Mindset Shift: Transitioning from Individual Contributor to Manager
How to handle tough situations as a new manager: lead from the front vs rear, resolve team conflict, and how to give feedback to low performers in a collaborative yet assertive way
Hello, it’s Ethan & Jason. Welcome to Level Up: Your guide to grow fast, avoid mistakes, and make optimal career moves.
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FYI, 4 videos to watch:
Jason & Wes Kao discuss the art of managing up. How to deal with insecure managers, finesse with intense executives, Seth Godin lessons. Watch here.
Jason & Rohan Kamath unpack how to be visible, get executive sponsorship, and build key EQ skills. Tactical “how-to” tips. Watch here.
Ethan & Dave Anderson dissect Amazon Leadership Principles (LPs). Cultural challenges, controversies and weaponization, favorite LPs. Watch here.
Ethan & EthanGPT breakdown how to build Executive Presence. Includes modified prompt examples to improve your EthanGPT outputs. Watch here.
We are thrilled to bring you a guest post by Tanvi Hungund, a distinguished leader at Amazon Web Services (AWS) who has risen from an entry-level technical support engineer to a Senior Manager in 8 years. Tanvi has managed global teams ranging from 6 to 65 people and played a key role in replicating Amazon's Andon Cord program for AWS Support. As an Amazon Bar Raiser, she has conducted over 500 interviews. Outside of work, Tanvi is dedicated to mentoring and coaching emerging professionals and continuing to shape the future of technology.
In this post, Tanvi unpacks how she overcame tough early leadership tests as a new manager, sharing hard-won lessons across three critical areas:
Developing Essential Managerial Skills
Navigating the Challenges of Leadership: Conflict Resolution and Team Dynamics
Effectively handling difficult conversations as a leader
Read on to avoid these common missteps from first time managers!
Transitioning from IC to Manager: Understanding the Shift
Transitioning from an individual contributor to a managerial role marks a significant shift not only in responsibilities, but most importantly, in mindset.
One of the famous quotes from Bill Bradley says “Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.”
And that is the biggest mindset shift and learning needed when making the transition from individual contributor to manager.
Let’s dive into the three dimensions.
1. Developing Essential Managerial Skills
As a new manager, one of the confusing things early on is whether to lead from the front or from the rear.
In the realm of leadership, there's a longstanding debate: Should leaders lead from the front, setting the pace and example? Or is there merit in leading from behind, empowering teams to take the reins?
The concept of leading from the front involves demonstrating leadership by taking initiative and tackling challenges head-on. Leading by example can build respect and trust among team members, as leaders show a willingness to do what they ask of others. However, practical constraints in large organizations sometimes limit the ability to lead from the front consistently.
In contrast, leading from behind is about empowering teams to grow and develop independently. It requires leaders to delegate effectively, giving their teams the space to innovate, learn from mistakes, and make decisions autonomously. This approach fosters confidence and productivity among team members, as they take ownership of their work and learn from their experiences, including failures.
In my experience, the decision to lead from the front or the rear hinges on the team’s dynamics and the specific circumstances at hand.
When I inherited teams needing cultural transformation to boost effectiveness and align with business and customer demands, leading from the front was crucial. Immersing myself in their challenges, addressing issues directly, and fulfilling a player-coach role were essential. This hands-on approach helped restore trust lost from previous organizational changes and demonstrated my commitment and support as their leader.
Conversely, when leading a team with established processes and stable leadership, leading from behind was more effective. This approach allowed the team to innovate and embrace new challenges while still feeling supported. The team took ownership of driving initiatives and solving problems, and they worked towards business goals independently, which fostered growth and empowerment.
Ultimately, choosing to lead from the front or behind is a strategic decision. As a leader, it’s essential to understand the team’s context, communicate your approach clearly, and ensure alignment. Clarifying the rationale behind your leadership style helps build and maintain trust.
Now, you might be thinking, how do I do this? How do I gain context and communicate clearly?
Let's dive a bit into how you can master these skills!
Communication:
To be able to gain context of a situation and communicate effectively, active listening is the foundational concept.
What do we mean by active listening?
Harvard Business Review defines it like this: “Active listening is when you not only hear what someone is saying, but also attune to their thoughts and feelings. It turns a conversation into an active, non-competitive, two-way interaction.”
To build the skill of active listening, I made a deliberate effort to focus on understanding the real challenge during meetings, rather than merely preparing my response. By training myself to listen intently to the core issue at hand, rather than responding impulsively, I enhanced my ability to structure my thoughts and formulate precise questions. I created the below stepwise guideline to train myself for active listening:
Step One: Start by capturing the unsaid signal as a leader. This happens by observing and exploring safely what everyone hesitates to say out loud. Then, as a leader, be proactive in planting the seeds of change by giving your team the feeling of being heard, clarity about where you are now, and shared knowledge about what needs to be addressed.
Step Two: Capture data points through your conversations regarding what your employees need and want. In my regular team 1:1s, I always let my team members go first with their items because it's their time and I want to ensure they get the maximum out of their time. If I set up a conversation to dive deeper into a situation, then I capture data by asking deep questions and creating a safe and vulnerable atmosphere. I usually ask the team questions like “What do you think is going on?” or “What do you think is the best path forward?” or What happened to make you feel this way? When you ask these questions, try to expand on why you are asking them to ensure your intent is clear.
Step Three: Ensure that you appreciate the other person for bringing their true self forward and participating in the discussion as well. Summarize the conversation to ensure that everyone is on the same page and to show that you were actively involved in the discussion.
This approach not only made discussions more inclusive and fluid, it also minimized interruptions and fostered more productive conversations.
Delegation:
To delegate effectively, start by utilizing the active listening techniques and then prioritize tasks, match them to team members' strengths, and clearly articulate expectations and the reasons behind each assignment.
To effectively delegate, prioritization of tasks is key. One of my favorite prioritization frameworks to use is the Eisenhower Matrix. This matrix helps to effectively prioritize and create a strategy for delegation.
Key Takeaway:
Leading from the front or from the rear is situational and as a leader you have to make the choice based on the dynamic of the team. Building skillsets like effective communication and delegation are key to success as a leader.
2. Navigating the Challenges of Leadership: Conflict Resolution and Team Dynamics
Transitioning into a leadership role often presents a series of challenges, particularly when it comes to managing people dynamics.
There is a famous quote by Steve Jobs that says, “Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of people.”
For individual contributors transitioning into leadership roles, this quote sets the foundation for how they should set the tone for their teams.
At Amazon, we have a concept of having mission, vision and tenets defined for each team. I make sure that each of my teams include success through teamwork as a part of the mission statement because I want my team to clearly understand that the success of our mission relies on the team working together!
For readers outside Amazon, you may be familiar with Mission and Vision statements,but let me clarify tenets. Tenets are guiding principles for a team and define the reasons why a team exists. Tenets are used as tie breakers when teams have to make difficult decisions internally within Amazon.
Personal example on how I reset the culture and team dynamics:
Let me discuss a scenario from my recent experience where I had to reset the culture and team dynamics in order to deliver business results.
I was entrusted with leading a product management team and the team used to build products that were critical to providing real-time insights for a key business unit. Recently, however, the team had started experiencing conflict, hurting their ability to deliver timely results.
To ensure the team's success and to get the business results back on track, I focused on establishing a foundation of strong team dynamics. This diverse team, comprising product leaders, analysts, developers, and program managers, initially faced challenges with disorganization and a lack of cohesive thinking.
Taking a strategic approach, during the first 30 days of my joining, I assessed each team member's strengths and areas for growth, forming smaller groups aligned with their respective strengths. To effectively assess each member's strengths, I conducted a thorough review of their prior work history and the types of projects they had delivered. As I was a new leader for this team, I used that to my advantage and I invested more time in knowing the team members on a personal level and what they like to do outside of work.
This gave me a good understanding of who each team member is as a person and helped me engage with them on a personal level, breaking down the employee-manager barrier. This was the first strategic step in helping the team move beyond a siloed thinking mentality to a cohesive one.
After breaking that barrier, I then started having business-oriented conversations because the team had started trusting me.
I asked them openly about their thoughts on:
How they want to build the product
What is their understanding of the business
How do they want to work backwards from the business
If they have captured the voice of the customer
What the underlying issue was the first time around when the build didn't go through
As I got answers, I started capturing more data, which then helped me build my vision and strategy for the business insights product.
After building the trust with the team and making sure they felt like their voice was heard, I went ahead and set up my first team call, which was around the 60-day mark. The team call did not have a heavy agenda, but it gave the team members space to brainstorm and listen to each other's ideas on how to build the product to solve the business challenge. In this situation, I saw the team agreeing and disagreeing in a respectful manner and the barriers started dropping.
After that call, I continued these sessions every week. In these weekly calls, the team started having transparent discussions and aligning the product vision to the business and organizational goals, capturing the voice of the customer, and iterating on the feedback. Eventually, in the first four months of us coming together as a team, we were able to deliver the MVP for the business insights product.
During that period, I always told the team about the famous quote shared by Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos: “To invent you have to experiment, and if you know in advance that it's going to work, it's not an experiment.”
Inspired by that, we kept experimenting until we succeeded!
This quote was the motivation for the team!
By simply driving conversations and fostering positive team dynamics and making the right trade off of people focus vs outcomes focus, the MVP was launched to a subset of users. Eventually, the insights tool was scaled to 1600 members in less than 12 months (this was the total size of the organization I was supporting).
Key Takeaway:
Fostering a culture of safe space, a people-first mindset, and innovation is key to delivering business results.
3. Effectively handling difficult conversations as a leader
Another important skill and mindset shift for transitioning to a leadership role is that difficult conversations are part of the job. It is essential to develop this skill set to effectively manage a team and set a high standard for performance.
Difficult conversations with employees are not fun and are mostly avoided due to the discomfort they can cause to the people involved. With that said, as a leader, having those difficult conversations in the right way is key to maintaining the high standards for the team.
Below is a four-step approach that can help prepare for the conversation:
Step One: Build Empathy
Empathy is the cornerstone of effective leadership, and even more so when handling a difficult conversation. Empathy enables the parties involved to adopt a more open mindset, allowing them to understand each other’s point of view and perspective on why they found themselves in this situation. The leader feels the need for having the difficult conversation with their employee based on observations, interactions across multiple situations within the team/business unit, and experiences/feedback from peers/stakeholders.
But, does that other person have the same observations and/or experiences of the situation?
Likely not.
Building empathy for the other person by considering their observations and experiences will lead to a more balanced position for having a productive, albeit difficult, conversation. It also creates a more open door and two-way communication style during the difficult conversation and helps maintain a respectful and professional environment. It may also be a good idea to clearly state the intention of having the conversation.
Personal Example: In one of my personal experiences, managing and coaching an individual on my team, he actually appreciated the coaching that I provided him through the performance coaching plan. He mentioned that, because of the understanding we developed during this plan and the clarity of expectations he received, he was able to better understand his roles and responsibilities, aligning them with the organizational vision and delivering for our customers. He mentioned that the main reason why he was able to be successful through the coaching was because of the two-way approach and open-door policy I had. I made sure to meet with him in a 1:1 on a weekly basis, and I minimized reschedules. This helped him feel included, and he understood that his leadership is truly invested in him and wants him to be set up for success.
This candidate eventually not only got out of the performance plan but also continued to be successful across multiple roles and levels in the organization.
Here are some phrases or actions that helped me through this process:
“I am equally invested in this discussion and I am working in the best interest of the individual to ensure they are set up for long term sustainable success.”
“I want them to be able to have a self-owned career at the organization and my coaching in this difficult phase is going to set them up for success across multiple roles and business units in their career journey.”
These phrases help to make the conversation more personable and help the individual understand that all parties involved have good intentions and want to take a structured approach to help them through these critical times.
Step Two: Approach collaboratively
Data shows that situations prompting difficult conversations rarely occur from a single issue, but rather they are an outcome of a series of events and observations.
It's a common trap in having difficult conversations to fixate on the actions of others.
To avoid this trap, it is key to acknowledge one's own role or external factors like limited access to resources or sudden shifts in priorities, which may have led to this situation. This understanding can foster a climate of collaboration.
In this step of the difficult conversation, it is also important to provide relevant examples of how the individual could have approached a situation differently, despite external factors that may have impacted their actions. Examples may include being more transparent with their leadership, escalating sooner, being more proactive etc. This approach not only encourages reciprocity in acknowledgment but also sets a precedent for collaborative problem-solving.
As an IC transitioning into a manager, it was easy for me to put myself in the person’s shoes and understand their situation, but when it came to delivering feedback and aligning expectations, it required a lot of preparation.
The preparation I did was making sure I had collected all the right data points, considered all the external factors and situations, and then created bullet points on a post-it note to help me keep the conversation on track. Additionally, I also learned that if I was vulnerable and let the employee know about my prior experiences dealing with similar situations, it created a good atmosphere for a genuine conversation. Hence, by modeling self-reflection and accountability, I was able to coach and still inspire employees who were struggling with their performance. This cultivated an environment where difficult conversations lead to constructive outcomes.
Embracing this approach ensured that upcoming discussions were grounded in honesty, readiness to address personal contributions, and a willingness to apologize when appropriate, ultimately promoting growth and reconciliation within teams.
Step Three: Open the conversation with data and in an assertive manner
When it comes to difficult conversations, the initial moments are pivotal for establishing a constructive dialogue. It's essential to prepare your opening remarks to set a tone that is both assertive and collaborative.
Start by clearly stating the context that prompted the conversation, using a concise format such as Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) to frame the issue at hand.
Next, outline the key points you intend to discuss, ensuring clarity and focus to avoid unnecessary deviations. Express your intentions for the conversation, aiming for mutual understanding and a proactive resolution, while clarifying that it is essential to remain respectful throughout the discussion.
Additionally, it is important to make sure the other person is able to share their perspective early on, following the principle of "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Actively listen as they speak, allowing their insights to deepen your understanding and potentially reshape your viewpoint. This approach not only fosters empathy and openness but also lays a foundation for productive discourse where both parties contribute to a meaningful exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Step Four: Stay balanced with your emotions
In the midst of a challenging conversation, despite thorough preparation, unexpected disruptions can arise, derailing the anticipated course of dialogue.
These disruptions can manifest both externally and internally.
External disturbances like interruptions from others or incessant digital notifications can divert attention and hinder focused communication.
Internally, personal biases, the impulse to assert dominance, or emotional reactions triggered by the other person's responses—whether silence, agitation, or tears—can cloud judgment and impede productive discussion.
To navigate these potential obstacles effectively, it's crucial to preemptively identify these distractions and create strategies to mitigate their impact. Maintaining composure, poise, and clarity amidst disruptions ensures that difficult conversations remain constructive and conducive to mutual understanding and resolution.
Personal Example: I once navigated a challenging situation where a team member that I managed lacked clarity on their role expectations and how to improve their performance within the organization.
Ahead of our conversation, I gathered data to address their misunderstandings. Timing the meeting to suit their availability, I initiated the discussion with a neutral demeanor and assertive yet respectful tone. By providing context and revisiting past discussions, I fostered understanding and engaged them collaboratively, pausing to ensure comprehension and inviting questions as needed.
The result was transformative: clarity dawned, and a 45-day coaching plan was crafted. In a heartfelt email after the coaching ended, they expressed appreciation for the transparency and operational insights, subsequently becoming a standout contributor who shared their newfound strategies, thereby fostering a culture of high performance and teamwork.
Key Takeaway:
Empathy and making people feel heard are foundational concepts for having a difficult conversation
In conclusion, transitioning from an individual contributor to a managerial role marks a profound shift in various facets of professional life. Beyond merely assuming a new title, this change signifies a fundamental transformation in mindset, as individuals must now navigate the complexities of leadership, decision-making, and team dynamics. Responsibilities expand from personal task completion to overseeing and guiding others, requiring a heightened focus on strategic planning, delegation, and fostering a collaborative environment. Moreover, the influence extends beyond personal achievements to impacting team performance, organizational outcomes, and the professional development of team members.
Thus, the journey from an individual contributor to a managerial role not only denotes career progression but also demands a holistic evolution in perspective, accountability, and leadership effectiveness.
If you enjoyed this article, give it a like so we know to write similar types in the future.
Thank you, Tanvi, for opening up with your personal stories and detailing the concrete steps you took to navigate the complexities of people leadership.
Connect with Tanvi on LinkedIn and get more of her advice on successfully transitioning from IC to manager via her newsletter.
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We know scholarships work because alumni tell us — many share they got promoted, found a new internal or external role (oftentimes with bigger comp and title), or it helped them deliver stronger results.
Thank you to this batch of judges for our upcoming course, Stuck at Senior Manager - How to Break Through to Executive:
Dina Keilany (Oracle)
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Pathik Thaker (Capital One)
Bala Sivasubramanian (IBM)
Olga Potishuk (ad Originem)
Naresh Patel (Paylocity)
Alberto Vicente (Globant)
Deepak Menon (Woven by Toyota)
FYI, Tanvi is a scholarship judge alumni, having helped previous cohorts.
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Great and insightful article.