The manager and the pony
Managing is a tough gig, especially if you are new to it.
A brilliant colleague is seeing her team and responsibilities increase significantly this year. She confided that she was a bit concerned about how she will go. Having had some experience with poor managers that scarred her early in her career, she doesn't want to be that - ever.
As it's the beginning of another work year, why not take time to reflect on your management style? No one wants to be the shitty manager that everyone hates or leaves. So ... how are you doing? How do you know?
First off, take solace because a shitty manager never asks these questions. They pretty much assume that they are right. They have excellent reasons for everything they do - even if they don't share them. Their teams run on a spectrum from being brilliant enough to happily share their ideas as their own - to being complete idiots who never get anything right.
Shitty managers lack sufficient curiosity to take onboard others' opinions.
A healthy start for recognising that you are a non-shitty manager is that you routinely ask questions like:
What would make it easier for you to get what you need done?
What else do you need from me at the moment?
What could I do differently to better manage/support you? What could I do differently to better manage/support you?
But couldn't these questions be asked by shitty managers and then ignored?
Very astute. Yes, it happens. It's not just the questions but whether you listen and act on the feedback.
A non-shitty manager won't say "Sure" and then do nothing. They may alert you to some constraints or discuss options that are not exactly what you suggested - because they aren't just slaves to your every whim. (Buy me a pony!)
Spend time reflecting on how you've managed your team over the last year, and then check in with your colleagues and team. Focus on specific things you are concerned with, and ask for general observations. Hear the good and the bad.
It may be an unusual question for some at first. But following through will have them supporting your growth more and seeing your management skills soar.
Email me with funny captions for the picture. What are this manager and this pony saying?