

You need to find a place in the middle – not aloof and not just pals. One of the most confusing aspects of being promoted to a first-time manager is figuring out your relationship with your former peers.

Be proactive and read information on the company website and ask your boss and other leaders strategic questions.ĥ. Don’t just wait for your boss to fill you in. You need to have a good understanding of where the company is going and how your team supports the company’s goals. If you can’t take a workshop, I recommend reading Leadership and The One Minute Manager.Īt times you will need to provide a rationale for the things you are asking your direct reports to do.
Tips for the first time manager how to#
One of the best ways to learn how to adjust your style is through Situational Leadership® II. You need to be able to set SMART goals and the RIGHT goals. And you need to know how to adjust your management style to the specific needs of each direct report. In addition to learning effective delegating, you need to learn communication skills like how to hold difficult conversations. There are skills that are essential to managing others. On of the most challenging things you will need to do is to deleg ate effectively – to be willing to delegate and to know when to delegate.īecoming a good manager is not simply a matter of attitude. Your focus should be on building your team and supporting them in doing their work. Instead of doing the work, you now need to work through others to get the work accomplished.

The jump from the role of individual contributor to first time manager is one of the biggest leaps you can make. You might have been promoted to a management position because you were great at doing your job. Be open to feedback and be willing to make adjustments. Recognize that you will make mistakes (it’s inevitable), and when you do, own up to them. You will earn much more respect by being open, asking for help when you need it, and making changes when you’re off track. If you act like you always know what you’re doing, people won’t believe or trust you. The truth is, it’s not as easy as it looks. You might have had some bad managers and think you know how to do it better. You might have an idea of what a manager does. Here are six tips to start off right and avoid finding yourself alone on the edge of a precipice. Research reveals that nearly 60 percent of first-time managers underperform and often end up leaving the company. Are you ready to be a first-time manager? Perhaps you’ve had some bad managers in the past, and you think this is your chance to do it right.
