No doubt you have been waiting a long time for your chance to become a new manager. During this time you have had many bosses – competent and not so competent, good and bad. You have probably also often thought about everything you would do better if you were just allowed to do it. Now, at last, it is your turn! But be careful what you do! Two expectations collide in your new situation: you want to do everything better, and your new employees, bosses and colleagues expect you to keep everything the way it was with your predecessor. How do you best deal with this situation?

1. Free yourself from the notions of management that your predecessor represented. Obviously it is good to know what legacy you have to deal with – but only to better assess the experiences and expectations of your future workers.
2. And: Free yourself from the desire to want to do everything better. Find your own personal style instead, and lead authentically and with integrity. You then almost automatically do a lot differently – and perhaps some things even better.
3. Your new responsibility doesn't change things just for you alone. Your employees must also deal with changes. For example, with you as their new boss and your new management style, they have to expect content changes and restructuring in your department. Even if changes are an everyday occurrence, you should always put yourself in your employees’ position and be receptive to their questions, concerns and misgivings.

Author

Christiane Drühe-Wienholt Businessvillage http://www.businessvillage.de