A hotel receptionist, promoted to management, is finding it hard to lead his team when he has no training or experience. A potentially great leader lies within – can coaching release him?
A year ago, Johan was promoted from receptionist to reception manager at a small boutique hotel. He has recently taken part in a 360-degree appraisal with five of his colleagues and five of his direct reports. The results show that his lack of management experience is having an impact on the way he leads his team.
With no training or managerial skills, Johan has struggled to position himself as team leader and has opted for an informal, back step approach to his management. His department is productive, but his management style does not meet company standards. His team feels out of the loop in terms of communication and, because of his hands-off approach, they do not feel comfortable approaching Johan with any issues. In one case this has led to an employee becoming extremely disengaged and demotivated. Johan’s manager knows he has the potential to become a leader, but that he needs more support. How can coaching help Johan to improve his leadership skills and manage his team more effectively?
Jane Sunley
CEO, learnpurple
Johan’s problem is particularly common during difficult economic times. Many are promoted, having shown the qualities for business success, but constraints on budgets mean learning and development are often overlooked.
It is clear that Johan could benefit from coaching to help him support his team more effectively. Coaching helps new managers reflect on areas of personal and professional significance in a confidential setting, and also to normalise their experiences and obtain the one-to-one development tailored to them.
I’d encourage Johan to identify the skillset he wants to focus on. This could be a mixture of personal goals and professional development needs, taking into consideration the feedback from his peers. I would then help Johan change his mindset through tailored questioning, followed by his behaviours.
Confidentiality is a must; Johan will really benefit from discussing issues that he may be reluctant to talk about with his line manager.
I’d also highly recommend finding Johan a mentor who could provide regular one-to-one support of a more directional nature.
Finally, I would suggest Johan attends a course for first-time managers. These offer advice on key areas; from communication to conflict management. If budget is a concern, there are lots of low and no cost solutions such as self-study, e-learning and knowledge sharing. These will not only strengthen Johan’s skill base, but provide him with the confidence to lead his team to success.
George Griffin
Director, management coaching and development, Penna
This is a common problem for people moving from skill-specific roles to management positions, especially from within a team. New managers can find themselves in a state of inaction, leaving the team with a lack of direction. This is having a disastrous impact on Johan’s team.
The coaching support he needs should focus on six key themes:
- Making the psychological leap from expert to manager Johan must commit to his role as manager rather than simply being a team member who makes decisions occasionally.
- Developing a unique management style Johan needs to think about how he wants to be perceived by his team. Injecting his own personality into the role is vital if he is to be trusted. He also needs to set standards – what good looks like and what is unacceptable.
- Adding EQ to IQ Johan should identify emotional blind spots and strengths. These can be measured and fed back in coaching.
- Leading with authority and creating direction Johan needs to be clear where his authority comes from. This will allow him to be more proactive, have tough conversations, communicate well and set directions.
- Managing performance Johan needs to have conversations with his team about under- and good performance – sometimes equally difficult.
- Building a career An element of the coaching should focus on Johan’s personal and career development. It requires careful navigation.
Coaching at Work, Volume 6, Issue 2