When you have spent most of your career as an individual contributor, leading a team for the first time can be exciting but challenging.
Harvard Business Review offers five insights for first-time managers.
- Do not isolate yourself. It is easy to become consumed by work when you are first leading a team as you focus on proving you can handle the job by setting goals and developing a plan to reach them. Ryan Hawk, the host of The Learning Leader Podcast, recommends developing a personal board of advisors—three to five people, such as a mentor or colleague, who can act as a sounding board and provide you with unbiased advice.
- Be a student of your craft. Leadership is not a trait you are born with but something you can develop. As you enter your management role, you should strive to master the art of leadership, which first requires a clear understanding of your business. Build strong relationships with and learn from other business leaders in your company to help you gain new perspectives.
- Be skillfully candid. New managers need to find a balance between candor and care, especially during difficult conversations. Managers often come on too strong or try to please everyone, which is ineffective and creates extra work and stress. Harvard Business Review contributor and TEDx speaker Liz Kislik suggests speaking “candidly, in a measured and skillful way.” For example, when facing a difficult conversation, state your intention up front; if your intent is positive, the individual is more likely to be open to hearing a hard truth. You have a duty to always be candid and clear with your team.
- Be skeptical about advice. Michael Bungay Stanier, author of “The Coaching Habit,” says new managers should be mindful of the guidance they seek or receive, asking themselves critical questions to separate the good from the bad. Does the person have a track record of successfully leading others? Do they know what they are talking about, or do they just like listening to themselves speak?
- Take it easy on yourself. No one expects you to know everything right away. People learn, adjust and move forward at their own pace.
