Getting new managers comfortable leading existing teams

Effective managers are often the closest touchpoint employees have to leadership and the rest of their organization, interpreting and personalizing corporate communications to ensure they land with consideration for workflow and scope.  When managers are understood by leaders as a trusted and essential lever for both efficiency and employee experience, it’s worth asking the question — what can communicators do to help a new or transplanted manager shows up on an existing team?

Instilling the right processes and support systems can make a seemingly tough transition seamless.

The right tech and touchpoints for accelerated adaptation

Even the most experienced managers benefit from extra support when they lead new team. That’s why it’s key to put the right resources in place.

Communicators should always emphasize early the importance of facilitating manager touchpoints and connections—both between each other and with leadership. Onboarding should clarify the reporting structure, ensuring the new manager understands how their new role fits into expectations— for the team and from the team.

“Managers need peer support, not just to be dropped into a situation like an airborne force parachuting into a combat zone,” experienced communications leader Amanda Ponzar said.

“Make them aware of all the tools they can learn from, whether that’s a team communication tool like Slack, a project management tool like Asana, or relevant parts of the company intranet,” added Ponzar. “Provide them with resources like brand guides for language use, org charts so they know where different team members’ responsibilities lie, and talking points from leadership.”

Automation and templates also shorten the adjustment period.

“AI can serve as a major help in getting inter-team emails drafted up quickly,” Ponzar added, “while pre-provided Canva decks, Powerpoint presentations, and sample employee performance plans can help them adjust to their new leadership roles as well.”

Communicating managerial style

 Even the most eager new managers might not get the full hang of their role immediately. And that’s alright! But it’s just as important for them to invest time and energy into nurturing cultural connections that bridge team and personal purpose to corporate purpose.

Lisa Claybon, vice president of corporate affairs for Compass Group North America, told Ragan that managers should be asked to communicate about their style from the outset.

“While a new manager doesn’t have to go full ‘Undercover Boss,’ some of the same principles of getting to know employees and how they view the business apply.”

“Having a manager explain their leadership style, relevant success that they will apply to their new role, and their passion and enthusiasm can be balanced with their personality and personal interests which can help foster camaraderie early on,” she said.

These open lines of communication are especially important for new managers of dispersed teams.

“If the manager’s team is dispersed, spend as much time on the road meeting people and learning about their roles and the operations, whether it’s visiting manufacturing locations, retail stores or other offices,” added Claybon. She added that these are the moments that will allow managers to better understand the company and create more authentic and credible comms.

When this happens, managers create forums with employees to establish two-way dialogues.

“Organizing a series of small-to-medium-sized roundtables can be incredibly valuable to get a pulse on all levels of an organization or team,” Claybon explained. “Stop-Start-Continue exercises, both formal and informal, also create frameworks for honest conversations.”

Consistent team building is the most successful kind 

There are limitless ways for new managers to bond with their new teams on personal levels. Volunteering initiatives, health challenges, or taking collective mental health breaks from the grind of work can help build necessary bonds.

“New managers can ask each team member to help lead a meeting or provide a 5-minute icebreaker at the start of each meeting to help increase engagement and build camaraderie,” Ponzar said. “There are tons of creative ideas out there that you can use to pull your team together as a unit even in the early days.”

We hear a lot about the importance of team building in the modern workplace, but it’s critical for these efforts to be rooted in consistency, and not some arbitrary norms that are holdovers from years gone by.

Making a good-faith effort to build teams with authentic, real norms and standards that value the employee and manager experience, and uphold the values of the company, are the way to go.

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports and hosting trivia.