Transitioning From Peer to Manager

In a survey of first-time managers by research scientist William Gentry and his colleagues at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), a global provider of leadership development, nearly 60 percent of respondents cited “adjustment to people management/displaying authority” as their biggest challenge.

“Many first-time managers struggle with the ability to exude a sense of authority over subordinates—some of whom were co-workers and friends before—and gain their respect,” writes Gentry and his co-authors. Many first-time managers find that the transition from being an individual contributor to managing and leading a team of people requires a different mindset and, in many cases, an entirely new skill set.

“As individual contributors, people are constantly trying to shine the light on themselves,” explains Gentry, senior research scientist and coordinator of internships and postdocs in research, innovation and product development at CCL in Greensboro, N.C. “When they become leaders, they have to ‘flip the script’ and start shining the light on other people because their personal success depends on their team’s performance.”

Related Article: 6 Essential Skills for First-Time People Managers

Resetting Expectations

When Sharon Stolt first moved into a leadership role, she felt she had an advantage because she already knew the people and the company. But she found that she had to adapt the way she interacted with her former peers to suit her new role.

“Whenever a manager is making a change, they have to explain what they are doing so their [former] peers understand why the distinction is important,” says Stolt, vice president of global learning and people experience at Model N, a cloud-based revenue management solutions company in San Mateo, Calif. “This helps establish expectations and boundaries.”

“It’s important to create a dialogue around the issues that naturally arise when managing former peers,” says Jason Evanish, co-founder and CEO of Get Lighthouse, an online management training company in the San Francisco Bay Area. He recommends that new leaders have one-on-one conversations with their former peers to discuss the change and clear the air.

“Often, people just want to feel heard,” Evanish says. “Letting them air any grievances and talk about how they feel makes it easier to work together to address the awkwardness.”

Caryn Bedford, an organizational development consultant and leadership coach at Caryn Bedford Consulting in Lansing, Mich., likewise encourages new managers to meet individually with each of their team members to explain how their new role is going to change the nature of their relationship. “The direct approach is always best,” she says. “Otherwise, the other person may feel rejected because their new manager is not as friendly as they used to be.”

Once new managers clarify expectations with their former peers, they must continue to be fair and transparent. “Everyone on the team needs to know that no preferential treatment will be given when it comes to bonuses, raises, promotions, support and resources,” Gentry says.

Toolkit: Developing Organizational Leaders

Expect a Learning Curve

Management is a learned skill, and new managers need instruction to succeed in their new role. “What we see in the transition space is the necessity to consider a whole new developmental landscape,” says Dawn Pons, director of executive coaching and career transitions, Americas, at EY in Arlington, Va. “New managers have to understand their own strengths, identify areas of growth and decide what kind of leader they want to be.”

The Leadership Transitions Report 2021 by DDI, a global leadership consulting firm, surveyed nearly 18,000 leaders and HR executives worldwide to answer key questions about first-time managers. The survey identified three key resources that can help smooth employees’ transition into management roles:

• A formal self-assessment to identify leadership strengths and areas for development.
• Leadership and interpersonal training to develop the skills needed for the new role.
• Coaching from current and previous managers.

A one-year leadership development program that Bedford created when she was the director of employee experience and engagement at a nonprofit community organization incorporated all three elements. During the program’s first six months, new leaders focused on self-awareness, leadership development and organizational development, followed by six months of individual coaching.

“New managers can build their confidence by building their competence,” says Joanie Bily, chief experience officer at Employbridge, a Georgia-based staffing and recruiting company, and author of Dive in D.E.E.P.: Strategies to Advance Your Career, Find Balance, and Live Your Best Life (Performance Publishing Group, 2023). She says new managers can do this by setting goals for themselves, reading books, and seeking guidance from other managers and mentors.

New Role, New Responsibilities

“The majority of a new manager’s success depends on what they can get their team to deliver,” says Haydn Shaw, author of Sticking Points: How to Get 5 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places They Come Apart (Tyndale Momentum, 2020). “While it can be tempting to revert back to doing most of the work themselves because it’s quicker and more efficient, that sends the message to the team that their new manager doesn’t have confidence in their abilities and isn’t invested in developing their skills.”

Pons agrees. “New managers are leading the orchestra, where they used to play an instrument. They need to resist the temptation to play the instruments themselves rather than delegate,” she says. Pons encourages new managers to take the initiative to understand the strengths and interests of each of their direct reports and then “give them assignments that plug into their skills and interests.”

When new managers delegate work that they know their team members can do well and give them the trust and autonomy to do it, it helps melt away any hard feelings because employees know their manager has their interests at heart, Evanish says.

“Every new leader has to decide for themselves what kind of leader they want to be,” Shaw adds. “As long as the manager treats their employees with respect, their employees will want them to succeed and will work to help them.”

Cultivating a New Peer Group

Bily says it’s essential for new managers to have peers at their level whom they can turn to for direction and advice. “It’s important for new managers to expand their network with other managers,” she notes. “Otherwise, they will feel like they are all alone.”

Related Article: Making a Successful Leadership Transition in HR

“New managers do not manage alone,” agrees Pons. “They [should] have a peer group with other managers who can help guide them on this journey.” While EY provides coaching and mentoring to help new managers make sense of their experience, Pons recommends that they also look for resources outside the organization if it doesn’t provide everything they need.

For its part, Model N uses a cohort model that enables managers to create relationships, share best practices and celebrate their accomplishments. For organizations that do not offer these opportunities, Stolt advises new managers to reach out for such guidance. “If an organization has active HR business partners, new managers can also reach out to HR to help create a cohort or pair them with a mentor,” she says.

Gentry encourages senior leaders, managers and HR professionals to create an infrastructure that prepares employees to become leaders. As he explains, “Before promoting someone to a management role, great organizations set them up for success by preparing them for the role.”

Arlene S. Hirsch is a career counselor in private practice in Chicago.