A New Managers Survival

Guide: Essential Tips to Make a

Smooth Transition into Management

Carol A. Hacker
 Seminar Agenda
1. Whats different now that youre the boss?
2. Communicate
3. Learn how to delegate
4. Make sound and defensible hiring decisions
5. Lead your team
6. Evaluate employee performance
7. Tips for giving critical feedback

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 Whats Different?

The work is different

There are added responsibilities

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 Whats Different in
Terms of Job Duties? You Will:
Delegate
Monitor/measure results
Review/evaluate performance
Train/develop employees
Discipline when necessary
Communicate
Handle lots of paperwork
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 Take Time to
Understand the Business

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Establish a Management
Strategy for Yourself
A strategy answers three questions:
____________________________________
____________________________________

____________________________________

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Establish Your Authority
Get to know your staff
Let your staff get to know you
Practice hallway management
Minimize status differences
Dont become overly authoritarian
Admit your need for help

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Establish Your Authority
Be on time
Set the tone
Dont gossip
Take it slowly
Be sensitive
Its an on-going process

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 Eliminate Self-Doubt

Become comfortable
Make an objective assessment
Make a habit of analyzing yourself

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 Communicate
Encourage the exchange of ideas
Use appropriate language
Provide relevant information
Listen
Solicit feedback
Convey understanding

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 Communicate
Protect self-esteem
Listen with empathy
Welcome suggestions
Discuss feelings
Offer support

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 Learn How to Delegate
Select the right tasks
Get input
Choose the right person
Delegate as a reward
Accept the fact that people make mistakes
Set follow up dates
Trust
Ask employee to self-evaluate
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 Learn How to Delegate
(step by step)

1. Describe the task

2. Be specific
3. Obtain agreement
4. Agree on a completion date
5. Establish mini-goals

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 Learn How to Delegate
(step by step)

6. Discuss the benefits

7. Confirm that the employee understands
8. Assign authority
9. Follow up

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Make Sound and Defensible
Hiring Decisions
Recognize the #1 mistake...
Work from a list of questions...
Personally greet each applicant
Make sure the receptionist...
Ask permission to...

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Make Sound and Defensible
Hiring Decisions
Ask behavior-based questions
Determine weaknesses
Avoid stress tactics
Avoid illegal questions
Can applicants can do what they claim?

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 Make Sound and Defensible
Hiring Decisions
Be consistent
Dont allow interruptions
If personal information is volunteered
Evaluate each applicant

Hire for attitude everything else is secondary!

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There Are Two
Types of Teams

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 5 Stages of a
Teams Development
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Deforming
Source: Dr. Bruce W. Tuckmans Orming Model

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 Evaluate Performance
(six-step process)

1. Organizational goals are established

2. Department develops strategic goals
3. Employee drafts performance goals

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 Evaluate Performance
(six-step process)
4. Supervisor and employee meet
5. Supervisor meets with employee for
regular progress reviews
6. Supervisor and employee meet for
annual appraisal discussion

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 How Do You
Spend Your Time?

Review the past _____%

Analyze the present _____%
Plan for the future _____%

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Plan for the Discussion
Prepare an agenda
Decide what youre going to say
Identify employees strengths
Review your appraisal comments
Prepare specific examples
Be ready to discuss ideas
Plan to meet in private
Gather the courage to be honest

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 During the Discussion
Move out from behind your desk
Share your agenda
Review the goals set during the last appraisal
Go over the appraisal form carefully.
Ask for employee feedback

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 During the Discussion
Allow enough time for discussion
Enhance the employees self-esteem
Listen
Ask, dont tell
Make plans for follow up

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Set Goals & Expectations
Qualities of useful goals:
Emphasize results
Are measurable
Are challenging
Are linked to other organizational goals
Are mutually agreed upon
Are periodically reviewed

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 Set Goals & Expectations

Well-written goals answer 3 questions:

1.
2.
3.

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 Set Goals & Expectations
Sample goal statements
To assume the lead in becoming the Websphere
Administrator by December 31, 2009.
To develop and execute functional life cycle
plans encompassing cross-business scenarios
by the end of third quarter 2009.
To respond to all customer complaints w/i 24 hours.

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 Tips For Giving
Critical Feedback
PREPARE for your meeting!

Confirm that the behavior is really a problem

Develop a discussion outline
Ask for help from HR if needed

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 Tips For Giving
Critical Feedback
Deliver promptly
Define the impact
Focus on specific behavior
Focus on behavior that can be changed

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 Tips For Giving
Critical Feedback
Avoid labels and judgements
Confirm understanding
Dont take negative reactions personally
Document
Follow up

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Thank You
Carol A. Hacker
& Associates
209 Cutty Sark Way
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(770) 410-0517
www.carolahacker.com

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 About the Facilitator
Carol Hacker is a speaker, seminar leader, corporate consultant
and author. She has over twenty-five years of human resource
management experience and has been the president of Hacker &
Associates since January 1989. Carol specializes in teaching
business owners, managers, supervisors, and team leaders
how to meet the leadership challenge.
Carol has developed and facilitated training programs for over
500,000 people in business, industry, and government. Her
customized seminars, presented in a powerful, professional
environment, have helped organizations of all sizes educate and
motivate their leaders.
Contact Carol for more information on her customized in-house
seminars, 13 books and dozens of audio CDs.
Carol A. Hacker & Associates
209 Cutty Sark Way
Alpharetta, GA 30005
770-410-0517
www.carolahacker.com
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