Help for those Managing Former Peers
Have you ever been in a situation where you were asked to step in and lead a team you were once part of as a peer?
Making this transition from team member to team leader can be a tricky one. You go from being one of the group; hanging out at lunch or in the break room, to being “management” and the relationship changes. At times this feels like an overnight transformation as your once“lunch-buddy” group is now treating you like an outsider.
How do you navigate this situation? Are there some ways to make it easier?
Here are some tips for managing your former peers that can help things transition more smoothly. By the way, these tips apply to ALL LEADERS very well:
- Address the change immediately and openly. Share your excitement to earn the respect of your team.
- Acknowledge that your relationship with former peers has changed.
- Accept that there may be mixed feelings about your promotion: people may be happy for you, at the same time, wondering what they were not selected to receive the promotion.
- Meet with each team member privately and ask what issues or concerns the person may have.
- Engage each team member – learn what excites, motivated and inspired him or her.
- Show that you deserve the promotion by demonstrating the skills, knowledge and abilities that go along with your new role.
- Focus on earning people’s respect, not being everyone’s friend.
- Be your authentic self: don’t radically change your behavior.
- Resist the urge to share information inappropriately. True friends will not force you to choose between friendship and career.
- Be honest about what you know and don’t know.
- Be willing to listen for understanding and value other’s opinions.
- Do not treat your friends on the team differently than how you treat others.
- Deal with tension by speaking directly and privately with former peers.
- Be physically and emotionally present during interactions.
- Include your skeptics in decision making; take initiative to turn them into supporters.
- Be understanding. Give former peers time to adapt to your new role on the team.