Making the Move from Individual Contributor to Manager
Transitioning from an individual contributor to a managerial role is a significant step in one’s career. It’s not just about learning new skills, but also adopting a new mindset.
Leadership expert Dr. Carolyn Goerner emphasizes the shift from self-leadership to servant-leadership—placing your team's success at the forefront. Here, we’ll explore strategies to navigate this transition successfully, understand managerial responsibilities, and grow in your new role.
Adopting a Servant Leadership Mindset
Servant leadership is a philosophy that focuses on prioritizing the needs of others and supporting your team’s growth and success. Dr. Goerner shares a personal anecdote about a paperweight given to her in 1984, scratched with the words, “Conduct yourself so that the people around you will want you to succeed.” This advice highlights the core of servant leadership: lifting others and celebrating their achievements.
Research shows that servant leadership improves employee satisfaction, commitment, and retention. Employees working under servant leaders are more willing to take risks, learn, and grow. Here are five key practices to embody servant leadership:
1. Practice Empathy
Understand what your team members are experiencing. For example, before calling a quick meeting, provide context to avoid unnecessary anxiety.
2. Cultivate Active Listening
Focus fully on your team members during conversations. Summarize their concerns to ensure clarity and understanding.
3. Promote Humility
Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses. Admit when you don’t have all the answers.
4. Show Gratitude
Regularly express appreciation. A simple “thank you” can significantly motivate your team and foster a positive work culture.
5. Make Ethical Decisions
Adopt values like trustworthiness, fairness, and respect. Modeling integrity helps build a moral workplace culture.
By adopting these principles, you’ll create a team environment where individuals feel supported and inspired to excel.
Balancing Tactical and Strategic Thinking
As a manager, you’ll need to balance two types of thinking:
• Tactical Thinking involves solving current problems with clear data and actionable steps.
• Strategic Thinking requires looking at the broader picture and making decisions with long-term organizational goals in mind.
For example, consider a leader at a snack company. When managing a packaging team, tactical thinking ensures the product is sealed correctly. Strategic thinking, however, recognizes that the packaging must highlight allergen-free ingredients—a key factor in customer loyalty and business growth.
To hone strategic thinking:
• Research your company’s mission, products, and competitors.
• Understand how your team’s work contributes to overall goals.
• Shift from asking “how” to “why” as you evaluate tasks and decisions.
Communicating Vision and Setting Standards
A key responsibility as a manager is setting clear goals and communicating a compelling vision for the future. According to a Harvard Business Review study, leaders who provide clarity and structure lead more satisfied and productive teams.
Tips for Directive Leadership:
1. Focus on the Future
Describe the desired outcomes in a positive light, asking, “What would success look like if we achieved X?”
2. Link Vision to Values
Explain how your goals align with the organization’s mission and benefit the stakeholders.
3. Define Clear Standards
Use specific, measurable behaviors to guide your team. For example, instead of “respond promptly,” specify, “reply to customer inquiries within 24 hours.”
4. Utilize Visual Aids
Support your goals with graphics or written guidelines to help team members stay focused.
5. Simplify Messaging
Use straightforward language and let your team contribute to the steps required to achieve goals.
Building Strong Relationships
Leadership expert John Maxwell states, “If you are respected and not liked, then your influence will be limited and short-lived.” Being likable and relatable as a manager doesn’t mean sacrificing professionalism—it’s about fostering genuine connections.
Five Ways to Build Relational Capital:
1. Be Curious
Show interest in your team’s lives and work. Ask questions like, “How is your day going?” and listen actively.
2. Be Approachable
Share your knowledge, ask informed questions, and make collaboration easy.
3. Be Consistent
Meet deadlines or communicate delays early. Reliability builds trust.
4. Celebrate Others
Recognize accomplishments and share resources to support your team’s growth.
5. Offer Support
Be a sounding board for your team. Listening and validating concerns can strengthen bonds.
Defining Success as a Manager
Unlike individual contributors, managers are often evaluated on broader metrics:
• People: Employee satisfaction, retention rates, and development opportunities.
• Priorities: How well your team supports organizational goals.
• Profit: Contributions to budget management and cost-effectiveness.
Set clear expectations with your supervisor to understand your KPIs as a manager. Creating your own goals—such as providing training, improving processes, or increasing stakeholder satisfaction—can also guide your success.
Conclusion
Moving into management is a transformative journey that requires a mindset shift, a focus on team success, and strategic thinking. By adopting servant leadership principles, balancing tactical and strategic goals, communicating effectively, and building strong relationships, you can navigate this transition successfully.
Remember, as FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith says, “A manager is not someone who can do the work better than their team. They’re someone who can get the team to do better work than they can.” Embrace this new role with confidence and a commitment to helping others thrive.
Reference: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/making-the-move-from-individual-contributor-to-manager