HOW TO DEAL WITH A PROMOTION

·         It takes more than just patience to understand, motivate and mentor a team the right way.

·         The life-changing moment comes when you cross the line, and it is only then that it all sinks in.

·         It could be a tricky situation since you not only have new responsibilities, but you may also be supervising a person who was vying for the promotion.

·         You must communicate to the group right at the start that you need their support to make this transition work.

·         Maintain the dignity of your new position, but at the same time acknowledge the immense role played by your former peers in creating a favourable environment for your success.

·         Remember, when you wish to go fast you go alone, but when you wish to go far you go together.

1. Define roles

·         No boss can work alone.

·         Defining roles for each individual in team projects will not only keep misunderstandings at bay, but will also save the time and energy of the organisation.

·         Begin by describing the job to your employees.

·         If your team doesn't clearly understand their basic responsibilities, as well as how their individual roles interact within the dynamics of the team, you lose.

·         Discover the key result areas (KRAs) of each of the members of your team and also of the team as a whole.

·         Giving the right job to the right person will not only bring you better results but will also allow the employees to sharpen their self-image as professionals.

2. Articulate expectations

·         A boss who is able to articulate expectations, meet goals and yet not overburden the team is the 'dream' boss for any team.

·         Conveying your expectations about your employees' performance and goals has to be a participative process.

·         You can communicate to your team through discussions, group meetings or emails.

·         Use emails only to send formal messages, which your team may require to refer to time and again.

·         Discussions are important as the team feels they have a say in the day-to-day activities.

·         The challenge is to steer the brainstorming in such a manner that the definitions come from people themselves.

·         It should appear to them as though they are working towards something which they have set out for themselves.

·         Involvement of the team in the process helps increase their sense of ownership, making them perform better.

3. Delegate work

·         You will be overburdened if you do not delegate work and have negative feelings about the team.

·         On the other hand, the team will be clueless about what to do.

·         Delegating work will help you groom your employees, an essential part of your role as a leader.

·         What you must remember while delegating work is that while one delegates authority, the responsibility remains with the boss.

·         Setting up effective monitoring and control mechanisms must go hand-in-hand with the process of delegation.

·         The basic goal should be to help one's team members grow from being dependent to being independent.

4. Offer your feedback

·         When offering feedback, always give the positive review first and the negative review later.

·         Never mince your words, a direct approach is always better and will help you gain the respect of your team.

·         Again, while you must always give a pat on the back in public, it's better to offer criticism in private.

·         Negative feedback is crucial as it helps individuals develop.

·         Focus on helping the person understand the issue at hand, how it developed, and how it can be addressed more effectively.

·         However, the choice of words plays an important role, and one must ensure that the message is conveyed without being offensive.

·         At all times, remember that you're playing the role of a mentor in your position as the boss.

5. Learn to listen

·         There is a clear distinction between hearing and listening.

·         To be an effective listener one needs to suspend judgement in order to look at the matter in an objective light.

·         As a leader, you must curb the desire to pre-empt the conversation in order to prove your point.

·         Always allow the team to speak out first, as it will provide you time to think and formulate your thoughts about the issue.

·         It will also help the team vent their feelings and assure it that they will be heard before a decision is taken and will help them trust the final decision.

6. Set examples

·         A boss must set benchmarks for the team.

·         You have to simply take up the responsibility of the delegated tasks not performed well.

·         Bosses, who take only the praise for jobs done well and try to pass on the buck to juniors for all that is not done well, lose their credibility with the team very soon.

·         There is no substitute to 'walk the talk'.

·         If you are not ready to follow a rule, rest assured that the others will follow the precedent.

·         Ultimately, a good boss is one who is not over and above his team.

7. Cultivate team chemistry

·         Team chemistry can be developed only when you work as a part of the team.

·         A boss who orders things around, and wants the teammates to clean up the created mess, fails to cultivate any kind of chemistry in the team.

·         Listening to the team, asking for their inputs and constantly mentoring the team are some of the time-tested methods to develop team chemistry.

·         A major issue most leaders face is whether to interfere or not when a conflict within the team arises.

·         If the conflict is trivial, it's better that you stay out of it as a boss.

·         However, if it is big enough to affect the unity of your team, then you need to listen to both parties individually before you step in to manage the problem or make a judgement.

·         Being the boss anywhere is lonely, but with a little effort you can make this climb easier, mentor new leaders on your way and yield better results along with your team.