Does Your Team Hate Your Company?
By VICKY BROWN
I’m sure you’ve experienced this. Sylvia is great at putting the nut on the bolt. In fact, she’s so good at putting the nut on the bolt, and so consistent, that when you add people to the nut/bolt department – it occurs to you that Sylvia would be the perfect person to manage that group.
After all, she knows the nut/bolt job inside and out – so who better to lead the team.
Well OK – maybe so, but maybe not. You see, the fact that’s being overlooked is that those are two completely different jobs. Sylvia used to put the nut on the bolt – but now, her job is to train, motivate and guide other people to put the nut on the bolt. One was a strictly technical duty, but the other is MUCH more complex and nuanced because it involves understanding what drives and motivates different people. And figuring out how to best nurture them to success.
See – two completely different muscle sets.
But when you promoted Sylvia, you made the announcement, congratulated her, told her your target expectations and left her too it. Basically you dumped the newborn in the deep end of the pool and told them to swim to the other side.
Sylvia has had zero preparation for this new responsibility, she has no tools in her manager toolbelt. So, the chances for success are much lower than they could be. But, Syliva is a hard worker, and the last thing she wants to do is let you or the company down – so she does the only thing she can do. She remembers how she’s been managed, and simply does the same thing.
Now, what do you think are the chances she has had nothing but fully effective, engaged managers her whole career? Right – not high. In fact, I would bet that most of Sylvia’s managers have been authoritarian, with a heaping side of micro-management thrown in for good measure. So, that’s what Sylvia does. She’s directive, doesn’t collaborate, and handles adversity by resorting to punishment.
And conflict resolution? What conflict resolution? If there is a conflict, Sylvia say’s it’s her way or the highway, and that’s the resolution.
And you’re wondering why the team seems to hate the company
Well, I’ll tell you a secret – the vast majority of the impression an employee has about their company doesn’t come from the benefits that are offered, or the hybrid work environment, or the vacation, or even the compensation. Nope, most of an employee’s impression of the company they work for, is directly determined by the manager they work for.
If the manager is inflexible, disorganized and has dubious ethics – well then the employee feels like the company is inflexible, disorganized and has dubious ethics. A bad manager can create a bad company impression in a second – and it’s like moving a mountain to change that impression.
But how do we, as leaders, make sure we don’t create self-inflicted wounds by promoting the wrong person.
Well, first off – Sylvia may not be the wrong person. You just didn’t give her the tools she needed to do this new job. Let’s start with training. It’s critical that anyone going into a manager role (particularly someone who’s being promoted from within the group) -well, it’s critical that they get educated on how to set objectives, coach and counsel employees, resolve conflict, delegate and set the example. They’ll need to know the different leadership styles, and what makes a good manager.
And don’t get me started on the rules – there are tons of rules they need to learn. Because, a manager – any manager, is an official representative of your company. So Sylvia now has much more responsibility and accountability than she used to. When an employee has a complaint, and takes it to Sylvia – well, in the eyes of the law they are officially notifying the company. And usually – the company is obligated to respond.
“… the vast majority of the impression an employee has about their company … is directly determined by the manager they work for.“
And the whole “I’m no longer one of the crowd” thing is hard too. Maybe Sylvia is now managing people who used to be her peers. Now she has to not only instruct them on what to do, but correct them if they do it wrong. She’ll have to navigate that fine line of friendship and work confidentiality. She’ll have to be much more careful about what she says, and what she does.
Some things that might have been OK before, will be wildly inappropriate now. She has to be careful of appearing to show favoritism. In fact, she has to be careful of appearances, period.
Next – how (or did) you support Sylvia’s transition to her new role. She needs you there for more than an announcement. Did you work with her to craft the communication to the team? Working together helps give her insight to your thought process, and the things you’re thinking about when you put everything together.
You may have laid out objectives you want her to meet, but did you work with her on crafting a plan? How about her specific team members? Did you sit with her and review the histories and performance metrics of each person. Even if she’s known them for a while, this is a different perspective – a management perspective.
Making the leap from individual contributor to leading a team can be daunting. That’s why we built Like a Boss
It will equip your rising stars with the essential skills and mindset they need to inspire and motivate their teams, make tough decisions with confidence, and drive outstanding results.
Don’t let your high-potential employees struggle with the steep learning curve of leadership. Invest in their growth and your company’s future with Lead Like a Boss.
Have you set up a regular, and frequent, cadence of meetings with her. She’ll need your support and guidance – and it should be more than a simple touch base once a month. Particularly in the beginning. And, you’ll need to hear from her. Get her feedback on how things are going, what’s the progress on objectives, what does she envision for her team in the next few months, or the rest of the year.
Yep – what is her vision for her team. You have to remember, as a manager you want her to broaden her perspective and approach. She has to start thinking about developing her team as well as developing herself.
And speaking of her team – encourage her to get feedback from her team. A good manager is collaborative and works alongside their team. It’s best for Sylvia to build that muscle as soon as possible.
Arrange for formal training. Get her into classes – and this doesn’t have to be difficult, there are a ton of resources online. A mentor (who isn’t you) would be a good idea too. Someone she doesn’t report to, but someone with managerial experience. They may give her all sorts of exposure to different ways of managing, running meetings and goal setting.
You see, there are a lot of things you can do to support Sylvia and help her be a great manager. And that’s a huge benefit to you and the business. Because generally if someone loves their manager, they’re probably pretty positive about their company too.
If you have a talented employee who’s making the transition to a management role, I have the perfect solution to set them up for success: Lead Like a Boss. It’s a comprehensive online course designed to transform your new managers into exceptional leaders.
You can enroll by using the link above. Empower your new managers to lead with purpose, authenticity, and impact from day one.