or joining professional
associations are just two ways to access the latest thinking and trends relevant to your
function.
Develop your managers:
Given that many managers are promoted without having undergone the relevant
assessments and do not have the requisite level of self-awareness, investigating the
various options available to new managers who need to improve their effectiveness and
level of strategic thought is a good strategy. The more aware a manager is, the more
choices he or she faces in deciding how to have a greater impact on a situation.
Managing managers is about achieving results through working with and building more
effective managers within your team.
One option would be to attend a course such as ‘Managing Managers for Results’, as this
brings together managers from a wide variety of disciplines, which in turn facilitates
deeper learning as delegates acquire knowledge and skills not only from the lecturers
and coaches on the programme, but also from each other. Other options include using
the services of a registered trainer or coach, getting a mentor, doing an in-house course,
and/or encouraging feedback from your team.
For managers, communication is a key skill, especially learning how to clarify the team’s
roles and expectations and matching both their own and their team member’s individual
skills to their roles. Other challenges for new managers include competing with former
colleagues for a share of company resources and presenting to the Exco, which in itself
requires a different set of communication & negotiation skills. These are skills that you
need to keep a particular eye on developing in your team of managers.
It is also important to remember however, that not every employee wishes to move on
to managing a team, and a level of self-awareness will enable one to map out a career
that is not influenced by issues of status or finance. So whether it is selecting your own
career path, or assisting those in your team of managers to carve out their futures, be
aware of the requirements and choices of the next passage (management level).
Babb believes that companies are getting more mature about dealing with people who
want to stay on a certain career path without managing people however. “Some of your
staff might just want to manage themselves, and it takes a certain level of selfawareness to realise this and act upon it. Not all companies will have sufficient
opportunities to give their employees this choice however, and it is also important for
them that the management pipeline stays full with those who are able to and want to
manage people, therefore it is important to do your homework before making any hasty
decisions.”
For guidance on how to assess your management level, and the skills required for it,
visit the ‘Management Level’ and ‘Functional Skills’ exercises on www.next.gibs.co.za .