NEWLY PROMOTED! WHAT’S NEXT?

It’s Q4. Many annual reviews are taking place, as well as promotion season! Yippee!

So, you’ve been promoted, but what’s next? How do you ensure that you start your new role in the best, most effective way possible? Worry not; let’s continue to be excited and build on that momentum with some great steps that you can easily put in place. The tips I will share now are the first steps, the actions you should take as soon as possible when you get promoted.

1. SHOW YOUR EXCITEMENT IN A RESPECTFUL WAY

Thank your manager and any other person who played some part in getting you this promotion – whether it is your manager’s manager, your teammates, colleagues or other stakeholders. Appreciation will go a long way! Also, while you are excited, do be mindful of others around you who were also hoping for a promotion. They could be people in other roles or perhaps someone hoping to get the position you did. We must remember to be compassionate and respectful of their feelings. If you know them and if it makes sense, a little touch base to acknowledge their feelings and have a chat will go a long way in getting their support in your new role. Trust me; you will need this.

2. HAVE A 1:1 WITH YOUR MANAGER AND GET SUPER CLEAR ON THE EXPECTATIONS FROM THIS ROLE

If you have clarity, you will be successful. The last thing you want is to do things that are not aligned with the role or, worse, not what the organisation and your manager would expect you to do. Ideally, if you have your new job spec written down and agreed upon, that will prove to be one of the best things you can put in place for your OWN success.

3. HAVE 1:1 OR TEAM MEETINGS AS WELL AS MEETINGS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS

AKA, do the rounds based on what makes sense and listen. I mean, really listen. Ask for feedback on what has worked and what hasn’t in the past, what they expect from you, where you can do better based on what they know of you, what will help them be successful, and how you can support them. Listen, make notes, put an action plan, and deliver. Of course, there will be things you can’t do or change, be honest and communicate that later when you know for sure. They will appreciate that you tried. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask what hasn’t worked in the past if you have a predecessor. The clearer you get on what works and what doesn’t with your team, and if you have clients, the faster you can step up and do the role really well.

4. BE AUTHENTIC AND HUMBLE BUT BE A LEADER

What do I mean by that? Be yourself and don’t try to change or act in a way that you think people expect, or you should be behaving because you are in a senior role. Do what feels right, and most importantly, be humble. Continue to interact with people you know, be kind and friendly. AND start leading. By that, I mean people see you as a leader in your own right. They will be looking for cues. They might even literally overnight, expect you to have all the answers. Your job is to shift YOUR mindset, be positive, and go from doing to leading.

5. TRANSITION, SLOWLY BUT SURELY

When you get promoted, there is always a transition time. You will be expected to do your new role while finding ways to pass on what you have been doing in your old role to someone else. This period will be challenging, with lots of uncertainty. Your job is to ensure you can transition by garnering support from your manager and anyone else. You don’t want to be doing two people’s jobs at one time! So, find out who can take on the work you used to do, set expectations on transition period with your manager, and work closely with the person who was doing your new role or has done it in the past OR a peer who is doing it right now. The goal is to gather information on expectations, pitfalls, find your authentic way and carry out tasks expected of you in the time that makes sense.

So, I hope you find these tips helpful. I would love to hear from you to know what you think, any questions you may have, and if I can support you in any way, I’d be more than happy to do so! Just email me at info@ferventliving.com.

Final words from me: Do remember to be kind to yourself. Forgive yourself if you make mistakes. Learn each day. And remember, you have now what you worked so hard to get – you deserve to be here, you deserve to shine and thrive, and you’ve got this. You really do!

Wishing you so much success!

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Categories: Growth, Leadership, People manager