Your First Promotion: Moving Smoothly From Employee to Management

You’ve just received your first promotion. Congratulations! It’s a proof of your hard work and commitment, and you deserve it.
However, now that you’re a manager, things are going to change. You will have more responsibilities, and possibly even staff that now report to you. Ensuring a smooth transition from employee to manager will help you succeed in your new role and prepare the way for future promotions.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you take on your new leadership role.

Your relationship with colleagues will change

You had colleagues; now you have employees. Your attitude towards them will have to change from that of peer to that of manager. This includes modifying your communication and sometimes eliminating the type of joking, or personal conversations you might have had on the shop floor. That might be hard, especially if you have developed close relationships. But it will be beneficial to watch how other managers build professional relationships with people they supervise and gain respect as a leader.

Get training if available

One of the ways to ensure a smooth transition is to get leadership and management training. If there isn’t any available internally, you can always request external training (and the new Canada Jobs Grant might help with the costs, too). Getting a leadership mentor within your organization can also benefit your career, especially if it’s your first management position.

Meet with your new employees

Invest some time in meeting your new employees privately, one by one. This is the time when you can discuss any feelings or issues that might arise from your promotion. Dealing with them early is better than late.

Exemplify professionalism

As the new boss, you have to become the example of what you want your department to be. This means staying professional at all times (no gossiping with employees in the kitchen!), treating each employee fairly and with respect, and not letting previous relationships influence your decisions.

Clearly communicate plans and objectives

It’s important for your new employees to know what is expected of them and how they’re going to reach their goals. Within the first few weeks in your new role, have a department meeting to share your plan for the team, present your objectives and delegate tasks. Clear communication and transparency are essential to good leadership.

Use your employee experience 

Moving from employee to manager gives you an interesting perspective. Always remember what it was like when you were an employee: did you like to be micro-managed or entirely left to your own devices? Become the type of manager you would like to have.
If you were promoted in your career, what helped you make the transition from employee to boss? Share your tips with our readers in the comments!