Congratulations! You’ve been awarded your first management position.
If you’ve recently achieved the career milestone of becoming a manager and are wondering, “What’s next?” You’re not alone.
As a new manager, you only have one chance to create an excellent first impression, so you want to make the most of it and presumably want to keep making a good impression by being a good boss.
Here are some tips for first-time managers.
- Set clear expectations
Clearly communicate to all your team members what you expect from them regarding communication, productivity, outcomes, and behavior. Although we all wish to be appreciated, being overly accommodating and going with the flow might backfire. Good managers understand that they must prioritize leading over being liked. - Manage time effectively
You’ll soon notice that now that you’re a manager, you don’t have as much time as you used to! You’ll need to be more organized than ever before, which involves continuously planning ahead, allocating time in your schedule, and setting reasonable objectives for yourself given the time limits you now face. - Adopt a growth mindset
Starting a new role involves a rising learning curve. And because you’re now in control of people, taking on a new management position requires you to develop a completely new set of skills. People management entails interpersonal interactions, employee engagement, values, and a lot more. It also requires the belief that individuals can grow, develop, and change. - Work on your active listening skills
One of the characteristics that distinguish a good manager is the ability to truly listen to your employees and grasp their interests, thoughts, views, concerns, and difficulties in their positions. Active listening is paying whole attention to whatever is being addressed during 1:1 or group sessions. Avoid multitasking, checking your inbox, or preparing your response before they are complete. Gather information, plan structured meetings by sending an agenda and a review ahead of time, and follow up with your team on the topics you stated. - Learn to delegate
Any effective manager must recognize which duties they can handle alone and which they should delegate to their team members. Consider your team’s abilities and most visible strengths to evaluate which employees are most qualified for the responsibilities at hand. - Build connections with each team member
Investing time in creating a positive connection with your team and learning what inspires each member of your team will be mutually beneficial. Your employees will be allocated projects in which they are genuinely engaged, and as a result, your team will be more productive when tackling tasks that interest them. - Focus on the outcomes, not the input
The outcome is far more essential than how a task is approached. As a consequence, focus on the outcomes that your team is creating rather than how they reached the final. When it comes to working completion, you don’t want to come out as strict and controlling as a first-time manager. Instead, take note of the diverse techniques through which your team completes its tasks. You’ll be able to allocate duties more successfully if you observe their working style. - Build a culture of continuous feedback
Top managers constantly share feedback, emphasize employee strengths, and share criticism in private, at one-on-one sessions. Integrating continuous feedback into your team culture can strengthen communications and promote group unity. - Create psychological safety
A team cannot build trust and execute their excellent efforts unless they feel psychologically comfortable at work. Creating diverse, inclusive, and safe teams necessitate continuous learning, listening, and implementing significant changes. - Treat mistakes with appropriate weight
Expect your team to complete their tasks correctly. Hold them accountable for their mistakes. There should be no exaggerated panic attacks, shouting, shaming, or team meeting roasts. Your employees will appreciate you even more for focusing on what actually counts, which is getting the job done.
Evidently, there’s a consistent pattern here: transparency, sincerity, and frank conversation. Employees can only adhere to the structure, limits, and expectations that they are aware of. We wish you the best in your new Manager position.
