The Examiner Employment Advisory Board gives answers

SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Q: I have recently been promoted to a managerial position. How can I begin to establish my credibility and gain respect as a manager from those I used to be peers with?

Robin Carlen-Murray

Career Coach and Consultant

www.catalystcareerconsulting.com

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Robin Carlen-Murray has worked in Human Resources, Recruiting, O.D. and Training in a variety of industries, including Medical Device, High-Tech, Healthcare Systems, Recruitment and the Airlines. She is the owner of Catalyst Career Consulting in San Mateo, CA

A: Change takes time for people to accept. There may be some issues to overcome initially, but handle them calmly and with patience. Keep communication channels open by meeting with people individually and by having regular team meetings. Be invested in their growth and give them the tools they need. Keep your word and stand up for them when warranted. Nothing will lose you credibility faster than expecting your people to support you when you won’t do the same for them.

Randy Block

Staffing Consultant & Executive Coach

Randy Block brings years of expertise in executive search and is a certified career and retirement coach.

A: Congratulations to you! To establish your credibility, it is recommended that you have a series of one on one meetings with each of your direct reports. Discuss what is going right with their jobs as well as the challenges. What do they need to be successful? This would be a good opportunity to also talk about what they see as a career path. Understand that for some, this may take more than just one session.

Gary Sapiro

Principal & Executive Coach

Torchiana, Mastrov & Sapiro, Inc.

Gary’s business understanding, organizational clarity and skill in helping clients build productive work relationships have contributed to the firm becoming the preeminent career consulting organization in the Bay Area.

A: Congratulations on your promotion! One tried and true approach to gaining credibility with employees is to be seen as committed to the success of those you now manage. Take the initiative in communicating with your employees asking about their plans, problems, and career desires. Know about their concerns and questions. Set clear performance goals and monitor workloads, acknowledging extra efforts and achievements. Deliver on your promises and share job-related information on a timely basis.

Mark Gambirasi

Managing Partner, Andiamo Group

Mark Gambirasi has been in recruitment for many years in the corporate, restaurant and agency fields.

A: There’s no easy way to make this change - time and earning mutual respect will inevitably gain your acceptance. There are a few things that may help you out in the beginning. Successful managers know the benefits of effective peer-manager collaboration. They: Resist the need to control; Spend time with peers; Resolve past partnership failures; Communicate on behalf of their peers; If they cannot say anything nice, they don’t say anything at all; Take ownership of problems and challenges; Graciously share credit.

Rosanna Ortisi

Manager, Talent Acquisition

Abbott Diabetes Care

Rosanna Ortisi has extensive experience in staffing/recruitment for a variety of Fortune 500 companies, as well as executive search expertise, specializing in emerging, high-growth companies.

A: It’s a good idea to practice a simple principle - treat others how you want to be treated and realize that dynamics may change with some peers because of the promotion. Meet with the team as a group and set the stage to collaborate and leverage their expertise and knowledge. Praise strengths and when addressing areas of improvement, provide support and resources to the areas that need development. Set up one-on-one meetings to discuss how you can work together regarding expectations and deliverables.

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