Being taken seriously by not taking yourself too seriously

When you step into your new role of running a team (whatever the size) it is always a top priority to be taken seriously. Whether this is by your boss, your peers or by your new team. But there is a fine line between appearing to know what you are doing, and actually knowing what you are doing. 

You want people to behave and perform as instructed, but this is easier said than done. Of course you want there to be some measurable results right away, you need to reassure whoever hired you that it was the right choice. But be cautious of your approach in this. You may be tempted to 'lay down the law' with your team by implementing high targets with bad consequences if missed.

This is a mistake. 

If you want to be taken seriously and see some sustainable improvement with your teams performance you have to be patient. 

The first few days, weeks and months of your role are all about patience. Take some time to get to know your team members individually. What are their strengths and weaknesses? What are their likes and dislikes? You have to tailor their targets based on their capability and learning style. 

This is a slow process, but it is worth it.

Your team will see your genuine interest and understand the time you have invested in them. You are more likely to be taken seriously if you share the same end goal and work on it together. 

Of course, getting results takes a lot more than patience. You need good communication, approach-ability, good team building and so much more. But for now lets focus on being taken seriously and the patience that comes with it. I will touch on all of these other points in future posts. 

As author Charles W Chesnutt said, "We sometimes underestimate the influence of little things"

Regards

#YoungWomanBigDreams

An Introduction and a reality check

There are several things that have peaked my interest in recent years. One being my enthusiasm for personal success.

After progressing up from an office role (and first 'real' job) I have spent a year running a team of 12, in my first ever management role. Recently I decided that a needed to branch out on my skill set, as my ever itchy feet indicated that there may be a dead end to my progression from here.

I started to work alongside an apprenticeship agency. Whilst interviewing I was hit with a harsh reality check. A role in 'lower level management' is not as impressive to my peers as I had first thought.

This couldn't possibly be true.. could it?

After much thought, I came to the conclusion that there is no guide book to talk you through the steps of running a team if you've never done it before. When a person falls into their first rung management roll, whether through luck or hard work, it is very much a whirlwind of trial and error.

Yes, very well done to you. You've jumped through the hoops that have been set out. You have hit your targets and gained a little respect around the office. A role became available and you've aced the interview. The job is yours!

Now what?

I hope this blog will be of some comfort or support to people in this position.

Keep reading my posts to see what to do when you reach the 'now what?' stage and how to survive life in lower level management.

Regards

#YoungWomanBigDreams