Newsletter 13 - Managing your power in your new role

Now you're a manager, you're in a position of some power - does it feel like that?

You may not feel it directly, but becoming a manager gives you more power or authority in the organisation than you had before. Be aware that this may change the way you act and think in ways you may not notice.

Of course you need to be different as manager in some ways - but as well as that it's been observed that having even a small amount of power can alter the way you relate to people around you, and can make it much harder to see things from their point of view. (You may have noticed this in people such as the senior managers in your organisation.)

As a developing manager, you can watch out for this and be sure that your own changes are all for the better.

You have two challenges. The first is to manage your own thinking and behaviour: the second is to manage your relationships in the team and around you.

For your own thinking and behaviour, take time to notice your own assumptions as you move into your role. How are you viewing and speaking to your staff? How are they reacting? What are your inner thoughts about staff who report to you? Take time to think about what it's like for them to work with and for you?

Look in the mirror and ask yourself, "What is it like being managed by me?".

For the relationships in your team, pay attention to the language you use, and focus on cooperation. Although competition is important for some organisations, cooperation has been shown to be just as important although less discussed. Be sure that you know which is the most effective at any one time.

Listen to yourself sometimes: what do you sound like to your team? Make sure that your team get the message that you respect them.

Teams where the members are set to compete against each other are very stressful to work in and lead to burnout, as well as bringing out the worst in people.

Teams where there is a sense of working together to achieve something definite are the most effective and lead to sustainable results.

You can use your role as manager to set an effective style, in the way you work, in the way you use your authority and in the language you use.

November 2009

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