As a business leader it can be difficult to develop your top talent to their fullest potential. When you have employees making the transition into a management role it is important that they feel ready for the challenge and set up for success. Below are three key factors that determine the success of an employee transitioning to management.
Tone from the top
The CEO needs to set an example of how he wants management to react in certain situations. The CEO has to be a role model of what excellence is in a management role. The CEO establishes what the expected behaviour is from his team and the importance of involving the whole management team when making a decision.
Formalized Training
Management recruitment and training needs to be formalized and scheduled. A management training program would be the most beneficial if trainees entered the program before they accepted a management role. Training programs allow the CEO’s tone from the top to be correctly disseminated throughout management levels. The trainees would learn leadership behaviours, effective management styles, and how to anticipate problems that management would be expected to solve. One reason that technical experts fail to become successful managers is because the individual has not been exposed to difficult managerial situations. Exposing the technical expert to situations that will be faced in management roles through formal training will significantly increase the success rate of individuals making this transition.
Mentorship
Supporting a new manager in their role is important. Mentorship can be a powerful tool in helping an individual to transition into their new role. A mentor should be a peer of their direct boss and have been in a management role with the organization for awhile. The mentor will be an experienced professional that the individual can ask questions and go to for support.
Transitioning from a technical expert to a manager is a big career change. Through having an established tone from the CEO, implementing formalized management training and providing the new manager with a mentor the individual will be successful in their new role.