Connect 2 Potential Shares Advice to Help Newer Managers Thrive in the Produce Industry
ORLANDO, FL - We reported on Connect 2 Potential’s latest Leadership Vision Masterclasses earlier this month, which offered industry members an opportunity to hone their leadership vision. Now, Chief Executive Officer and Founder Wendy McManus is back to share her top tips for senior leaders to help newer managers succeed.
As McManus shared, the transition from individual contributor to manager can be the toughest in a person’s career path. Their new roles often require a new set of skills that may be unrelated to the work they excelled at previously. She noted that this can be particularly challenging in the fresh produce industry, where some companies may not have the necessary systems and structures in place.
Wendy McManus’ five top tips for supporting new managers, as outlined in a press release, are summarized below:
- Don’t throw them to the wolves: Recognize that your role is to help this newer manager be successful. Openly acknowledge the transition and how hard it is. This shift opens the door to the next four suggestions
- Honor their role and don’t go around them: Do not allow team members to go around the new manager to check in with the manager one level up. And be sure to work through the new manager when assigning work to their team members
- Coach them and encourage them to coach their team: Coaching is a way of helping another person find their way and fulfill their potential without giving them the answer to every question. Use skills like deep listening, powerful questions, reframing, and championing
- Build (or re-build) their confidence: Newer managers sometimes have difficulty gauging their own success. They’re not sure how to guide, give feedback, or hold accountability. Be vulnerable and share your stories. Call it out when you see them doing something great and pass along secondhand praise
- Get them the support they need to excel: Suggest books, podcasts, etc. on leadership and management that were helpful for you. Encourage them to seek out coaching, training, and development opportunities and support them when they ask for funding
In addition to these tips, the first Thriving Leaders Circle cohort starts in February 2023, and applications are being accepted for a very limited time.
Stay tuned for more leadership tips like these.
