Navigating Your First Management Role: Where to Start

You just landed your first management role? Congratulations! Here are the major things that can help you succeed in it. The list is made mainly for people working in companies with classical pyramid or matrix organizational structures, but basic principles apply to all. Also, the sequence is not carved in stone as some of these items will be happening in parallel, so adjust it based on your specific situation.

1. Identify the key stakeholders - All of them will fall into one of these categories:

   1. External clients: Who outside of the company expects some delivery from you? These could include: end consumers, partner companies, regulatory bodies, media outlets, etc.

   2. Internal clients: Who in the company relies on the input from your team to do their part of the job? In case you work in Marketing, these might be your internal clients: Sales team needing marketing materials, Product Development relying on market research, Finance requiring budget reports, etc. Make sure you have the full list.

   3. External suppliers: Who outside of the company do you need to do your job? What do you need from them? This group might include raw material providers, software vendors, consultants, etc.

   4. Internal suppliers: Who inside of the company do you need? What do they need to provide? For example: IT department providing infrastructure, HR handling onboarding, Legal offering compliance advice.

   5. Your team: Who's in it and are the clear reporting lines (direct reports, dotted-line reports, project team members)? If you're in the matrix organization, are the roles and priorities clear?

   6. Management: Who do you report to? How does the overall corporate org. chart look like? Identify the main decision makers and escalation paths.

   7. Peers: Who are the people on the same hierarchical level as you? Who will be the ones you'll work closest to (managers of related teams, colleagues on cross-functional projects)?

2. Understand the expectations - Once you identified the stakeholders, find out what they expect from you. The main question is how would the success of your team look like in their eyes. For example, clients might expect new product or features, Finance dept. might expect more detailed reporting and your manager would like a team restructuring.

   Make sure that requirements are clear, so statements like 'I want to see improvement' are not helpful. Key here is to listen and ask clarifying questions. You're on a fact finding mission, so drop the assumptions and hear people out. You can use WWW EBI formula to elicit specific feedback. Start by asking 'What worked well so far?', followed by 'and it would be even better if... [ask them fill in the blank]'? The better you know the expectations, higher are your chances of hitting the target.

3. Understand the team - Who are the team members? What are their strengths and areas for improvement? Together, do you have all knowledge and skills needed to achieve the results? You can use different ways of doing it and your HR should be able to help you with it if needed. It might take you some time to find out all the details, especially if you took over the team from someone vs being promoted to lead the team you already worked for.

4. Set the priorities - Now that you know what is expected and who you should deliver it with, set the priorities so that your team knows what to focus on. Avoid the mistake of prioritizing everything as priority 1. Create a priority list with no duplicated numbers, just plain 1, 2, 3, etc. You could use Eisenhower or MoSCoW matrix for this part.

5. Secure Early Wins to Build Momentum - Identify and achieve small, manageable successes early on. These quick wins can boost team morale, demonstrate progress to stakeholders, and build your confidence. Ideas for these don't necessarily have to come from you, but also from your initial discussion with stakeholders and your team members.

6. Promote Open and Accessible Information Flow - Define how information will be readily available to the team and relevant stakeholders. Ensure that you have two-way information flow. This might include shared documentation, project management tools, and clear processes for asking questions and raising concerns.

   
   

   While these principles provide a solid framework, remember that every situation is unique. Continuously evaluate your progress, seek feedback, and be willing to adapt your approach as you gain experience and your team evolves. Your ability to learn and adjust will be key to your long-term effectiveness as a leader.