

Now that you’ve promoted a new manager, you can relax knowing they will take charge of the department and let you get back to big-picture strategizing for your small business, right? Not necessarily. New managers, even if they excelled at their previous jobs, need guidance and training.
Once the congratulations are finished, the real work for managers begins. Without proper training, those managers are being set up for failure. So it’s not surprising that a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey found that 84 percent of U.S. workers say poorly-trained managers create unnecessary work and stress.
If you want your new manager to succeed, they can’t operate in the dark. They must be prepared when employees ask questions or seek general guidance about company policies and procedures.
Support your new manager by making sure they are well-informed regarding the following:
And while all employees should know your company’s mission, it is especially important for new managers to know it, be able to explain it and live it.
Nearly six in 10 U.S. workers (57 percent) believe the managers in their workplace could benefit from training on how to be better people managers, according to SHRM’s report The High Cost of a Toxic Workplace Culture. SHRM’s president and CEO, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., believes “There is no relationship in the workplace more powerful than the one between managers and employees.”
Most managers' primary responsibility should be managing people, not processes. Indeed, their ability to motivate and inspire a team is crucial to the company’s success. But unfortunately, not all new managers have the people skills you might think they do and that you need to run your business smoothly.
What you consider outspoken honesty, some employees may interpret as abrasive and condescending. Or, although you know your manager is a planner and needs time to process new information, employees might think the manager isn’t listening or taking them seriously.
Here are some tips for training your new manager on how to deal with people:
Understanding what makes each individual tick helps the new manager delegate more effectively.
You may have delegated some of your responsibilities to your new manager, but that doesn’t mean you can be hands-off. Just as your new manager’s responsibility is to guide their team, yours is to train and guide your new managers to carry out your vision.
The following practices will help you groom your managers for success:
Learning to be a good manager takes time. But experience is often the best teacher, so give your new managers the latitude and time to learn. And make sure your staff knows you support the manager on their new journey.
This article is sponsored by Lexmark GO Line. Learn more about small business resources at Lexmark’s the Spot.
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