Monday, September 27, 2010

How can I be sure the right person is promoted to a supervisor/manager role in my company?

Today more than ever before organizations regardless of their industry seem to be struggling with this issue. This struggle has come about because of a variety of reasons; the workforce is shrinking, the pool of qualified candidates is limited, and the training dollars to prepare this highly successful technician for their new role are non-existence. All this being said in fairness to the person being promoted, and the employees they will manage we must find a way to guarantee their success.

The following are some ideas that I have found helpful in improving the odds of success:

  1. Spend time upfront fine tuning the selection process.
  2. Set clear expectations in the first 6, 12 and 18 months.
  3. Conduct a formal on-boarding process within the first 2 months after appointment.
  4. Meet on a bi-weekly basis to develop a communications channel.
  5. Select a mentor/coach to assist with the transition.
  6. Implement a 360 evaluation process after 12 months on the job.
  7. Communicate openly and honestly.
  8. Structure a team effectiveness workshop.
  9. Evaluate the person's "fit" in the organization and team culture.
The bottom line is you must select the right person. In business today we have no choice but to select the "right supervisor/manager." The key is to put in place the right support mechanism that will work for your organization both in the short and long term.