My First 365 Days as a Manager

It was my turn to share the status updates for my team in our monthly department meeting. “Never a dull moment”, is the idiom that I heard in response to my updates. I’m sure that you would interpret this idiom differently depending on whether you are an optimist or pessimist. I don’t want to comment on the category to which I belong. However, I would say that the idiom certainly echoes the first 365 days of my career as a manager.

Moving from an individual contributor to the leadership role is a tough choice. However, if you have made up your mind, nothing can stop you from changing the gears and venturing into a challenging career path. After having spent quite a few years as an individual contributor, I decided move into a leadership role.

As a new manager, I have boarded on a new journey of my career. There have been bumpy roads on the way. But, still it has been an interesting journey so far. If you want to know more, read on!

Intriguing Interviews

You might have a proven track record as an individual contributor in your organization. However, when you want to move into a managerial role, you have to start afresh. The ground work begins with a deep self-analysis of why you want to move into a leadership role. There are good techniques such as the SWOT analysis. It is good to discuss with your mentors and seek their advice too. Reading some management books also helps you understand about what you are getting into. Despite all the preparation, you might not have the best answers for your interview rounds. But, be genuine all the time, and you have fair chances to get through!

Warm Welcome

The first month gives you the chance to gain the few pounds that you might have lost during the series of strenuous interviews. You would enjoy all the welcome parties—from your managerial team to your reporting team. Not to mention about all the encouraging congratulatory emails that you receive from far and wide. Definitely, it’s the time to rejoice as you do not know what’s in store for you.

Listless Learning

You might be still settling in your new chair when your HR team is all set to  take you through the “Manager Onboarding” curriculum. In a year, you have to be at least accustomed with the three Cs—Crucial conversations, Coaching skills, and last but not the least Compensation! The list has its As and Bs too. As I said, it’s an endless list of new learning. Each session is crafted with its specific objectives. So, you have to be on your toes to grasp all the theory and concepts that come your way. Besides, these training sessions help you network with other managers. These interactions and discussions help you grow personally and professionally.

Great Going

Everything might just be falling into place in the first quarter. All the people around you are your well-wishers. Everyone is too eager to help you in the new role. Above all, your team members are very co-operative. This support becomes your pillar of strength and boosts your enthusiasm to bring in positive changes.

Comforting Change

There is a sudden surge of meetings on your calendar. All sorts of meetings ranging from quiet one-on-one meetings to noisy department-level meetings. On some days, you start feeling that talking, speaking, and voicing are much easier actions than writing scores of pages together! This is a clear indication that slowly you are stepping into the shoes of a manager.

Revolving Roles

You might have heard of being someone’s friend, philosopher, and guide. It’s fairly easy to distinguish between these roles and you know exactly when to be what. But, as a manager you have to be in varied roles—mentor, coach, counselor, trainer, leader, facilitator, consultant, and advisor. Each role serves a specific purpose and you have to train your mind to understand the situation and act accordingly. And you thought that all these roles mean the same? Well, no matter what role you play, your ultimate goal is to support your team members and help them succeed in everything that they do.

Difficult Decisioning

As you wade through the last quarter of the year, you get the real essence of being a manager. Yes, it’s the preparatory time for performance appraisals. No matter how happy you are with your own decisions, it’s difficult to please everyone. Keeping your emotions aside, at times you have to take difficult decisions based on facts and figures. The equation is directly proportional: the harder the decision to make, the stronger you ought to be. But, it’s all part of the game, and remember that you asked for it!

Challenging Chair

You start getting used to your new role and the challenges that it entails. You might just begin to feel that nothing can be worse than whatever you have gone through. But, no, the worst day is always yet to come. There could be times that you might have to enjoy a proud moment and at the same time accept the unexpected. There would be ups and downs, but you need to learn, let go, and look forward.

Positive Pursuit

Remember that your journey continues and you have a long way to go. Be happy to receive good feedback. At the same time, don’t shy away from embracing criticism. Learn from the experiences and move on. Come what may, be fearless and open-minded to new challenges. Keep a positive mind and keep going. Keep your spirits high and motivate everyone all the way through! After all, you are not on a solo journey anymore. You have to take care of your fellow passengers and make them experience the joy of riding with you!