Podcast Summary
Navigating the Challenges of New Management for Women: New managers, especially women, face unique challenges in their first leadership roles. With the right support and mindset, they can overcome misconceptions and become effective and successful leaders.
Becoming a manager for the first time comes with unique challenges, particularly the responsibility of managing people and the realization that your role extends beyond your individual contributions. This can be a stressful transition, especially for women due to gender bias and lack of support from organizations. Research shows that new managers, regardless of gender, often face misconceptions about their role and the realities of managing others. However, with the right support and mindset, they can overcome these challenges and become effective and successful leaders. It's important for organizations to recognize the importance of supporting new managers, particularly women, in their development to help them navigate these growing pains and build a strong leadership identity.
Three Women's Unique Stories of Becoming Managers: Being prepared, self-aware, and resilient can help women navigate the challenges of management and succeed, as demonstrated by Tanya, Maddie, and Greta's experiences.
Becoming a manager can be an unexpected journey, but being prepared and aware of potential challenges can make a significant difference. The women in this discussion, Tanya, Maddie, and Greta, all shared their unique stories of how they became managers, some intentionally and others by chance. Tanya, an electrical engineer, pursued the role after realizing her interest in people management. Maddie, a former music major, fell into the role after excelling in higher education roles. Greta, a scientist, found herself managing a team at a startup after a period of self-management. When they first stepped into their roles, they faced various obstacles. Tanya prepared by seeking opportunities to manage small tasks and strengthening her technical knowledge. Maddie, who didn't set out to be a manager, found the adjustment challenging but is enjoying it so far. Greta, who had managed herself before, found managing others to be difficult due to her own personality. Daniella Loop's research highlights the importance of women being aware of the challenges they may face as managers. By sharing their experiences, Tanya, Maddie, and Greta offer valuable insights and wisdom for women considering management roles. Their stories demonstrate that preparation, self-awareness, and resilience can help women navigate the complexities of management and succeed.
Demonstrating respect and vulnerability builds trust as a new manager: New managers can build trust by showing respect for team members, asking questions, being vulnerable, and delegating tasks effectively.
Building trust as a new manager involves showing respect, asking questions, and being vulnerable. Maddie and Tania shared their experiences of facing similar challenges as young managers, feeling the pressure to prove their capabilities and earn the respect of their teams. They both agreed that demonstrating respect for team members and being open to learning from them are effective ways to build trust. Tania emphasized the importance of asking questions and being vulnerable, while Maddie highlighted the need to let go of the desire to control every detail and trust team members to do their jobs. When Maddie first became a manager, she was unprepared for the need to delegate tasks and trust her team to handle them, but she learned that doing so was essential for her own success and the success of her team.
Navigating Unexpected Challenges in Team Management: Ask for specific feedback, trust team members, have a long-term vision, and adapt to unexpected challenges in team management.
Managing a team comes with unexpected challenges, such as trusting others to handle day-to-day tasks, understanding the work of each team member, and receiving feedback from them. When Greta first started managing, she was surprised by the whole experience and found it difficult to evaluate her team's performance. She also struggled to get feedback from them due to her managerial role. Maddie suggested that Greta hold regular catch-ups with her team, focusing on their accomplishments and areas for improvement. Instead of asking for general feedback, Greta could ask specific questions about what support they needed. Tanya and Mady shared their experiences of initially feeling overwhelmed and underprepared for their managerial roles. They emphasized the importance of having a long-term vision and strategy, as well as trusting others to handle tasks and learning to delegate. Overall, managing a team requires a new perspective and a willingness to adapt to unexpected challenges.
Managers need self-awareness and effective communication for feedback: Managers should ask for feedback, remove barriers, and maintain authenticity to build successful teams.
Effective communication and self-awareness are crucial for managers in providing and receiving feedback from their team members. Managers may not always be aware of their weaknesses or how they impact their team, making it essential to create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing constructive feedback. However, it can be challenging for team members to provide feedback to their managers, and managers may struggle with the shift from an individual contributor role to managing a team. To build a successful team, managers must ask for feedback, remove barriers, and read signals from their team's engagement and work outcomes. Additionally, managers should strive to maintain their authenticity while adapting to the new role and seeking guidance from their peers on how to navigate the transition.
Balancing competence and likability in leadership roles: Effective leadership requires authenticity, self-awareness, and empathy to navigate the double bind and respect team members' development needs.
Authenticity and self-awareness are crucial for effective leadership, especially for women who face the challenge of the double bind in leadership roles. The double bind requires balancing competence and likability, and finding one's purpose as a leader can help navigate this dilemma. Reflecting on personal experiences and seeking feedback can help define that purpose. A practical example is dealing with team members who have different goals and development needs. As a leader, it's essential to respect their comfort zones while encouraging growth. Finding common ground and setting achievable development goals can lead to positive outcomes. Overall, embracing authenticity, self-awareness, and empathy can lead to successful leadership experiences.
Understanding unique needs and goals of team members during performance appraisals: Managers should focus on supporting team members' growth and ensuring their success in their current roles during performance appraisals, while also seeking advice and trusting judgment for organizational goals.
Effective management involves understanding and catering to the unique needs and goals of each team member. During performance appraisals, it's crucial to have open conversations with employees about their ambitions and what they value in their roles. If an employee expresses contentment and a lack of desire for advancement, the manager should focus on supporting their growth and ensuring their continued success in their current position. Additionally, managers should be mindful of when to seek advice and when to trust their own judgment, striking a balance between learning from experienced colleagues and trusting their own abilities. Overall, the key is to prioritize the individual development and happiness of team members while achieving organizational goals.
Trusting oneself and confidence-building are essential for effective management: Managers must trust their decisions and judgments, evaluate advice, focus on team growth, and find joy in the process of individual development.
Trusting oneself and confidence-building are crucial elements in effective management. Seeking advice is important, but eventually, managers must learn to trust their own decisions and judgments. Maddie's experience of being forced to work things out on her own and consider all angles before asking for advice helped her gain confidence and make independent decisions. However, it's essential to evaluate the advice given and determine if it aligns with personal values and priorities as a leader. Regarding showcasing management skills as an individual contributor, it's challenging to quantify growth and development in the same way as deliverables. Instead, focusing on the impact of one's leadership on team members' growth and success can be a meaningful way to demonstrate management abilities. Lastly, the growth of individuals takes time, and measuring success in this area can be challenging, but finding gratification in the process is essential.
Effective management goes beyond just managing numbers: Understand team dynamics, promote growth, and deliver results to succeed as a manager. Use specific examples and quantifiable results when crafting a resume.
Effective management goes beyond just managing numbers and involves understanding team dynamics, promoting growth, and delivering results. Measuring success as a manager can be achieved through various means, including 360-degree feedback, team stability, and engagement scores. When crafting a resume, it's essential to tell a compelling story about your progression and accomplishments as a manager, using specific examples and quantifiable results whenever possible. Remember, stating the facts confidently is not bold, but failing to do so can be self-defeating. The conversation emphasized the importance of taking management seriously and being open to learning from others' experiences. It's crucial to be thoughtful and proactive in the role, rather than just trying to avoid making mistakes. As one speaker noted, "you have to be brave today to be confident tomorrow."
Managing involves vulnerability and conflict resolution: Managing requires putting yourself out there and developing conflict resolution and negotiation skills to manage difficult conversations and help people deal with pain and disappointment.
Managing involves putting yourself out there in a vulnerable way to make a difference, even if it means dealing with discomfort and developing a thick skin. However, an unexpected aspect of management that wasn't mentioned in the conversation is the importance of conflict resolution and negotiation skills. These skills are crucial for managing difficult conversations and helping people deal with pain and disappointment. It's essential to manage your ego and ask yourself what's a win for all parties involved. Conflict resolution and negotiation are vital skills that new managers may not anticipate but will encounter frequently in their roles.
