.png)
As I sit quietly writing this and reflect on how I did get here…it seems like a blur. There were some major mile markers for me in my journey and they all deserve their own time to shine. This is my journey, a tale of a girl wanting to make a big difference as soon as possible. I'm not a patient person, to say the least. The last 10 years of my career have been filled with great moments, memories to last a life time, and wonderful friendships gained. All had an impact on who I am today and where I am going.
So, how did I get here?
Entering the HR World
Just like any college student entering their career fresh from school, I was doe-eyed. I had been drawn to HR instantly. I wanted to be the bridge between employees and the Company. That was my mission. After seven years at the first "real job" I moved on and I took a role at a local bank that, one month later, announced an acquisition by another bank. For 18 months I learned more than I could have imagined. As an HR generalist I had my work cut out for me. I would travel five and a half hours away from home for days at a time to learn a new HRIS, build team togetherness, and benchmark a turning point for both financial institutions.
Even today, I refer to that experience almost daily. And not for the countless opportunities but for a whole other reason. Enter the bad manager stage left.
The Bad Manager
I’ve had the benefit of many influential role models in my career, most from my first “real job” at another hometown community bank. I had the pleasure of working with an extremely intelligent CFO as he entered retirement and his successor. Both were fantastic at managing a 24-year-old in all things accounting, banking, and business acumen. I knew how I wanted to be managed and I knew that they had a big part in my development of what to expect.
So, to my surprise, in my new role as a new HR professional, I was treated must differently than what I was accustomed. This experience is irreplaceable in my development as a manager. Even today, this is an opportunity to accentuate what kind of manager I don't want to be.
The manager was new to the role and not properly trained in how to manage. This was clear. It wasn’t necessarily the little contact we had, which I expected being almost six hours apart by car ride, but the quality of the communication when we did speak. The style of communication was horrendous. Daily I felt ignored, that my ideas were not important, that I was an entire afterthought until something went wrong, and that my work was not of quality or validated. Those six months were tough being managed that way. It wasn’t until I received my first bad performance review.
Daily I felt ignored, that my ideas were not important, that I was an entire afterthought until something went wrong, and that my work was not of quality or validated.
I was floored with the content of the review. I was livid, putting it mildly. None of the concerns were discussed before the review. I was not even aware that I wasn’t meeting performance expectations. The tone throughout the review was not supportive in wanting me to succeed. It was one-sided and highlighted many areas of area that were not even on my radar.
When I walked out of the room, I decided then I didn’t want to be a boss like that. I wanted to be a boss like the two CFOs, once upon a time. I also decided leaving that office that I was going to quit. (Which could be a whole blog post all on its own).
Becoming a First-Time Manager
Fast forward to my new role as Payroll & Benefits Manager and my request to hire an assistant. My first ever employee. Every step of this process was surreal for me. After hiring my first employee, I was met with challenges many first-time managers are met with. How do I react if a mistake was made? How do I explain how to do a job I know so well? How do I give space for the person to learn on their own all while making sure they don’t fail? How do I ensure that my employee sees me as a boss and someone they can confide in? It was a roller coaster for me.
Fast forward three years and I still find myself asking these questions and many more. I wanted to be the kind of manager that helped people grow. I wanted to be a manager that I wanted for myself. Above all else, I wanted to avoid specifics that my “bad boss” had used on me. I wanted to be collaborative, supportive, curious, and non-judgmental in my journey as a manager. All things the “bad boss” was not, all things my best bosses were.
I wanted to be a manager that I wanted for myself.
It then dawned on me…the awakening…through my 8 years of school (BA and MBA), many certifications, and countless hours reading, I had not been prepared for what being a first-time manager had taught me. My management style. I soon identified as someone who wanted to help others develop their management style to build a better team. Now, this is a scalable model I can use to help many.
I’m here, where am I GOING?
I started Full Circle Coaching Company in efforts to build up others to be their best. But I was not prepared for what it meant to be an entrepreneur. Which, by the way, has been so fun! I have learned many things about myself and what it means to be successful.
From here, I’m going to influence first-time managers to bring their best-self everyday for their team. I’m going to help individuals
who want to maximize their efforts, minimize their frustrations and energy drainers, and build up the team that could function independently. The sky is the limit for the passion and energy I have to spread the word of coaching conversations.
The future is bright with the number of people I can help, directly and most importantly, indirectly through their managers/leaders/peers. The goal is to teach managers turn to a coaching opportunity or conversation before putting on their “manager hat”. To be curious, supportive, collaborative, and non-judgmental. To help all people dig into their best-self and bring that same quality out in others. There is no stopping now!
If you are interested in learning more about getting professionally coached in a new management role or know of someone who needs to develop their management style, please click the button below.
In closing, I want to give a huge shoutout to everyone and anyone who helped me become the professional I am today. You are the cornerstone of my achievements and I want to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.