Going from Peer to Manager

I’ve promoted many people in my organization into managers. The most common question I get when someone becomes a new manager is: “What is your advice for shifting to managing peers”? This guide is to help you navigate your first months as a manager.

First, you want to understand the team members at an individual level. Perhaps some members of the team are new and already see you as a senior member of the organization (these people are often the easiest to earn the trust of when making the transition). However, there will be some members who see you as an equal and potentially some members who even feel that they are superior to you. The people who are the hardest to earn the trust of are often people who also applied for the management position and were disappointed in the outcome.

Once you know where people stand and how they are feeling about you becoming their manager, it’s time for you to start building trust. The best way to build trust is to have them understand that you are there to help them become successful. This is something you’ll need to prove to the team over time to maintain trust, but I’ve found it helpful to declare that your job is to make them successful and set the tone within the first meeting of the transition. Especially when it comes to people who are disappointed that they did not become the manager, you want to tell them something along the lines of: “I understand you wanted this role, but now that I’m your manager, let me help you understand how I was able to get the role to make sure you’re successful when there’s a new opportunity in the future”. 

Just because you become a manager doesn’t mean you now have all the answers. When making the transition, lean on the senior members of your team to coach you on becoming a better manager. I remember when making the transition myself, I would tell my team: “You’re managing me as much as I’m managing you”. Feedback in the early days of management is incredibly important (you’ll find that getting feedback can get harder and harder as you go up the ladder), so showcase vulnerability while you have an excuse to. It’s okay to tell your team members that this is your first time managing and you need their support. Ask for feedback as much as possible. If your team understands that you’re just trying to become the best manager you can be, then your team have more empathy and they will understand the mistakes you make and the gaps you have as you grow as a leader.