So Now You're the Boss

You finally got that promotion and now you're the new boss. Things might not feel much different in the beginning, but managing former peers requires a major adjustment on both ends. How you handle the change at the outset can affect the long-term harmony and productivity of the group.

• Embrace change. Accept that your relationships with co-workers will inevitably change, say experts. This can be hard if you were friends with someone you now supervise. You don't have to give up the friendship, but you do need to have a frank discussion outlining the new parameters of your relationship in the office. "This includes what you can and can't do," says Stephen Xavier, president and CEO of Cornerstone Executive Development in Chapel Hill, N.C. "Obviously, you can't participate in workplace gossip or any negative talk about co-workers." You also can't be as chummy as you were before and you might, say, have to give up your regular lunch dates with your former peer.

• Get educated. If the company doesn't provide management training, take a class, get a coach, read books and observe how other bosses handle subordinates. You want to strike a good balance of authority, says Bonnie Hagemann, CEO of Executive Development Associates in Oklahoma City, Okla. There's a tendency for new bosses to manage too harshly or be too lenient.

• Establish your role. Early on, step forward and demonstrate how you will handle your role as boss. Be firm but open to feedback and talk through what you expect from employees and vise versa. Make clear what you'll be doing differently from your predecessor, if anything. Remember, rank-and-file employees tend to be focused on their jobs, whereas your role as boss means doing what's best for the department and company. You may be forced to hold employees who you worked alongside just weeks ago accountable in ways that can influence their job standing and pay.

• Address concerns. Introduce changes gradually since big, sudden changes can create a lot of stress—especially if they are complex. Give employees a role in the decision-making process when you can and help them understand why any changes are necessary. A good way to discuss individual concerns with other former peers is to take them aside one by one and privately explain how things will change, suggests Mr. Xavier.

• Be careful not to play favorites. It can harm your credibility as a fair leader and can backfire with friends who may take advantage of you.

"Familiarity breeds a potential for some complacency and that can make it more difficult for the manager who's promoted internally," says Paul Winum, senior partner at RHR International, a management consultancy in Wood Dale, Ill. "When somebody comes in from the outside, and there's not a pre-existing relationship, people are on their toes a little more."

• Head off problems. Manage the disappointment of peers who didn't get promoted by finding new opportunities or challenges for them in the restructured team, suggests Mr. Winum. "You want to forge some kind of positive, constructive relationship," he says.

Try to talk through any concerns or issues of those who might have wanted to be boss so you don't end up being blindsided by a bigger problem or an employee resigning.

Source:http://online.wsj.com/