bizMe

Q: I’m one of the youngest managers/vp/executive in my office. What steps can I take to command more of a presence and be viewed as the professional I am?

A: The easy part is over. You have already dazzled upper management with your work ethic and professionalism to be rewarded with a manger/vp/executive title. Now how do you get the rest of the office to respect you as an authority even though you are one of the youngest in the office?

Confidence has a big role in a situation like this. You must reflect a confident aura. Co-workers can sense intimidation and a lack of confidence and they will eat you alive. Upper management believes you are the best for the job; otherwise they would not have promoted you. Show the rest of the office that same certainty that yes I can do this job and do it well.

There really is no secret to being a good manager and having the respect of your co-workers. Co-workers respect a manager who is loyal, trustworthy, easy-to-talk-to, confident and one that manages by allowing coworkers to do their job without micromanaging. Most importantly you can guarantee your own success when you take the time to learn their jobs and to understand the frustrations and challenges that your workers face on a daily basis, on certain projects, with management policies or working alongside difficult peers. Co-workers want the security of knowing that their manager is on their team and will go to bat for them in a time of need. This is how you gain the trust and loyalty of your co-workers. If you can achieve this reputation, they won’t look at you as someone who is young and naïve but as a great manager who wants the people around her to succeed!

This question was part of a panel discussion on Workchic.com. To view entire article and the other responses please visit Workchic.