A Resource LAURA E. BERNSTEIN

areer  advancement and change go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. By accepting a promotion, you took on a new role … a new set of responsibilities. And you must deal with the fact that – in the eyes of employees – you are no longer “one of us.” C

PEER TODAY, BOSS TOMORROW © 2005 VisionPoint Productions, Inc. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. International rights and foreign translations are available only through negotiation of a licensing agreement with the publisher. Inquiries regarding permission for use of the material contained in this book should be addressed to: The WALK THE TALK Company 2925 LBJ Freeway, Suite 201 Dallas, Texas  75234 972.243.8863 WALK THE TALK books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotion use. WALK THE TALK^® and The WALK THE TALK^®   Company are registered trademarks of Performance Systems Corporation. Printed in the United States of America 10   9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1 Produced by Steve Ventura Edited by Michelle Sedas Designed and Printed by Branch-Smith The Company Helping organizations achieve success through Ethical Leadership and Values-Based Business Practices

LAURA E. BERNSTEIN

— 4 — ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks to ERIC HARVEY and STEVE VENTURA for providing the input, support, and encouragement that helped make this book a reality… …and to the wonderful leaders, mentors, and coworkers who – over the years – made it possible for me to transition from peer to boss.

— 5 — INTRODUCTION Chances are the words still echo in your memory: “Congratulations … welcome to management!” Those words (or others like them) are validation that your past efforts as an “individual contributor” have paid off. You worked hard, did a good job, kept your nose clean, and YOU GOT PROMOTED! And as a result – no matter if your title is Manager, Supervisor, Team Lead (or something similar) – you’re in charge … you are “the boss.” The good news  about your promotion: things changed.  Now  YOU  are call- ing more of the shots, setting the tone, and directing the work of others. You undoubtedly are more privy to information about the business, and you’re probably enjoying more latitude and a few more perks than ever before. The bad news about your promotion: things changed! You took on a whole new set of duties and responsibilities (often accompanied by longer hours) that require special skills – ones that are different from the technical know- how you developed in previous jobs … and that probably helped get you pro- moted in the first place. But perhaps the biggest change of all is one of work- place relationships. The coworkers who used to be your “peers” are now the employees who report to you. And the fact is that even if they were happy that “one of us got promoted” when you got the job, you’re no longer in that “us.” Now, you have a different group of peers … now you are management!

— 6 — Making the transition from employee to supervisor can be one of the hardest things any of us ever has to do in our careers. At times, the additional respon- sibilities (and accountabilities) of being “the boss” can leave you feeling over- whelmed, alone, maybe even a little panicky, and wondering if you did the right thing by accepting the promotion – regardless of how recent, or long ago, that might have been. If that’s the case, take a deep breath and relax. Help has arrived! Within the pages that follow, you’ll find four specific strategies to help you suc- cessfully navigate your changing role and meet the challenges that come with your supervisory position. You’ll learn how to: 1 ACCEPT YOUR LEADERSHIP ROLE and all that comes with it. 2 SET CLEAR BOUNDARIES for all to follow. 3 COMMUNICATE more effectively with everyone you lead. 4 TAKE ACTION to get the results you want and need. Whether you’re a seasoned supervisor, you’re newly promoted (and wonder- ing What do I do now?), or you’re preparing yourself for a future leadership position, this book is for you. By applying the information you’re about to read, you’ll reduce any fears or frustration you may be feeling, increase your per- sonal effectiveness and professional reputation, gain greater respect from the people reporting to you, and enhance your overall career. Most importantly, you’ll prove to everyone (including yourself) that you ARE the kind of leader that others will want to follow.