The Manager With No Leadership Experience

"How would you lead a team if you don't have any experience in managing people?"

This question has been hurled at me many times in the past. Management positions that entail managing a group of people more often, was the deal breaker. That is what managers are for, right? Right. Well, I hated that question. You see I've been a running a one-man-team for years and it has been quite a challenge to justify my lack of management skills. The hard part was there wasn't any opportunity to develop it anyway. But that didn't stop me from trying. I know I'll get a break somehow. There's got to be somebody out there who will take a chance on me - on my skills and experience. And as luck would have had it, it came true.

Now, going back to my earlier question, how do I do it or how will I do it?

Having had no hands-on experience, I admit that I'm nervous. This time, it's no longer about me entirely but rather, it's about people, my team, and helping them achieve success in their jobs.

I thought about my own work ethic and I would like to see the same in my team. I also thought about my previous "mentors" i.e. the slave drivers, the micro-managers and those who allowed me to work independently and exercise entrepreneurship in my department. These people taught me a lot of things.

I'm not sure if reading Jack Welch again would help me but it won't hurt revisiting his book.

Lastly, there's my future boss. I have worked with him in the past albeit, indirectly. I know I'll learn a lot from him as well. There's going to be some adjustments and I know that things will run smoothly once I settle down.

Cheers to 2010!