New managers: Getting them off on the right foot
Your company just promoted a line worker to department manager. Would you advise the new supervisor to: a) pull the group together and ask for opinions on how to proceed; or b) give strong directives on how to proceed before gathering opinions?
According to research, the answer is “b.” But the full answer’s a little more complicated.
In a study titled Taking the reins: The effects of new leader status and leadership style on team performance from the business school at Clarkson University in New York, researchers looked at the performance of new managers and the teams they led.
The study assigned numerical scores based on the success of the groups – judged by productivity, quality and profitability – and correlated the scores with management style, according to whether the new manager gathered opinions or took the reins immediately and began implementing a strong, independent approach.
The new managers who exhibited a strong, take-charge style were more successful. (The actual scores from the study: Take-charge new managers, 4.25 on a 7-point scale; opinion-gatherers, 3.55.)
You may be thinking: “But I thought managers were supposed to ask for people’s opinions and input.” And that’s why the study needs some clarification and amplification.
Preparation matters
Researchers point out that the data don’t give a green light to new managers to start ordering people around willy-nilly. It assumes that effective new managers will have done some homework and preparation before giving directives.
For instance, the new manager – before giving directives – would want to:
- Talk to the previous manager, if possible, to get some idea of the history of the team
- Talk to that manager’s boss for a clearer perspective on the team’s performance and goals
- Examine individual and team performance – including output, profitability and individual performance reviews, and
- Consider the goals of the team and the organization.
The lesson: A new manager can come on strong, so to speak, as long as the decisions have underpinnings in research and data. The new manager who makes decisions because “I’ve always wanted to do it that way” or simply to appear tough and strong is not likely to win much support from the staff.
The 10 biggest manager sins
What are the biggest mistakes managers make? We’re not looking to dwell on the negative here, but identify the characteristics that pop up when employees express unhappiness with their bosses.
That way, new managers can see how behaviors can be “flipped” – that is, acting in an opposite way in order to foster a sense of team and pave a path toward greater productivity.
The Manpower Group has done lots of research on this very topic, asking thousands of workers to name the traits that literally led to disrespect and outright dislike for the boss.
Here are Manpower’s Top 10 traits for bad bosses, in reverse order:
10. Complicated communication. Employees always want to be informed, but not confused.
9. No employee input into decisions. Everyone wants to give an opinion – and feel that it matters.
8. No feedback or delayed feedback, especially for good work. Too many bosses fall into the thinking of “unless I criticize you, assume you’re doing OK.”
7. Too few one-on-one meetings. People crave the boss’s time and attention.
6. No flexibility. Rules that are in place because “we’ve always done it that way” are dangerous.
5. Lots of talk and little listening. A manager whose talking time outweighs listening time will lose employee loyalty and attention.
4. Just, plain bad and uncaring supervisors. Employees know who cares and who doesn’t. Trust us, they know.
3. Not playing to strengths. Employees want a chance to shine at what they do best.
2. Not showing employees how they’ll benefit personally. Everyone listens to radio station WIFM – “What’s in It For Me?”
And the worst trait, according to Manpower, is …
1. Failure to show dignity and respect. Treat people as if they’re machines, and you’ll end up with robots.
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