Excerpt From:

The Woman Manager
Developing Essential Skills for Success

MOVING UP

Women tapped for management usually possess more than desire and determination. Many also have the image, attitude, performance, and people skills necessary to fill the position. To ensure a smooth transition from doer to delegator, the new manager or team leader must develop or improve new abilities. 
Strength Assessment Quick Check

To determine which area and specific ways you should focus on developing now, place a check mark beside each item you feel should be strengthened as you prepare for the next challenge or position. Place a "+" beside each item that you believe is a strength you already possess. 

_____Bring about solutions to correct and prevent problems, by consulting with those affected by and contributing to the situation/solution. 

_____Network with other supervisor/team leaders or business owners who have knowledge about company policies or unwritten rules 

_____Give and welcome criticism by recognizing a situation and by being willing to objectively discuss and propose solutions on how to improve, correct, and prevent, without taking it personally.

_____Schedule time with each employee to find out what they perceive as the strengths and weaknesses of the department or team and to discover special strengths, ambitions, and concerns.

Transition Tips

Tip #1: Can you trade being liked for being respected? Not all your decisions will be popular decisions, and not everyone will like you. For many women, this can be difficult because most women are socialized to believe that being liked or popular is essential. 

Tip #2: People need to trust you, before they can trust your ideas. If you are contemplating changes, consult with key employees to gain their ideas on implementation, or consider how the change will affect them. 

Tip #3: While it may be temporarily embarrassing to admit that you or your team made an error, it is best to admit the error and share how it can be corrected and prevented from occurring again. Blaming or covering up a mistake can have greater repercussions than the actual mistake. How you handle a situation may be more important than the situation. 

Bypassing

Bypassing means selecting alternate career path choices to overcome career barriers that keep you from moving ahead. Identify people who can provide the resources and information to assist you in your objectives, and go directly to them, regardless of title or position.

Identify potential career barriers for new managers by answering "yes" or "no" to the following questions:

___1. Do you take criticism personally, rather than learning from your mistakes?

___2. Do you have an "all or nothing" attitude- right or wrong, good or bad? 

___3. Do you focus on self-development and self-promotion, more than being part of a winning team, which makes everyone look good?

___4. Do you capitulate to others' wishes without making your own thoughts known? 

___5. Do you fail to take risks which could ultimately benefit your career? 

___6. Do you fear success or failure?

___7. Do you procrastinate on commitment and follow-through, including going back to school, sharing ambitions with manager, or joining a women's professional organization?

Review the questions you answered "yes." to above.
What steps can you take to overcome these barriers?

This excerpt is from "The Woman Manager" by Dr. Connie Sitterly

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