Setting goals is essential for business success. As leaders rise in their careers, achieving these...
As a coach, listening to leaders struggle daily in their delegation efforts, I can tell you this is not just a new manager challenge, this is an all-manager challenge. Raise your hand if you are a manager of any tenure and your team is- Missing key deadlines; certain tasks or projects frequently get stalled, causing delays in the overall workflow
- Delivering sub-par work; lacking innovation; and/or creativity
- Experiencing conflict around ownership and responsibilities
- Stagnating in skills; team members aren’t advancing in their careers
If we were in a giant conference room and you looked around you would see you aren’t alone. Transitioning from individual contributor to manager is hard; rarely are managers given the resources they need to make a successful transition. I’m going to refrain from digressing into why this is, I will save that for another post, rather, I am going to give you a simple analogy and some guidance on how to make the needed shifts starting today.
Transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager is much like moving from playing an instrument in an orchestra to conducting the entire ensemble. An individual contributor in an orchestra focuses on mastering their own instrument, ensuring notes are perfect and timing impeccable. Meanwhile, the conductor of an orchestra, the manager if you will, is tasked with ensuring that every member of that orchestra plays in harmony, working together to create a cohesive and impactful performance. Suppose you think of the transition from individual contributor to manager as moving from playing in the orchestra to conducting the orchestra. In that case, you will see this transition requires a change in mindset and approach to be successful.
5 New Perspectives To Help You Shift How You Manage Your Team
Shift 1: Stop focusing on the minutia, start focusing on the big picture
This is not the first time you have heard this but what does “big picture” mean? As a musician, your primary concern is your performance, now as a conductor, your focus must expand to encompass the overall sound and success of the orchestra. Similarly, as a new manager, it’s time to shift your attention from completing tasks to overseeing projects and aligning your team's efforts with broader organizational goals. This big-picture thinking is crucial for effective leadership.
Shift 2: Stop communicating on tasks, start connecting your team to the big picture
Just as a conductor gives clear cues to guide the orchestra, a manager must communicate their vision, goals, and expectations effectively. As an individual contributor, you spent a lot of time communicating to your manager about execution efforts. As a manager, what you are communicating out to others must shift. Clear communication helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures everyone is aligned. It also reduces the temptation to micromanage, as team members will have a clear understanding of what is required of them and be able to execute tasks autonomously once they understand what is expected.
Shift 3. Shift from me to we, start empowering your team
A conductor trusts the musicians to know their parts and play them well. In that same vein, a manager must trust their team members to use their skills and expertise to achieve their tasks. This involves delegating responsibilities and providing necessary support and resources, rather than controlling every detail. Think about it you can’t play violin, cello, flute, and drums all at the same time. Your role is now to conduct them all. Even if it were possible for you to be everywhere all the time, trying to control how everyone does their job stifles creativity and reduces morale.
Shift 4. Shift how you feel about giving feedback
Feedback is essential in any role for growth and improvement. Unfortunately, most managers don’t know how to leverage feedback effectively and so they avoid it or deliver feedback that isn’t actionable to the recipient. Like a conductor offering guidance to improve a musician’s performance, provide feedback that helps your team members develop their skills and enhance their performance. Feedback that is delivered empathetically, based on observations, and contains clear next steps is gold. Give this gold to your team members; celebrate their successes and address areas for improvement in a way that encourages and motivates them.
Shift 5. Embrace patience and opportunities to practice
Leadership requires patience and adaptability. Understand that your team members will make mistakes, and these mistakes are opportunities for learning and growth. Leveraging our orchestra example, think about the word you do as practicing vs performance time. Are you creating opportunities for your team to practice and experiment with the new skills they are learning or are you treating every moment as a make-or-break performance?
Final Thoughts on Embracing a Conductor Mindset
Transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager is a significant change, akin to moving from musician to maestro. By embracing this conductor mindset, focusing on the big picture, empowering your team, and steering clear of micromanagement pitfalls, you can lead your team to create a harmonious and high-performing work environment. Remember, the true mark of a great leader is not in playing every instrument, rather it is guiding the orchestra to play together beautifully. By making this shift, you will enhance your leadership skills and create a more engaged, innovative, and productive team. So, step up to the podium, raise your baton, and lead your team to success!
