| So now you are a manager how do you think you are doing? Which parts have gone well and which not so well? And what have you learned along the way? Being a manager is a journey not a destination. You need to plan the next part of your journey and identify the areas where further skills or experience will help you develop as a manager. Over the next 20 minutes you will realise that the transition to management can be quite tricky as you move into unknown territory. You will learn about the characteristics of adult learners and the different preferred ways of learning - learning styles. You will consider whether you need further training and development to help you in your role and you will look at some ideas for improving your relationship with your staff. |
Transition into management When you have been a successful professional or specialist it can be difficult to move into a management role without feeling that some of your previous expertise has been lost. The temptation for new managers is to continue to do the comfortable parts of the old job (continuing as a player) rather than moving on to unknown territory (as a manager). The new role is very different and seems very daunting. These feelings and reactions are normal! Other people have felt just like you and the transition process diagram shows the roller-coaster of self-esteem you may well experience. The seven stages of transition (J Adams et al., 1976) are:
Which elements of the model help to explain your own experience of transition in your present job? |
Learning as an adult As mentioned earlier, being a manager is a journey not a destination. If we are to continue to develop as managers we must continue to learn, both on and off the job. Knowles (1980) identified four characteristics of adult learners that distinguish us from children:
Do any of the above relate to why and how you are studying this module? Have they affected any previous learning you have undertaken as an adult? |
Learning styles We all have different learning styles. In the 1980s Honey and Mumford identified four styles:
Each of us will find one or two styles more comfortable. However we learn the most if we continuously go round the learning cycle as shown in the diagram. Don't forget that each member of your team will also find one or two of these learning styles more comfortable. Don't assume that, because you like to learn by taking part in role-plays, everyone else does. Activists may love them but theorists may not. |
Your development and training Having considered how you might best learn, you now need to consider what knowledge, skills and abilities you could develop further to help you do your job better. Answer 'yes' or 'no' to each of the following questions. Where your answer is 'no', note down the further development and training that would be beneficial. In your present role do you have:
You can also ask these questions of any member of staff for whom you are responsible, and so help them develop. Effective managers recognise that more can be achieved by developing their staff. They view it as an opportunity, not as a threat to their status or position. Think about these areas and identify any actions you could take to enhance your relationship with your staff. |
| The transition into management may not be easy. It's tempting, but usually misguided, to cling on to the comfort of doing some parts of your old job. Adults are willing to learn when there is a good reason. This means they are often able to put what they have learned to very practical use. While we each have preferred styles of learning, we will learn most by continually going round the full learning cycle. Some more development and training will almost certainly be beneficial for you. Both you and your staff will benefit from putting effort into your relationship with each other. Further study The First Time Manager : The First Steps to a Brilliant Management Career - by Michael J. Morris |