How to Measure New Manager Success
Measure New Manager Success
As a new manager, do you know how your success will be measured by your boss, peers, or company leadership? If you want to set you and your team up for high performance, it is important for new managers to know how their key stakeholders measure new manager success.
Most leaders care about not only business results, but also how those results are achieved. If your team reaches the goals that were set for them in a way that aligns with your corporate culture, you will most likely have succeeded in their eyes.
As a new manager, you are no longer measured by your individual performance, but by how well your team is performing. When you understand that, it becomes easier to shift your focus from fulfilling your own individual dreams and ambitions to supporting the learning and growth of your team members. That is where your future as a manager begins and ends.
5 Steps to Measure New Manager Success
Are you ready to take on the challenge of creating a high performing team and be clear about how to measure new manager success? Here, in a nutshell, is what you would learn in new manager training about how to get the best efforts from your direct reports:
1. Be clear.
First know what is expected of you and how your success (and failure) will be measured by your key stakeholders – especially your boss and those who you need to work with and through. Then, make sure that your team members are crystal clear about it. Each one should be able to articulate exactly what their role is and how they will contribute to over team goals. In addition, they should clearly understand the standards to which you will hold them accountable. Model the behavior you desire and expect from them. It is your job to see that they can deliver.
2. Stay close.
You need to be on the same page as your your boss, you need to know where you and your team stand, and your employees need your guidance. Actively involve stakeholders in what you are doing. Communicate often. Offer feedback frequently. This is how you will stay aligned and how your team will learn, grow, and understand what constitutes success and failure. The better you know what matters most to those around you, the more effective your management strategies as they apply to each unique individual.
From a team perspective, focus on their strengths and know what motivates them. Coach them through their mistakes so they understand how they could handle things better the next time. The difficult, but necessary, part is to hold them accountable when they fail. Encourage them toward greater effort and make sure they have the resources and support they need to succeed.
3. Keep an open mind.
As a new manager, it is best not to pretend you know everything. A little humility and vulnerability can go a long way toward winning the hearts and minds of your not only your followers, but also your boss and your peers. Ask people for their suggestions for improvement. Your team members are the ones who should know best how to speed up productivity. Smart managers encourage a free exchange of ideas and are ready to try new ways of doing things.
4. Deal with conflict in a timely way.
New managers are often tempted to avoid dealing with conflict because they don’t want to rock the boat. Whether there are interpersonal issues to resolve or compensation disagreements, it is your job to be decisive, direct and fair. Do not let things fester. Speak the truth, listen with empathy, and then take action as appropriate. Make your rationale transparent.
5. Think forward and backward.
Reflect backward each day to think about what worked and what didn’t. What did you and the team accomplish today? How might you have handled things differently? Then think forward. Good managers know how to plan for the future and prioritize their activities in a way that makes sense for them, for their team, and for the organization.
To learn more about how to measure new manager success, Download our free new manager toolkit now to take your game to the next level.