Which Way Is Up?
A brand-new management position may be one of life's most stressful situations. As a senior leader, you can help ease the way for those you've promoted.

Think back to your first management position. If your stomach clenches at the memory, you're not alone. A recent poll showed that a promotion is more stressful than bereavement, divorce or relocation. First-time managers are particularly susceptible to stress because they're practicing several new skill sets at once. But you can call on your own experience to help them adjust.

First, choose promotions wisely. Observe team interaction closely; leadership skills are often reflected as respect, not popularity, on the part of peers. Those who step forward for a management job may be attracted to the increase in status, but may not be natural leaders.

Second, be mindful of stereotypes. In a recent CNN report, a study showed that women who admitted being angered by a work occurrence were perceived by both men and other women as less capable than either their male counterparts or women who admitted being saddened by the same event. Men who admitted feeling angry, on the other hand, were perceived to be the most capable of the group. If your company culture strongly supports a single management style, whether it falls close to one of these stereotypes or another model, consider whether an employee's leadership skills will mesh at the management level.

Finally, try these tips to help your new manager get off to a solid start:

• Recommend resources, conferences and courses to help her continue to develop within her field or your industry.
• Encourage her to manage by observing how her direct reports work and learning how she can help them to grow professionally.
• Consult with her regularly to facilitate delegation and problem-solvingÑbut allow her to be the one to act, in order to assert her leadership with her team.
• Emphasize the importance of questioning precedent, researching all sides of an issue and being decisive about choosing and implementing a course of action.
• Exemplify the adage that "'we' succeed but 'I' fail." In other words, the team gets credit for successes, but the manager takes responsibility for less-successful ventures.

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