5 Management Tips for First-Time Managers

Becoming a manager is an exciting milestone, but it comes with its fair share of challenges as well. New responsibilities and regular contact with your direct reports can make things feel even more overwhelming. On top of that, managing your first team means not only learning about people, process, and systems but also making sure everyone in the department feels supported and valued. Here are some great tips if you’re just starting out as a manager for the first time.

Tips To Done Your Job As First Time Manager

Create a clear, specific goal for your first day

As a manager, you want to help your team grow, but you also want to set them up for success. You can’t do that if you yourself aren’t growing and learning. For example, if your goal for your first day is to help everyone make better decisions, you can start by helping facilitate a team meeting on your first day. At the meeting, discuss how everyone can help each other be more successful and productive. Then, make sure to follow up with each team member about what happened during the meeting. You can also try setting a goal for your first day that ties into your department’s larger goals. For example, if your department is trying to increase revenue, setting a goal to increase signups for a specific client is a great way to start your day. Of course, you don’t want to set too many goals on your first day as a manager. According to research, you should have between three and five specific, measurable goals for your first day as a manager.

Start the day with a quick team meeting.

As a manager, you’re responsible for helping your team be successful. That doesn’t happen, though, if you aren’t working with them every day. For example, if you start your day with a quick team meeting, you’ll help set the tone for the rest of the day. You’ll also make sure everyone knows what expectations and goals are for the day. During your team meeting, you can also talk about what the team has done well and how they can keep doing that. This will help your team maintain the momentum they’ve gained since the last team meeting. You can also use your team meeting to talk about any specific goals for the day. This will help ensure that everyone knows what’s expected of them throughout the day. If you have time, you can also try having a one-on-one meeting with a team member. This can help you get to know that person a bit better, while also helping the person get to know you a bit better.

Don’t micromanage; be there to support your team.

As a manager, you want to set your team up for success. That doesn’t happen, though, if you’re busy micromanaging them all day. A common mistake new managers make is trying to micromanage their team. This can be frustrating for your team members because it makes them feel like they aren’t being productive enough. Instead, try to set clear expectations and guidelines. This will help your team feel supported and motivated to be successful. Plus, if your team members aren’t micromanaging themselves, they’ll have more bandwidth to focus on their actual job. In addition, try to focus on helping your team be more successful than on checking off a list of tasks. That’s how most people feel pressured to check off their to-do list and get no work accomplished. To avoid checking off tasks, try to find ways to help your team members succeed. This way, you don’t feel like you’re just checking things off a to-do list. This doesn’t mean you have to stand back and let your team members fail, either. There are ways you can support your team members as a manager. This can include finding ways for your team members to practice and improve their skills.

Take a minute to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as a manager.

As a manager, you’re responsible for helping your team be successful. That doesn’t happen, though, if you aren’t growing and learning yourself. A good way to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as a manager is to think about your day and how things went. This way, you can see the areas where you need to do better. For example, if you had trouble facilitating a team meeting because you were running late, this is an example of where you need to do better. Another way to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as a manager is to make a to-do list. This way, you can see any areas where you need to do better. Make sure to add any areas where you feel like you need to improve, as well as any areas where you feel confident in your skills. This way, you’ll get a better picture of where you need to focus your career development.

Keep communication lines open.

As a manager, you’re responsible for helping your team be successful. That doesn’t happen, though, if you don’t keep communication lines open. One way to keep communication lines open as a manager is to make sure your team members know how to reach out to you. For example, if you’re the manager for a particular project, make sure your team members know how to reach you for questions and issues that need to be resolved. Another way to keep communication lines open as a manager is to make sure you’re speaking to your team members at least once a week. This isn’t just to check in with your team. This is to make sure they’re feeling supported and motivated. This is also a good time to check in and make sure your team members know what’s expected of them.

Wrap up

As a manager, you’re responsible for helping your team be successful. That doesn’t happen, though, if you aren’t growing and learning yourself. A good way to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as a manager is to make a to-do list. This way, you can see where you need to do better. Another way to keep communication lines open as a manager is to make sure you’re speaking to your team members at least once a week. This is also a good way to keep communication lines open with your team members. In addition, make sure to celebrate your team’s wins, celebrate your team’s milestones, and celebrate your team’s individual successes. This helps your team feel supported and valued as well as gives you an opportunity to recognize your team’s strengths and weaknesses. This is a great way to end your first day as a manager.