Çiğdem Karadeniz PCC, CPCC, ORSC /Career Coach

%40 of new leaders fail in their first 18 months
So this shining promotion comes with a fair degree of personal risk.

Many companies select people for take on according to their past performances. This method,
assumes that people know their tasks and management naturally. Since good management is a crucial factor for success, the organisation leaves its business to chance.

Managers who take on their duty are expected to get adapted to their positions right away.
In this case people who are left alone sink into despair and lose their self-confidence. If the former manager has left without hand over, it gets more difficult.

Here is a possible story;

Manager takes on the new role with excitement and pride but realises that not everybody is as happy as he/she is. Above all if the person he/she replaced is a beloved leader it is more difficult to be accepted. The most talented and successful subordinate thinks the situation is unfair since he/she didn’t get the promotion and is probably preparing his/her CV to look for a new job. On the top of it there are people who want to get in good books, they also need to be assessed right.

For certain relationship management is substantially critical in this period. But when talking about relationship management please note that not only subordinates but all stake holders are important, including chiefs, peers even customers and competitors. In this period it is important to listen conditionally as well as talking. This makes it easier to obtain information and protects you from speaking early or foul-ups. And what’s more people who listen do seem more smart and charismatic. Having said that sometimes when manager is intending to listen he/she cannot ask the right questions, obtain information or sometimes listens too much and people lay their problems at their doorstep.

The role has its specific authority already, invariably. It is troubling to appear too authoritative when performing this role. Especially if there are friends amongst the subordinates it is even drearier situation. Poised body language is very important; the authority is in the bearing not in harsh words, and however few people are aware of this.

Manager’s moods draw more attention in the first days.

Sympathy is important but fake smile can be realised right away. Smiling without losing your authority, greeting with gestures and words are important. Managers need someone to consult who can reflect their behaviour objectively in this period.

Neither blazing nor too much smiling, neither too cold nor self-sacrificing. It is important to maintain a tight balance in here. We are human after all, we can get mad, raise our voice sometimes but we should always consider what remains of the day thus be careful with our actions.

Since it is a new situation for everybody, people are anxious and need time but what’s more important is endeavouring.

There are also newly transferred tasks in this exertion. The manager is inclined to the same work since he/she promoted because of the success of his/her previous work. Therefore sometimes he/she slogs on micro management or delegating tasks.

E&E Group coaches managers in all levels through the real time challenge of the first months of a new role appointment and support the leader to learn how to be prepared for a pre-start, how to develop a plan for short, mid and long term with “First 111 Days” Programme.

In this coaching programme managers find opportunity to adapt to their new teams and carry on their performances while they settle down in new jobs, missions and roles in change period.

Some companies believe the new managers will get their hands on the table in time and show performance. Solely, mishandles in the long term, effects managers and employees to be in low spirits and decline the productivity consequently managers and even employees leave the job creates a higher cost.