Top Performer Turned Manager
Doyle Slayton | Apr 23, 2008 | Comments 12
Top performers often get the top jobs, especially in the world of sales! Most top performers think they are ready to manage and lead… the truth is… they’re not. Front line managers play a major role in the success of a company. Directors and executives must have the foresight to plan ahead and develop these future managers. As leaders begin to emerge, the truly great ones understand that leadership is more about influence than it is about authority. You can’t demand respect, you have to earn it.
Sometimes top performers will get promoted and never miss a beat. They continue to be top producers by developing others into top producers! But all too often, it goes the other way… at least in the beginning. The following is a breakdown of the way a rookie manager often enters the first 90 days on the job…
You hear the words, “You are the best-of-the-best, and we’d like you to take this team to the next level.”
You think to yourself, “Finally, I’m a manager!” You are excited, but not too excited, because “it’s just another stepping stone to the next level…” right?
The First 90 Days
Month One Thinking
“There’s a new sheriff in town!”
“I am exactly what this management team needs!”
“I am going to turn this whole thing around!”
“My people are going to love me!”
Month Two Thinking
“Uh Oh…”
“What is going on around here?”
“This isn’t what I expected.”
“This is a lot harder than I thought.”
“I’m not getting any support.”
“I hate being a manager!”
“What did I get myself into?”
“Maybe I should go back to being a sales rep.”
Month Three Thinking
“I don’t know if I can do this.”
“I need some help.”
“It’s time to check my ego at the door.”
You walk into a trusted manager’s or director’s office… and sheepishly ask… “Can I talk to you for a second?”
Chances are you’ve either been there or seen someone else go through this scenario. Place yourself in the role of the trusted manager or director. Script-out the conversation. How do you help this top performer turned manager bounce back?
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Filed Under: Blog • Featured • Leadership • Sales
My comments to the top performer turned manager would be:
Buddy, you have taken the driver seat and we are in the race. Irrespective of the conditions, see how we can move forward (stay positive, play by strength) without losing lead until we hit the pit stop for fixing (any restructuring if needed). In all fairness, you were given the seat with the car in reasonable condition for participation in the race. Understand the car, its strengths, weaknesses and act accordingly.
Well said, there is far to little concentration on training or developing good management talent.
Unfortunatly for many sales people, there aremany underperforming sales managers out there and they don’t know or maybe don’t even care.
Roger
well, been there, done that
Learning: It’s all about clear communication and clear expectation.
What is it that you want me to attive over the next 1,2,3 month? be specific!
What kind of role do you want me to play?
Who is my mentor?
This is just some exsamples on thinks you need to know before taking a manager role on you.
This is a great article and the problem with top performers becoming managers is that they fail to recognize that everyone is not like them. In management overall, whether in sales or tech support, each person needs to be coached, motivated and incentive-ized differently. Most new managers want to make everyone do things their way. “I was successful so my way must work” The problem is that what works for you will kill someone else. If you like to be micro managed or a hands off approach, or somewhere in between, doesn’t mean you can’t do well. Each person has their own style. If you fail to treat everyone based on their needs, by giving what they need to be successful, and I am not saying to coddle everyone, ultimately you will fail as a manager. Management is a science, being good at something does not qualify you. Just like in baseball, just because you can pitch 97 miles per hour doesn’t mean you can teach someone else to do it.
Mike Taylor
I would imagine that this is a common feeling among new managers. You head into the game with confidence high and boiling over with new ideas and goals. Then you begin to find out that your power isn’t as strong as you thought it would be. That you have more uphill battles than you have support. I’ve seen managers go through this and it can be a humbling experience. But those who survive it, who are able to turn it around, are the ones reaping the rewards in the end. Stepping into a management is not an easy thing.
Wow, managing is a lot different and a lot harder than it looks from the co-pilot’s chair isn’t it.
First, don’t be discouraged. We gave this assignment because we believe you have the talent and ability to grow into it.
Lets talk about what you feel you have really accomplished that feels good in your first ninety days.
Ok, now lets talk about what you feel like are some areas you might want to focus on improving.
Managing people is like any other skill- there are steps associated with it and a learning process. There are also resources. Some of those resources include people like me who are invested in your success and you have taken two huge important steps, you recognized you hit a “speed bump” and you are asking for help.
Another huge resource is your team. As the team leader I don’t and they don’t expect you to have all the answers. Don’t shy away from asking the team for input on how they would approach situations. Find out what the key strengths are of each of your team and give them an opportunity to “coach” as well.
Lets talk about some resources that are available in the areas you feel like you are struggling with and see if we can’t get you connected with some of them.
How would you like me to work with you? Would you like to set up regular meetings so that we can talk about what went well and what didn’t? Do you want to test drive some possible approaches to thorny issues before you have to go “on stage”?
I am invested in your succeeding and the success of your team. Lets put together a plan and check in together.
You are the right guy and you are taking the right steps by asking for help.
Doyle,
There are two critical factors to the top dog/dogette becoming the manager of a team.
1. Their boss must be a mentor as they move to the next level. Without the proper coaching they have no tools to succeed. There should be a training program solely dedicated to educating them on how to be…
2. a coach. The newly promoted must, and I say must in this modern, real time, web 2.0, everyone is moving too fast unless stuck in front of a video screen era, be a coach. Look, they did it, and they can show others how if they just take their job that way.
The new manager makes the mistake of managing numbers instead of people. If you analyze your team members and look to their strengths first, then show them a path to success, you can coach. If you spend all of your time coaching, you will be seen as a great manager.
How do you help this top performer turned manager bounce back?
You talk first to this person and let them know that since this is your first
time at being manager some adjusting will be needed, the scope of what you
do will. People will directly report to you and it is your job to bring balance to your organization.
You should establish what type of leader style that is the best fit for you in this current position.
In the marines we have several there is the authoritarian/dictator type of leader,
The persuasive type of leader.
The democratic type of leader.
Simply put you can ask a person to do something, you can tell them to do
something or you can persuade them and ask for their input to do something.
Many new managers choose the later because it brings a leader closer to
being a more of a people person type of leader.
Many staff /employees seem to like that approach better than being a
Dominant figure at work
By doing the simple things a world of change will make a new manager fit into
that first time spot and feel comfortable.
Being to abrasive in the beginning will certainly spell a rough going for anyone.
I have so many people start this way and end up in the hospital or dead.
because of the added stress needed to keep up this serious pace.
I think to keep a top performer a top, that person needs to be able at time be able to teach others how he or she became a top performer, pass that down in training. It must also be understood that the top performer will not be the same performer anymore. Now that performer must teach his performance to the audience which is his new constituents or employees. and thus sell him or herself in that new position
I agree, you need to earn respect to be a Manager and be a great influencer. Not only because you are a top performer it means you can be a Manager.
My advice would be…
Here’s the deal, when you were a top performer your focus was on hitting your objectives, serving your customers. Now your focus is on setting your team up to win. Your job is less about doing and more about helping now. [Some make this transition, most do not]
With that in mind, first understand your personal strengths and weaknesses, what are your gifts? Take a personality profile and determine your style, natural and adapted.
Next determine each of your team’s personality type, strengths and weaknesses. Each person is unique, just like customers. This time though your customers are internal. The worst thing you can do is say “this is the way I am my way or the high way”, and give the same communication to each of your team members.
It may shock you but being the “boss” is not about your personal power, but empowering your team.
So now you know your gift, chances are you are a strong relational salesperson and you were a good closer let’s say. Let’s say you also found out you may struggle with reports and attention to detail. Insure you find those to surround you that pick up areas that are not your strengths. Now that you know your team, their unique personality types, the do’s and don’ts of communicating with each person, develop a plan for the overall team, and each person. Integrate your gifts and serve the team.
Work with your supervisor or some other mentor or executive coach and develop the new skills needed to insure you excel in this role. What got you here, will not take you to where you want to be as a leader of a team. Invest in the development of you. Leaders are readers, understand leadership and make a commitment to excel.
Last, and this is the hard part, your past, your title, do not make you a “leader.”
Leadership is won not appointed. You may “drive” your team to a number of short wins out of the gate, but “serving “the team , setting each team member up to win , is the only way to creating repeatable and sustainable profitable growth.
After 90 days, look behind you…if no one is following you, you are not leading.
I am in service industry…word to word matches my situation.. I feel that there is no mentor..Becuase this is the new team I set up and no one above me in the sales team who can understand what’s my situation.I report to an operations guy…..and just imposes his thoughts whenever I try getting some advice…….and.even my team is micro managed by the guy. i have team of 8 sales reps.. my whole team has to send him every 2 hours activity reports and It’s mandatory for me to reply with comment..for each report CCing him…..has any one of you gone through this situation a sales manager …if so…how did u deal with it..
Hello just thought i would tell you something.. This is twice now i’ve landed on your blog in the last 2 days searching for totally unrelated things. Spooky or what?