Congratulations! You just got promoted into management. That’s a great achievement, and you’ve worked hard for it. Became the top producer in your technical field. Finally your talents have been recognized. And the promotion comes with a sizeable raise, more green in your wallet. Good for you!

And there are other perks that suddenly become yours to enjoy. Like your own parking space in the company garage. You can come as early and leave as late as you please! The same spot will always be there waiting for your new company car. Oh, did you say this job didn’t come with one? Then you should consider an upgrade right away. Think about the message you’re sending driving a Morolla. Seriously. You don’t want to be seen as a minimalist now that you are in management.  Consider something smarter, something that sends a message of being in charge. Something that will signify a strong start.  You’ll be watched. The first 90 days will be critical to your success.

That brings us to the next thing you’ll need to think about. You guessed it, your attire. No more casual. You need to exude confidence. Preferably with a bit of an edge. Shopping you go!  Remember that every occasion, from the Board meeting to the dinner hosted by the President’s wife, has its right attire. And the brand matters. I know, you’d be the first to agree. Brand is everything.

Now, prepared for success, you’ll just need to manage. Plain and simple.  You told me corporate doesn’t think you need training,  coaching, or mentoring. Good for you! They believe you’re ready. You’ve shown them the muscle. Heavy lifting, continuously exceeded targets. A smart specialist always makes a great manager. That’s what they told you, right?

Don’t you worry.  Managing is fairly straight forward. Just remember you now have the powers to hire and fire. Go get your own team! What does the current team know anyway? And their loyalty to you is questionable. At the minimum, change some key players.  Shuffle the chessmen. Keep them on their toes. Nobody should become too comfortable.

To sum it up: you just need to hire the right people, instruct them in necessary detail, and manage their performance. That’s all. Hire, Instruct and Manage, HIM. Easy to memorize. You set the targets. They do the work. You monitor the results. And make sure you get the credit. It’s hard out there. Up or out, as they say. There you go. Good luck to you.

Epilogue: Despite my intention not to mix too many lemons into my blog of apples and oranges, I wanted to write this “monologue by a management consultant” after continuously finding far too many people in management jobs without the necessary skills, and seeing first hand what that can do to the teams they manage. And ultimately to the company. So here’s to lemon juice!