From Team Member to Team Leader: How to Manage Friends and Former Peers

Being promoted from within a cohesive team and expected to manage friends and former peers is not only a challenge, it can bring many a headache to a new supervisor.

One of the most difficult outcomes of moving from team member to team leader is recognizing that things have changed: your relationships, your responsibilities, and everyone's expectations. That means making sure that everyone involved realizes things have changed, too.

Acknowledge That Things are Different Now

Besides having to deal with possible ego clashes among team members, you may be feeling a bit insecure with this new move yourself. Now is the time to communicate with your staff in an honest and upfront manner in order to help them with the transition.

By building a level of trust and credibility with your team, you put them at ease and reassure them about who is in charge. Hang onto old relationships and try to soften the transition and you might find yourself having a difficult time making decisions, enforcing rules or resolving conflicts.

Talk to your team not just about the change in your relationship, but about changes in responsibilities, too. Prior to your promotion you may have been performing many duties similar to your coworkers, duties that were more hands-on and administrative. Now it's likely that your responsibilities will be more tactical and strategic. It is important that you and your boss clarify what your new role will be and that you then communicate this information to your team.

Ask for Their Input and Tell Them What You Expect

As the new supervisor, you set the tone. To be an effective manager you must lead the way. Have one-on-one and group meetings to develop a strategy for individual members as well as the team as a whole. Help each team member to define their role and then ask them what they need from you to be successful.

In addition, you need to be clear and articulate in your expectations of them. Help them to realize what they contribute to the team and how they impact its success. Find out if there are concerns or issues that need to be dealt with. This is the time for them to vent. Better they say something in front of you now than to talk behind your back later.

Finally, don't forget to have a discussion with your boss so that you understand his or her expectations of you. Define reasonable and reachable goals and an achievable timeline.

Help Yourself Be Successful

One of the best ways to be truly successful is to have a strong support network. That means peers and mentors who can provide coaching, advice and encouragement as well as friends and family who can offer a safe harbor where you can vent.

This is your chance to learn. Seek out any education your company offers, whether that means an in-house management training program or a class at the local university.

Talk to other supervisors, your new peers, who have made a successful transition into a supervisory role and find out how they did it. Where were the difficulties; what mistakes did they make?

And speaking of mistakes, understand they happen. It takes time and experience to become a good manager. So be patient and don't beat yourself up. Before too long you will have made a successful transition from team member to team leader.