Solitaire's picture Submitted by Solitaire on
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Management and Leadership

I have just been promoted so that I am managing a different new team directly and I have also promoted someone in my old team so that I am managing them and they are managing the team. So for the first time I am managing another manager.

I'm a long time listener, but would appreciate some guidance and podcast suggestions on how to handle this new situation please.

Should we have joint O3s to start with his new (and my old) directs, or just maybe the first one to handover? I was planning to have a joint team meeting to start with, but after that should I let him have the team meetings on his own, or join them periodically? I already conduct weekly O3s and team meetings, so I will set this up with my new team and also continue the O3s with the new manager of my old team.

I am wary of losing touch with the day to day stuff of the old team, but maybe that's just what I need to do so that I have the time to deal with my new team of directs.

Any advice appreciated, especially from those who've been through this situation (or seen it handled badly by others!)

Thanks,
Jane

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p.s. a huge thanks to everyone at Manager tools and on the forums, I know I wouldn't have received the promotion without all of the advice over the years!

Kevin1's picture
Submitted by Kevin1 on Friday July 4th, 2014 6:59 pm

 Hi Jane

congratz on the promotion.  The way I would approach it is like this.  Your circumstance may be different.

I would encourage you to think of it a bit like a delegation.  The desire to 'not lose touch' probably has elements of 'losing control'.  In order for your new manager to build their own profile in their new role, you do have to allow them to do it and give them support and feedback as they do.  Trust them to repay your faith in them by stepping up to the challenge.

treat it like a delegation.  Once you delegate it, it's theirs.  They will not be as good as you were but when you started in that role you probably were not great and made a lot of mistakes.  Don't worry, the business survived then and will survive again now.

another way of thinking about it.  As someone promoted you to your new position, would you want them sitting in on all your meetings with your team?  Of course not.  It would undermine your authority and send a message that you aren't really ready for this new position.  You'd hate it.  Don't do it to your new manager.

yes, do have a a full group meeting to announce the changes and set expectations and answer questions. Then set them loose and concentrate on your new priorities and let them concentrate on theirs.

hope that helps

kev

gpeden's picture
Submitted by gpeden on Friday July 4th, 2014 7:31 pm

Does the new manager you promoted understand the Manager Tools approach?  If so then I agree you can treat it as a direct delegation. If not, then I would recommend they attend both conferences asap and listen to all the podcasts starting with the Basics.  The Premium subscription is well worth it - I refer to the slides and show notes regularly.

You may need treat it as more of a coaching situation giving them a bit more backup / support. Presumably they have been managed by you and seen you apply the Trinity.

I sent several of my directs that had manager interest/potential to the conferences and they came back well equipped to step up and it made it easier for me to support them.

Also beware of your old directs attempting an end-around for things they may not like with this new manager.   

Thanks,

George

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Solitaire's picture
Submitted by Solitaire on Friday July 11th, 2014 7:28 am

Thanks Kev and George for the advice.

No the new manager is not an MT manager. I've suggested it to him a few times, but he's not been bitten by the bug! We also have comprehensive manager training here that he is part-way through, so it's harder for me to insist on something that doesn't exactly match the training here. (For example managers are trained to use the sandwich technique for feedback (good - bad - good), perhaps I should be grateful that at least we get some training on what to use at all!)

We've had my final team meeting and I handed over to the new manager saying he will conduct the team meetings in future and will give me updates afterwards.

I am learning to let go :)

Thanks,
Jane

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