How First-Time Managers Can Use Assessment Tools To Manage Their Team

Colin Newbold, 12th October 2020 in Development, Feedback, Hiring, Human Resources, People Management, Testing

Managing employees can be a challenge for anyone, let alone first-time managers. Having never managed anyone before it can be difficult to know what kind of manager you want to be and what boundaries need to be in place with your new employees for effective management techniques. As a first time manager there are many new skills to come to terms with, and fast. Your ability to step up to this new challenge will determine the path your career will take in that organisation, and ultimately will affect your enjoyment of your chosen career route. 

360 leadership assessments are intended to give management an understanding of their critical leadership behaviours required for competitive performance in organisations today. Managers wanting to take part in a 360 degree leadership assessment survey should expect feedback reviews regarding their skills and effectiveness as a manager which can then be evaluated by the individual and organisation. With this kind of assessment or evaluation, the leadership team or management team will receive anonymous reviews through feedback assessment tools from a set of employees. As a first time manager this can be extremely valuable to know your improvement points from the get go so you are able to offset the risk of any negative management habits or processes from the beginning. 

360 Degree Leadership Feedback Management: Tips For First-Time Managers 

Feedback as a first-time manager can be extremely daunting, if not intimidating to many. As a potentially new person to the organisation, or new to the management role at least, the potential to receive negative feedback can be too much to handle for many new managers. However, in order to proceed successfully as a manager you must seek regular feedback reviews through 360-degree feedback surveys at every opportunity to ensure you can continue to grow in your new position, and help your employees to progress in their roles and careers. Caution: allow a few weeks to go by before launching your survey, otherwise your direct reports will not have enough experience of you (data) to go on.

Speak to your previous managers 

Arguably, the people who will know you, your working style, your strengths and your downfalls best will be your previous managers. Having worked with you every day on complex projects, your previous managers will know how you work, how to best motivate you, and crucially, they will understand how best to manage you. Speaking to all your previous managers about your new role will be the best step going forward in your new career, as firstly, they are a manager themself and will have picked up some tips along the way, and secondly, they will have an understanding of how you will perform as a manager and where you need to improve. For instance, if you were fairly unorganised in your role beforehand, this will be exemplified in your new role as a manager. This is something that your new employees will pick up on, and being aware of it will make you an even better manager in the future. Be sure therefore to include your previous managers as part of your 360 survey.

Seek Feedback at Every Opportunity 

All employees deserve to have a manager that takes their feedback seriously and provides them with progression opportunities throughout. It is in your interest to do so as a new manager since your employees will not only perform better, but they are likely to stay in an organisation for longer if their leadership feedback is taken on board and acted upon. With click-360’s online feedback tools you can ensure that you and your organisation are constantly improving their management performance in-line with frequent staff and customer feedback. This can then make your job easier...after all, with ever-increasing workloads and time pressures, it’s more important than ever to be the manager your employees deserve. 

 

How to Ensure Fair Assessment Methods

  • Utilise online 360 feedback technology: It’s much better to appraise employees or provide feedback when you have access to their performance and results through digital tools. For instance, digital reports integrated with online workbooks, action planners and development suggestions allow for streamlined performance management and employee and customer engagement. It will also help teams to stay on top of their productivity and performance themselves. 
  • Allow employees to provide their feedback: Provide a communication stream to your employees and allow them to provide feedback on your management techniques in your early-stages within the company. This will both give your employees a chance to discuss their concerns in an anonymous way and provide you with useful feedback through software tools on better management tips, for example. Don’t be afraid of employee criticism and feedback, it will only help you to grow as a manager if you take it in your stride. 
  • Work alongside your internal HR department: After all, that’s partly what they’re there for. You should consult your internal HR team with any concerns you may be having as a new manager. The HR department will have proven methods on dealing with your concerns and they may have even experienced the same themselves, so be sure to reach out to someone in the HR team. HR teams will also know the relevant steps needed for assessment feedback techniques and will be able to guide you through the process so it remains fair and objective for all employees. 
  • Acknowledge employee achievement and refocus on development: When giving employees assessment feedback as part of their development, keep the conversations positive and optimistic for the future, while remaining productive with your feedback. If there is a need to criticise the employee, remember to use data to back-up your points and keep the tone upbeat throughout. 
  • Remain empathetic with your employees: This does not mean letting your employees walk all over you, but rather allowing time to address their worries and concerns in a sensitive manner. During the COVID-19 pandemic anxiety and stress has been high amongst employees, and with significant changes to their working routine it wouldn’t hurt to adapt your communication to take this into account. As a manager it is your role to hear and address any employee concerns that may be affecting their productivity.

 

How click-360SelfDrive Can Help

If you’re a new manager and you’re looking to improve your chances of management success, check out our online 360 degree feedback tools, taking your management skills to the next level. At click-360SelfDrive we provide feedback software that is designed to take the hassle out of setting up and administering 360 feedback surveys and 360 leadership assessments to improve the quality of leadership and management capability everywhere across the globe.

 

To find out more about our product offerings, or have more questions, take a look at our feedback FAQ section or contact us today!

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