Congratulations! Your promotion to the role of accounting manager is a testament to your competence, contributions, and outstanding performance in the field of accounting. While this achievement is undoubtedly exciting, it also marks a significant shift from an individual contributor to a managerial position. Navigating this transition successfully requires a nuanced approach, different from your previous non-managerial role. In this article, we will explore key success factors and offer general tips for new accounting managers to ensure a seamless transition. Let's dive in!
1. Ensuring the Successful Performance of Others
As a new accounting manager, your responsibilities extend beyond individual performance to ensuring the success of your team members. To empower others to succeed, initiate a series of virtual or in-person meetings with your team. During these sessions:
- Ask insightful questions tailored to understand individual motivations and challenges.
- Record responses for review, feedback, and alignment.
- Summarize and publish findings as guidelines for team performance.
Questions to consider include:
- What work tasks motivate you to go above and beyond?
- Which tasks pose the greatest challenges for you?
- What is your current top priority?
- How do you define success for each task you're working on?
- What is your most significant job-related concern moving forward?
By adopting a mindset that enables and empowers others, you foster shared experiences and objectives, laying the foundation for successful team performance. Regularly conduct these discussions to stay attuned to team sentiment.
2. Knowing Your Personal and Professional Boundaries
Understanding personal and professional boundaries is crucial for new accounting managers. Explicit rules, such as company policies, and implicit rules, including working styles and conflict management, shape engagement. During the transition, revisit boundaries with former peers who are now your subordinates.
Mandatory compliance training typically covers explicit rules, but addressing implicit rules requires open communication. Acknowledge the potential awkwardness of the shift during one-on-one discussions with team members. Send out questions ahead of time to allow participants to prepare, and repeat these discussions as needed.
3. Assessing Your Performance as a Manager
Assessing your overall performance is essential as a new accounting manager. You are now accountable not only for your performance but also for the performance of your team. Develop a detailed plan outlining team goals, objectives, and expectations. This provides a framework for team interactions, focusing on business outcomes.
Utilize input from earlier meetings to incorporate team perspectives into department planning. By aligning your goals with theirs, you signal a commitment to integrating their ideas into the team's direction.
4. Successfully Leading and Managing Others
Success as a new accounting manager hinges on a balance between leadership and management skills. Leader behaviors, future-focused and strategic, emphasize communication and relationship-building. Manager behaviors, present-focused and tactical, revolve around day-to-day operations and performance optimization.
Strive to embody both leader and manager qualities. Clearly communicate long-term and short-term team objectives, fostering key relationships and skills development. This balance ensures effective team leadership and day-to-day management.
Use a self-assessment tool to gauge your readiness as a new leader/manager. This evaluation will help prioritize areas of strength and highlight potential areas for coaching and training.
5. Shift Happens: Preparing for the New Normal
Anticipate changes impacting the accounting industry in the post-COVID era. Cybersecurity concerns, digitalization of accounting processes, and evolving challenges necessitate continuous upskilling. Ensure that both you and your team receive coaching and direction to understand organizational responses to these changes.
Promote a culture of learning and growth by leveraging resources like Vishal's CPE courses. Addressing new challenges requires a proactive approach to acquiring knowledge and skills.
In conclusion, a promotion to accounting manager brings forth challenges, but with the right mindset and strategies, this transition can be a rewarding experience. You've been promoted because of your capabilities in managing not just yourself but others as well. These accounting manager tips aim to make the transition from self-management to managing others seamless.
For further insights into leadership and management, consider enrolling in Vishal’s CPE courses such as “Leading vs. managing: What to do when and with whom” and “How to be a manager.”
Remember, the journey from an individual contributor to a manager is a continuous learning process. Stay informed and seek ongoing development to ensure a successful and fulfilling career.
For additional career advice and leadership tips tailored for new accounting managers, explore the Vishal career blog. James Eicher, the creator of Cognitive Management, brings a wealth of experience from leadership positions at KPMG, Booz Allen Hamilton, Symantec, and IBM. His expertise is reflected in numerous organizational change management and leadership articles, assessments, and book chapters.
Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not tax advice. Consult a tax advisor for advice applicable to your specific situation.