The transition to a managerial role for the first time can be both thrilling and daunting. First-time managers now need to flex a different managerial skill set, and their performance becomes less dependent on their work and more on what others achieve. However, with new responsibilities also comes the opportunity to make a more significant impact on an organization and develop teams strategically. It is often challenging for first time managers to thrive, but there are some common missteps they can avoid being successful.
What are some common mistakes made by a first time manager?
A recent survey reveals that only 39% of new managers receive training. Due to a lack of training for managers, making a mistake (or many) is inevitable as you transition into your new role. To help you avoid common missteps, we have compiled a list of mistakes to avoid as first time managers.
- Not Delegating Tasks: When transitioning into a managerial role, job responsibilities change. You are no longer an individual contributor checking tasks off a to-do list; you are now responsible for your team’s success and ensuring that they complete their work. While it may seem easier to say, “I’ll just do it” when faced with a task that you have historically owned, it is essential to train someone else to do it. The longer you wait, the faster the work starts piling up, and you can’t effectively supervise, coach, or support your team if you’re too busy tackling tasks.
- Diving Too Deep into the Details: Once first time managers delegate tasks, they need to step away from them. While it’s important to track employees’ progress and ensure that projects are on track, it’s near impossible to keep up with the specifics of every single project. The deeper you dive into the details, the more likely you are to start micro-managing. Employees are happier when they have autonomy over their work. Managers should focus on ensuring that the team is working on meaningful projects that align with organizational milestones.
- Forgetting to Ask “Why?”: First time managers sometimes fall into the trap of simply mimicking their predecessors. While it’s easy to default to, “that’s not how change happens.” When a new project or task surfaces, don’t shy away from asking, “Why are we doing this?” If the answer is simply, “Because we always have,” it’s time to reevaluate your team’s approach. Managers should always consider if the work is still necessary and if there are more effective ways to achieve the intended goal.
- Trying to Make Too Much Change Too Soon: While it’s important to question your team, you can’t disrupt every process overnight. Take the time to understand your employees’ goals and the overall organizational culture before drastically changing how work gets done. Through conversations with employees, new managers can find some incremental improvements that they can make, whether it’s streamlining an over-complicated approval process or removing an unnecessary meeting from everyone’s calendar. First time managers should ensure that they’re doing more listening than talking, truly understanding where their employees need help.
- Avoiding Difficult Conversations or Decisions: Difficult conversations are bound to arise, and you need to know how to manage them—not avoid them. The longer you wait to address an issue, the worse it becomes, and that could impact your team’s morale. First time managers can’t waver on tough decisions, or simply say “yes” to avoid confrontation. The decisions they make impact their team’s workload, so they need to be strategic about what they promise others. Trying to please everyone will only work against them.
- One common mistake is not prioritizing trust. Research shows that when employees feel trusted by their manager, they’re happier and exert extra effort at work. As a first-time manager, you should schedule one-on-one meetings with each of your direct reports to ask about their professional goals. You can use those check-ins to practice transparency, which will help build trust between you and your team. Being open with your team about the organization’s goals and challenges can help them understand their role and how they individually contribute to the company’s overall success.
- Another mistake is not seeking out mentors. There are dozens of other first time managers who have had to tell an employee they are under-performing or that they can’t promise a raise or promotion. When difficult conversations arise, you need someone to turn to for advice. By learning from a mentor’s mistakes, you can hopefully avoid a few of your own. It’s important to remember that you’re going to make mistakes. This is a learning process, and you’re not expected to know everything. Ask for help when necessary and, if you do slip up, own the mistake and move forward. You now have others relying on you to take the lead.
- Another pitfall first time managers commonly face is failing to think in terms of the whole team. Rather than speaking in terms of “we,” new managers can sometimes fall into the habit of only using “I,” “me,” and “my.” While this newfound power can be a symbol of personal achievement, you should always remember the team that got you there. A good manager knows individual success is nothing without the success of the whole team.
- Finally, first time managers should be mindful of their communication. First-time managers sometimes get caught up in trying to be the best leader they can be, but this can backfire if you end up talking more than listening. To avoid this, new leaders should focus on listening to the needs and concerns of their team members and stakeholders at every stage. Doing so can help you improve communication with your team and ease the transition into your new role.
In conclusion, being first time manager comes with a steep learning curve. However, by prioritizing trust, seeking out mentors, thinking in terms of the whole team, and listening more than talking, you can avoid common pitfalls and build a successful career as a leader. First time managers training should address the above issues and help new managers deal with them effectively.