A new manager and decision making – Stuart’s Statements
Over my career I’ve seen several people being promoted to manage the team they are working in.
At first this is generally a popular choice by the team, as this person has been respected for their capabilities within their previous role.
They tended to use a mentoring approach in advising and helping others and consequently would be the person to turn to by others in the organisation.
Once they gain promotion the areas of responsibility change.
Its one thing to advise but when accountability sits on their own shoulders, decision making doesn’t happen so confidently or swiftly.
That’s not to say they have become a bad decision maker over night but merely the responsibility and perhaps pressure will change their thought processes.
Pressure certainly changes decision making.
If you observe a football player with the ball at their feet, with time they can determine the best solution, but when time is reduced by an opposition player closing the space, decisions are made more swiftly and sometime not so effective.
The best players learn to handle this pressure.
It’s the same with the more effective managers / leaders, they handle the pressure which makes the decision effective.
New managers must learn to deal with pressure and the accountability.
When they don’t handle these situations well, their character can change.
Their observed behaviours are something different to what gained them the promotion in the first place.
I’ve never thought it to be effective being too friendly with the team or just to remain one of the team.
You must divorce yourself from the team to give you space for the decision making.
With this approach you are able to determine influencers, challenges and how the team and individuals will behave so to get the most out of everyone.
The key to being effective in this new role is to remember why you were promoted, take a step back to give yourself space to observe behaviours to increase effectiveness with your decision making.
Its important to understand that anyone can make a decision but taking accountability for this decision is a different dynamic.
This is where the pressure comes from.
What was it like the first time you were promoted within a team? Or do you recall circumstances where other were?