What Are The First Things To Do When You Become The New Manager?

A new management position is a leadership position. I don't believe that you can be put in front of a team without the responsibility to lead. The team becomes your new family, and you must learn what it is that each does best and for that you need interaction.

UNDERSTAND YOUR TEAM AND THEIR SKILLS
When I entered a new position in the Army, I always spoke with the team as they worked, and then made a decision as to how to best accomplish the overall mission with the skills that each team member possessed. Some people are good at the details, others are better at research, some are computer literate and others couldn't tell you where the mouse is -- but with each person, there is a particular skill set.

ORGANIZE YOUR TEAM
And my task was always to marry the tasks required to the person's abilities. I always used the team's input for this part. I had to make decisions as to who would be in charge if I had to leave suddenly. And also, what was the best way to get their best ideas passed up to me, decided on quickly, and acted on most efficiently.

PROVIDE FOCUS
Focus for any team comes from knowing what is expected of your team and how to deliver that in a way pleasing to your boss or client. I also took it as my job in any situation to ensure that my team was making my boss's job easy. I should be able to do my boss's job for him in case he has to leave, and he (or she) should be able to do his work daily without having to manage me and my team.

ENSURE THERE IS A BACKUP
Just as I was expected to perform the tasks of my superiors in a pinch, so too was it my job to ensure that if I (or another member of my team) was out for the day, that the mission could be completed by leaning on someone else in the team who could cover for that mamber temporarily. No one person can be the only "subject matter expert" because the boss always expects his (or her) products delivered daily, and my job as a leader was to ensure the constant performance of that team.

ANALYZE AND REVIEW
Last, but not least, you must set up a formal evaluation system that offers a standard for your people to meet (or exceed) daily. Keep the team informed about where they stand in their performance. Tell them when they are doing well, and where they need to improve. As long as you enforce this system fairly, it will ensure that the team feels included and productive. Set this system up within the first two weeks and adjust your methods to your team as you go. You should have a leadership philosophy when you walk in, but understand that every plan changes as you progress.

In my opinion, those are the basic keys to any successful organization and regular, efficient performance. That system always worked for me -- all my different boss' reviews and pats on the back always reflected it!