Handling the Transition to a Supervisory Role

The leap from individual contributor to supervisor or manager is a major accomplishment and a potentially daunting one. Whether you were assigned the new role or selected from a search pool, it is important to prepare yourself for the changes and potential challenges that are coming.

My hope is that you were properly vetted by leadership, and you come to the role with the desire to lead and develop people, drive to produce results, and disposition to admit what you don’t know and learn. Assuming these things are true, here is some advice to guide you as you grow as a leader.

Understand your role and responsibilities: Work one-on-one with your direct supervisor to establish clear expectations for your role and exactly what success looks like.

Go slow: Create a strategic plan/guide for your first 90 days in the role, review it weekly, and adjust it as you learn more.

Build positive relationships: Meet with your direct reports individuall to understand what they expect of you and begin the process of building strong positive relationships within your team. Take all the time necessary to get to know your team members individually and as a group. You should be aware of their strengths, weaknesses, and career goals.

Communicate effectively: Focus on communicating your expectations and goals clearly, listen actively, ask for feedback from your team members, and provide them with regular real-time feedback. Communication should be constant and two-way. Immediately establish a cadence for individual and team meetings.

Identify and engage a mentor: You are a leader and will need people with more experience than you to support you. Sometimes they may be a sounding board, confidante, or a candid advisor. Seek out someone you can trust who has the time and desire to walk along side you.

Develop your leadership skills: Use feedback from your team, supervisor, and mentor to assess your own development needs. Design a plan along with your supervisor to pursue those development opportunities actively. This also requires you to be coachable and open to candid feedback about your work. You should have at least one professional development goal every year.

Invest in your team: As a leader you are responsible for developing and coaching your team members for their jobs and their careers. Invest time in each one by understanding and guiding them toward their long- and short-term goals. This may include delegating, professional development opportunities, or career planning.

The transition from an individual contributor to supervisor or manager requires effort, grace, and patience. Remain committed to your role and team, be gracious and patient with yourself and others and your hard work will pay off in the long run.