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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.
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_____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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