Establishing Authority and Authenticity for New Managers

Name: Establishing Authority and Authenticity for New Managers
Author: Khin Hnin Soe

Establish your authority and authenticity as a manager.

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Course: On-Demand

(gentle music) In these lessons, you'll learn about how to build connections and communicate a clear vision to your teammates. We'll also address how you can convey integrity and authenticity and assert authority. As a new manager, it's important to build relationships with your team, your supervisor, and people from other departments. With a network, you have better access to information, diverse skill sets, and personal influence. To build relationships, start with those that already existed before you became a manager. The first initial relationship you can consider is with the supervisor who promoted or recruited you as a manager. Since your supervisor is already happy with your individual performance, leverage on that initial relationship. You'll gain more personal influence, so they'll listen to you and empower you as a new manager. Let's explore some ways on how to achieve that. First, discuss with your supervisor their expectations of you. Try to put yourself in their shoes to understand their expectations. Then, observe your supervisor's relationships at work and their working style, then adapt. Ask yourself, who do they get along with? How do they interact with those like or dislike? Do they prefer detailed reporting, or just the result? What kind of evidence makes them accept your proposal? Which areas do they seem to rely on you the most? When is the most likely time for them to be able to give you time and attention? And what are their other norms in working, such as how they run a meeting? Also, consider your teammates. You probably have had earlier relationships with some of them before becoming their manager. Some may have disliked you in the past, but as their new manager, leverage on old relationships and create new ones. People tend to go an extra mile if they have a positive relationship with you. So explore what you and your team have in common, then use what you find to build a relationship. Every team needs the support and collaboration of their colleagues from other departments in the organization. As the new manager, identify the people you want to prioritize building relationships with by asking yourself, whose cooperation do I need? Whose opposition would keep me from accomplishing my work? Who needs my cooperation? How do those people perceive me? What do I have that will help me build relationships with them? Do they trust me? And if not, how do I go about gaining their trust? After you've answered those questions, write out a plan with steps that you'll take to build relationships with each group. Identify those who cooperation you need and those who are likely to oppose you and keep you from accomplishing your work. Once you've identified those people, you can draft informed plans.

Intermediate Provider : Khin Hnin Soe 6 Lessons · 16m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Urdu, Chinese

Course Description

As a manager, you hold a certain degree of power over your team members. You also have a level of inherent authority because of your position, but that doesn’t automatically make you someone worth following. To use this power effectively, it’s important to establish with your team members that you’re a person of integrity and professionalism. That you know what you’re doing, you know what needs to be done, and that you’re worth listening to.

In these lessons for Establishing Authority and Authenticity for New Managers, you’ll learn to establish connections with your team by building off your prior relationships with them. Then, you’ll learn to convey a clear vision to help your teammates put in their best work. After that, you’ll discover how to present integrity, authenticity, and authority, which will help your team members accept you as their manager. You’ll also discover why it’s important to show them your own appreciation.

What You'll Learn

Build connections with team members from your prior, older relationships with them
Communicate a clear, motivating vision to help teammates put in their best work
Establish integrity and authenticity as a new manager so the team accepts you
Assert authority effectively in your new manager role
Show appreciation to your teammates for their effort and commitment

Key Takeaways

As a manager you hold a degree of power and inherent authority from your position, but that alone does not make you someone worth following.
Establishing that you are a person of integrity and professionalism helps you use your managerial power effectively.
Building connections with your team can start from the relationships you already had with them.
Conveying a clear vision helps teammates put in their best work, and presenting integrity, authenticity, and authority helps them accept you as their manager.
Showing appreciation for your teammates' effort and commitment is an important part of leading as a new manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course for?

It is designed for new managers who want to establish authority and authenticity with their team members.

What topics does this course cover?

It covers building connections from initial relationships, communicating a clear vision, conveying integrity and authenticity, asserting authority, and appreciating your teammates.

What skills will I gain from this course?

The course develops skills in relationship building, authority control, integrity management, and visual communications.

Why is establishing authority and authenticity important for a new manager?

Although a manager has inherent authority from their position, that does not automatically make them worth following; establishing integrity, professionalism, authenticity, and authority helps team members accept and listen to you.

Does this course include a way to check what I have learned?

Yes, it ends with a Test Your Knowledge lesson to review the material.