Three Star Leadership

Rip van Winkle Promotions

Washington Irving's character Rip van Winkle goes to sleep right before the American Revolutionary War and wakes up twenty years later. Everything is different and it's hard for old Rip to adjust.

For a lot of people getting promoted is a Rip van Winkle experience. You go to sleep as an individual contributor and you wake up a boss. You've probably complained about "those dumb bosses" for years. Now, suddenly, you're one of them.

This is a very tough transition. The global human resources consulting firm DDI asked 385 Americans in front-line operational and strategic roles about their experiences when they first moved to supervisory and executive positions. Almost 20 percent called it the most difficult challenge they ever faced.

It's really like waking up in a whole new world and having to learn what to do on the fly. Here are some things you need to know to thrive in that world.

What you say and do suddenly matters. You're the boss now. Your people will listen to what you say to determine what you want. They will watch what you do for clues to your values.

Say the right things. Do the right things. Make sure the saying and doing are the same right things.

Your boss will expect you to produce right away. You may get no training in how to do your new job. You may have a lot to learn. It may not be fair, but that's how it is.

The people you supervise will know a lot about you. If you're unlucky, your company will assign you to supervising the people who were your co-workers yesterday. They know all about you, including all the rash things you ever said and every shortcut you ever took.

Even if you get assigned to supervise a different group in a different company on a different continent, your reputation will follow you. Expect that your new co-workers will know all about you. The internet has made the world transparent.

It's going to take time. As much as you and your boss think you should be able to jump right in and handle the job, that's not going to happen.

The transition from individual contributor to boss involves a change in work, but it also involves a change in role and in your support group. It's a great time to take stock of yourself and your career, but it's not easy at all.

Expect that it will take you a year and a half to two years to get comfortable in your new role and productive in your new job. You can speed this up with a focused development program and by identifying role models and mentors. You'll do even better if you learn to critique your own supervisory performance.

There will be temptations. In the beginning you may want to be The Superboss from Olympus, giving orders crisply based on your superior wisdom and experience. You'll find that doesn't work well. You'll be tempted to be everybody's buddy. That doesn't work well either.

Over time you'll find your own personal style. You'll learn to let go and let your people do the work. You'll learn to set clear expectations, follow up, and give good feedback. You'll learn how to discipline when you need to.

It would be nice if there was a magic potion you could drink to do this without getting it wrong sometimes. There isn't. So be prepared to use everything as a learning experience.

Not all your friends will stay your friends. This is really important. Some of the people who were your friends won't be anymore. Even worse, some are likely to try to take advantage of you in your new role.

Even if you're well-prepared, the transition to being a boss is a tough one. But it can also be one of the great growth experiences of your life if you resolve to make it so.

This article first appeared in the Three Star Leadership Blog.

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