Five tips for new leaders

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Martin Hahn, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

If you get promoted to a leadership position you are now leading hopeful employees who rely on you for knowledge, encouragement, career development and everything in-between. The bad news? Very little you’ve done as an individual-contributor (IC) has quite prepared you for what’s coming, and you need to hit the ground running.

Most people find this challenge exciting or terrifying. In my case, it was a positive mix of both. I’ve been a people manager and it’s brought far more ups than downs.

Altogether, I’ve gained invaluable lessons that will be applicable for many years to come. No matter what emotions you feel right now, embrace this new journey, and you will gain a rare perspective on what work is really all about.

Much of my inspiration as a manager stems from genuinely caring about my team and not wanting to let them down. I’m a firm believer that people leave managers, not companies. Of course, it’s not 100% true in all cases. The point is, your impact as a manager drastically alters an employee’s experience at the company. this responsibility cannot be taken lightly and should motivate you as much as possible. Although I haven’t had prior formal manager training, I share some of the best leadership lessons I’ve learned that have attributed to success in my first shot at management. Regardless of company or job function, these tips can act as building blocks that get you off on the right foot during this amazing next step in your career.

1. Understand the work for your team, not the other way around

Being a manager is about your team, not you. The irony of transitioning to manager is that the focus you had on your own success, which likely resulted in you being a top performer and getting promoted, now needs to be completely prepared. It is paramount to transfer any “me firrst” attitude you previously had to one of servant leadership. You’ll be a much more effective manager when you empower your team instead of convincing them to empower you. Open up your schedule whenever they need you, jump into the trenches to solve problems with them and never make them feel like they’re being a burden. Once upon a time, you were trying to impress your boss, too. Realize that desire is innate in most employees. No need to remind them of it by setting up awkward power dynamics when a two-way street will take you further. My Recommendation: Study servant leadership, and apply it to your own methodology early on to build authentic relationships with your team. Foster a sense that you are a resource they can leverage to make their lives easier.

2. Make their problems your problems

Whether it’s on-the-job skills, past experiences, or influence within the company, individuals on your team will not always have the ability to solve their own problems. That’s why you’re here. As soon as someone voices a concern or, better yet, you identify a problem before they do, finding a solution should rise towards the top of your to-do list. The longer it sits with the employee, the larger it becomes. You don’t want them to feel they’re alone with it. Put yourself in the employee’s shoes. Raising an issue is already difficult enough, as most people fear being labeled a complainer. Not only that, but after it happens, many managers can get distracted by other work. Meanwhile, it’s interfering with the employee’s productivity and, depending on the severity, they might even take it home with them (i.e. vent to family/friends). It’s on you to give them confidence that you have their back. They will appreciate it when you take everything as seriously as they do. Helping them overcome obstacles will strengthen your bond and you’ll earn their respect in the process.

3. Allow people to make mistakes and respect their skillset

Nobody enjoys working with a micromanager. When you jump from employee to manager, it’s tempting to push your team to do their work exactly the way you did it when you were in the role. Fight this temptation at all costs. A survey by tells us that more than half of employees claim respect for their knowledge and expertise is what they expect most from their leader. Your team will flourish when you demonstrate a true understanding of their skills and play to them accordingly. What you’ll soon find out is that there is a ton of room for mistakes in most situations. The concept of psychological safety in the workplace is signicant. If you keep shooting down an employee’s ideas and showing distrust in their abilities, they will eventually stop trying. Instead of crushing their momentum, elevate their sense of ownership and watch them flourish as they experiment with their ideas. Believe it or not, the people you manage can even be more knowledgeable about certain areas than you are. Relax. It means you have a good team and that should excite you, not scare you.

4. Give credit, take blame

Part of leadership is asking “What could I do differently?” instead of forcing that question onto someone else. Most errors a team makes could have been avoided if the leader gave better direction or training. If you expect any pats on the back when your team succeeds, it’s only fair to accept the blame when they mess up. On the bright side, when you look in the mirror as opposed to pointing the finger, you’ll find that people are far more comfortable and driven to do their best work. This mentality doesn’t only apply to your team but even other departments they collaborate with. Reflect on how you can better execute as a manager to ensure your team sticks to the right plan as they interact with other functions.

5. Act as a role model

When you lead a group of people, they become a reflection of you. Now that you’re a manager, your demeanor is under a microscope. Any bad practices you had as an employee will not be the same as a manager. Hypocrisy is detrimental for obvious reasons. A “do as I say, not as I do” approach will only damage your team. Either employees will not take you seriously, or they will pick up your terrible habits for themselves. Expect your team to monitor your actions and use them to dictate their own approach to the job. The traits and culture you want in your team need to be exhibited by you first. Grab this influence as a way to guide your team. Adjusting poor behavior after it’s already rampant in your team is borderline impossible. .

Conclusion

There is a ton that can be expanded upon from here, both specific to your job function and more generally speaking (e.g. giving employees feedback, running effective meetings, creating development plans). People write whole books on these topics. Again, this story should be a decent starting point for you to work from. I do have a few last bits of advice. Never stop improving: You’ve worked hard to get to where you are, but the real work is just beginning.

Search for new strategies, and actively solicit feedback from your team and peers. Don’t beat yourself up when you make mistakes: If your heart is in the right place and you learn from them, the big picture will remain unchanged.