DEV Community: Jiovanni Rosario

Supporting Your Team Through an Organizational Change

Jiovanni Rosario — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 03:08:27 +0000

For new engineering managers, supporting your team through an organizational change can be overwhelming.

I recently faced such a challenge when my department underwent an org change that resulted in new responsibilities for my team and myself.

My team expressed how frustrated and undervalued they felt by this change. Some felt like it was a demotion, and others felt blindsided.

Initially, I put a lot of pressure on myself to have all the answers, but then I realized the best thing I could do for them was to demonstrate empathy. So, I listened to their perspectives, got advice from other managers, and took action based on their feedback.

In this article, I want to share five key lessons that I learned to help you lead your team during an org change.

Leveraging the Power of Your Words

Words carry significant weight and can shape your organization's culture and direction, particularly when spoken by a leader. That’s why during an org change, it’s crucial to take a step back, assess your emotions, and thoughtfully consider how to communicate with your team.

Initially, after our organizational change, I also felt undervalued and frustrated.
Why hadn’t I been contacted for input on this significant decision?

However, with my mentor's support, I realized that I simply needed time to process this change. Likewise, the best thing I could do for my team was to allow them time to process this change as well.

How do you feel about this change? Do you see any benefits? Can you get behind this change?

These were some of the questions I posed to my team, which both helped me empathize with their difficulties and support them through this new chapter.

Moreover, I learned that responding with authenticity was essential.

A leader should share their own thoughts and emotions with their team. There’s no need to be overly polished or insensitive. Reassure them that you’re committed to figuring things out together, even when things are tough.

By doing so, you’ll build trust, foster a positive environment, and drive your organization toward a successful future.

Putting Your Team First

As a leader, it’s crucial to prioritize the needs and well-being of your team members. This means being transparent and proactive in communicating updates and changes during organizational change.

This was a lesson I learned through trial and error.

Even though my team appreciated the support I was giving them throughout our organizational change, I had held back information from them at the request of senior management until the change was official. Unfortunately, this made my team feel blindsided and caught off guard when the change finally occurred.

Withholding information had ultimately not been beneficial, and that’s because it wasn’t beneficial for the entire team.

If there’s a change on the horizon, it’s important for managers to provide advance notice, as long as it’s within their power to do so.

Being transparent benefits your team and makes your role as a leader easier, as you can connect with your team members authentically. In turn, it strengthens your team's trust and appreciation for you.

Empowering Your Team Through Active Listening and Follow-Through

Creating a culture of openness and communication — especially during organizational change — is essential for effective leadership. After announcing our organizational change, I scheduled 1:1 meetings with each team member to understand their concerns and perspectives.

How do you feel about the change? What are you most concerned about? What could we, as managers, have done better?

Through active listening and focused attention, I was able to gather valuable feedback and insights that helped me better support my team.

This ‘listening tour’ is critical in demonstrating your care for your team and gaining a deeper understanding of the situation.

After these meetings, it’s crucial to follow up with your senior leaders, implement suggested changes where possible, and provide updates to your team.

Effective communication and follow-through are key to building trust and empowering your team during times of change.

Unleashing Your Potential as a Supportive and Dynamic Leader

My leadership style is collaborative, so I prefer to work closely with my team to drive change and growth. However, there may be instances where changes are imposed by senior leadership, as was the case for me.

In these situations, it’s crucial to be a source of empathy and support for your team while also taking on the role of a coach and manager.

The key is to understand when to switch between these two roles.
Your team needs a coach to acknowledge their fears and provide encouragement during uncertain times. However, they also need a manager to provide direction and clarity.

_What are the new expectations in this org change? How will priorities be managed? How will this impact promotions? What tools are available for training?
_

Be aware that these technical questions often come immediately after your team members need to vent.

However, by embracing the roles of coach and manager and seamlessly combining them in your conversations with your team, you’ll demonstrate your commitment to their success and drive your organization toward a brighter future.

Change may not align with every team member

Lastly, while organizational change may be the right decision for the team, it may not be the right decision for every individual.

It’s important not to be too hard on yourself if a team member decides to leave your team.

Remember, it’s not a personal affront if a team member decides their new roles or responsibilities won’t work for them going forward.

You can still support them by helping them find opportunities that align with their interests and goals, whether within or outside the organization.

Support Your Team Checklist

When faced with an organizational change, remember the following five key lessons to empower your team and drive success:

Reflect on your own emotions and thoughts.
Make the well-being of your team a priority.
Prepare a clear and supportive message for your team.
Prioritize your team’s needs by actively listening and providing support.
Don’t let any departures discourage you, and continue to empower your team to thrive.

3 Things New Engineering Managers Should Focus On

Jiovanni Rosario — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 03:47:41 +0000

I became an engineering manager last year. And while each month (or day, really!) has offered up new lessons, the first three months had the steepest learning curve.

So what have I learned? More importantly, how can that information help you to transition into your new role quickly?

Looking back now, I identified three things new engineering managers should focus on within their first 90 days: learn about your role and responsibilities, your team (as people), and the processes they share.

Let’s take a look at each of these in more detail.

Get to know your role and responsibilities

I once had a bad experience with a manager that made me totally committed to being the best version of a manager I could be. But what a ‘good’ manager looks like can change from role to role, business to business, and manager to manager. That’s why the first thing that new managers need to do is get to know the role they have accepted and the responsibilities they have been given.

What will the daily experience look like? What will you be expected to do — and how will those expectations change and evolve over time? How big of a team will you manage?

Much of this information will be in the job description (if you saw one!) but it’s well worth investigating further and discussing this with whoever is interviewing you or will be your manager.

I didn’t do this. When I stepped into the manager role, I thought I would manage a 3–4 person team but instead, my team varied every month. Adding and subtracting based on the greater team’s needs.

It’s also good practice to ask how your impact will be measured and what success looks like for your team. What will you be required to report, to who, and how often?

Here are actions you can take to learn about your role and responsibilities:

Review the job description
Meet with your supervisor / manager
Shadow other managers within your department
Learn about your teams services and customers
Schedule one-on-ones (1:1s) to collect feedback and find out what’s working well and what could be improved

Schedule 1:1s to get to know your team as people

A high-performing team consist of engaged, happy, and motivated people — truly getting the best out of your team means getting the best from the individual. So what does that mean for you?

It means quickly getting up to speed on each team member’s background, experiences, portfolio, strengths, growth areas, and goals.

How do they want to be recognized? What style of feedback do they prefer? How do they learn best? What goals do they have?

The more nuance you can learn about each person, the more successful you will be in leading them.

By setting up 1:1 meetings, you’ll be able to learn about each person on your team, coach them, and discuss their progress towards goals.

Meet with your team to learn about existing processes

If you’re new to the team, department, or company, then you’ll want to learn about the processes your team already has in place.

Instead of rolling in making changes, spend this time learning about the processes your team is already using.

What are the team’s goals? How do they work together and separately? How does your team integrate with other teams — or not, currently, and is that an issue? Who are the customers and partners?

Schedule a team meeting and encourage open communication, provide useful updates, give everyone a chance to share, and be curious about what they have to say.

You’ll want to hear different perspectives on what’s working well and what isn’t.

Don’t worry. You can expect a grace period from your team and fellow managers, but you can’t expect it to be long.

So, take notes and follow up. If the people you manage feel like you don’t “get them” and what they are doing, it will be difficult to earn their trust.

These tips will help you successfully transition into a manager

I’ve found this systematic approach to be hugely valuable as I learn to be a better manager. If you can commit to your own learning practice — getting to know your role, team, and processes — then you’ll be better equipped to:
Set meaningful team goals (and know how to measure performance)
Setup weekly or bi-weekly one-on-ones with each person on your team
Setup recurring team meetings that create a safe place for everyone to share and feel valued
Delegate tasks from a place of empathy, helping people with their individual stretch goals while bearing in mind the challenges they may face
Start developing a strategic vision for where your team can be in the next 3, 6, or 12 months.

Your first 90 days as a new manager will go so quickly, but try to enjoy them and relish in all the learning you’ll do. It’s in these early months that you’ll set the groundwork for a fulfilling and successful management career.

How To Build Trust as a New Engineering Manager

Jiovanni Rosario — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 09:13:13 +0000

I once worked under a manager that I didn't — or couldn't — trust, and it was a disaster. Once that distrust set in, I began to second-guess everything they said, and my confidence and performance dropped.

So when I started managing a team, I put a lot of energy into asking questions, reading, and taking courses related to building trust.

I learned that you earn somebody's trust through your actions. This is true for any relationship and is essential for new managers who want to lead a group of people.

In this article, I'll share what I've learned about earning and retaining trust so you can help your team be productive and deliver for your customers.

Understanding What Trust Is: Authenticity, Empathy, Logic

I came across Frei and Morriss's 'Trust Triangle' in the Harvard Business Review, and it's now the basis for my understanding and assessment of how well I'm promoting trust within my team.

I try to embody the triangle's three points — authenticity, empathy, and logic — in everything I do as a manager. Doing so helps me establish a culture of trust and psychological safety day-to-day.

Authenticity

New managers often want to get everything right from the get-go. But, ironically, that would be their first mistake. I'd say one of the worst things you can do is pretend to have all the answers. Why? Because that's the total opposite of authenticity.

I showed my real self and vulnerability right from the first meeting I held as a manager. I told the team, "Look, I'm new to this. I'm going to be learning as I go, but I'm going to do my very best." I explained how excited I was to manage them and why, but I never claimed to be perfect (or anywhere close, actually).

This authenticity set the tone for our team as somewhere mistakes could be made and not vilified. And when I have constructive feedback to share, I try to avoid framing it in an "I'm right; you're wrong" kind of way. Instead, I say, "I have an observation I'd like to share with you if that's okay?"

I believe my team is more receptive to these observations when framed as something to discuss and either give merit to or discredit together.

Empathy

It's no secret that empathy and leadership go hand-in-hand.

The good news for new managers is that simply committing to get to know your team members is a great and very easy first step. Regular one-on-ones are a big part of how I spend my time as a manager. These sessions allow me to engage with people on a personal level and better empathize with their individual employee experience.

But getting to know the team as people isn't enough. You must also act on what you're learning and take their insights on board.

One employee, for example, came to me a little concerned about a corporate restructuring that the team recently found out about. For many of us, the phrase 'corporate restructure' is enough to send shivers down our spines, and it was hardly surprising that the team was feeling nervous. So being empathetic to their needs, I took the time to gather some intel, prepare a short announcement for our next team meeting, and dedicate time for a Q&A.

I couldn't stop the change, but I had the power to reassure and inspire my team, which they granted me through trusting in my approach.

It's also important to remain empathetic when delivering feedback, or worse, disappointing news. If you know a team member was really gunning for promotion but now isn't their time, or they really put their all into a task but still missed the mark, come back to what your observations of the situation are and ask them about theirs.

As a manager, you're also the bearer of bad news. And as much as you might want to mute your emotions to protect yourself, you should put your employee's need for empathy first because these conversations are not about you. More on this later.

Logic

Lastly, we come to logic. I've just explained how important it is to speak person-to-person, so being logical isn't about being unemotional. It's about ensuring you've got your facts straight, that your team is on track to achieve its goals, and that all your activities are underpinned by organizational strategy.

To me, logic also means acting quickly when you know someone needs support. New managers may be tempted to wait an employee's issue out, thinking, "Well, they said they were okay, so even though it looks like they are struggling, I'll give them time." What I've learned is that you cannot delay. One small struggle grows into a big disruption — and fast. If you fail to help when you should have, you risk losing the trust of that employee and the rest of the team.

Being a Manager Isn’t About You, So Leave Your Ego at the Door

There's no such thing as the perfect manager, and high-performing teams don't benefit from having a manager who's right 100% of the time.

Managers who they can trust to have their back — managers who lead with authenticity, empathy, and logic — are far, far more valuable.

So my message for new managers is not to worry so much. If you've got the right values and you're following the best practices, then you're on the right track. And when you feel like you're under pressure to succeed, remember that as a manager, you are not the star of the show — or you shouldn't be, at least. It's your job to make your team look good by helping them deliver results.

Can you win trust back once it's been broken? I think you can. But you'll need to appreciate that you have to rebuild their trust. Admit that you made a mistake, show that you understand why it was a mistake, and what you'll do to make sure it doesn't happen again. This will help you earn credibility, from which trust can start to be rebuilt.

Build Trust Checklist

Set the tone for your team as somewhere mistakes can be made (and will not be vilified). You can do this by being authentic, admitting your mistakes when you don't know something, and making feedback a team norm.
Get to know each person on your team by setting up a one-on-one. Focus on the Person, Position, and their Goals.
Prepare for your conversations and lead with empathy. Preparation will help you position yourself as someone people want to be led by, and empathy will show that you care.
Adapt a servant leadership mindset. It's no longer all about you. You have to focus on the team.
With that said, find time to focus on your individual tasks too. Otherwise, you won't be prepared to lead your team, and you'll likely lose their trust.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below.