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First Time Manager: It’s not just about you anymore

Being promoted into your first management position is exciting. Suddenly, you have the opportunity to move up the organizational ladder and do some of the things that you’ve always wanted to do. The resources to act on your good ideas are now at your disposal. But being a new manager also brings a whole new set of responsibilities.

New managers need to identify the challenges they face during an often difficult first year. Three things—getting comfortable with being a beginner again, scoring some early wins, and learning how to ask for help—can make the transition smoother.

Madeleine Homan, cofounder of Coaching Services for The Ken Blanchard Companies says that the biggest challenge for new managers is making the shift from a self-oriented focus, to one that is more focused on others. As Homan explains, “The biggest challenge is going from a kind of mono-focused work life where all you had to think about was yourself and your daily task list and moving to a world view that is so much broader.”

Being a manager is a big job and it requires a vastly enlarged focus—one that extends beyond your own self interests. Now, instead of being focused only on getting your own tasks done, you have to shift your focus to helping others get their work done.

As Homan explains further, “It encompasses not only everyone on your team, but other business areas. And not only your boss, but other people's bosses as well. And it includes how your team or your area or your business unit is affecting other business units.

“So it's not just a little incremental step, it's a leap to another planet.”

Being a Beginner—Again

One of the things that Homan reminds new managers about is that it is ok to feel overwhelmed. After all, it’s completely normal when you’re faced with a large task that you haven’t done before. What’s important, according to Homan, is how first-time managers respond to this feeling.

In her experience coaching new managers, Homan has seen people respond in substantially different ways. In some cases, managers work through the pain and discomfort of taking on a new position, taking the time to learn new skills, being willing to make mistakes, and continuing to expand their knowledge. In other cases, Homan has seen managers retreat into their comfort areas, focusing on the skills they developed in their earlier position and not really stepping into their new role as a manager.

As she explains, “People are often promoted not because they have demonstrated any kind of particular management skill, but because they have demonstrated extreme competence in their roles as individual contributors. Too often what new managers do is just continue to do what they did really well—which is not what’s needed in their new role.

“For some people this can be a real challenge because the exact thing that's made them successful is the thing they have to let go of. All of the things that they need to be doing now as a manager are brand-new, and they are going to have to go back to being a beginner.”

Action Steps for New Managers

To help managers lean into the discomfort of being a beginner again, Homan recommends that new managers begin by recognizing that they may need to mourn and let go of feeling competent.

This can be especially challenging when a new manager finds themselves trying to establish credibility with direct reports who used to be peers. As Homan explains, “These new managers have to live in the discomfort of knowing that they have no idea what they are doing, and also knowing that there are people who report to them who also know that they don't know what they're doing.”

To help with building competence Homan suggests that new managers identify an early win. Something that they can do that is not based on their previous competence as an individual contributor, but is part of their new managerial role that they have some skill at. Finding something early in the first six or eight weeks will boost a new manager’s confidence and earn some credibility and respect from their people.

Homan’s final recommendation is to get a mentor. As she explains, “Beg, borrow, steal, hunt people down—not your boss—but someone who is either a peer and has been a manager for a reasonable amount of time, or someone who is at your boss’ level that you might have a relationship with or you might have something in common with.”

The new manager’s goal is to find someone who can help them understand how things get done around their particular organization and can show them the ropes or act as a sounding board. The job of any manager is to make things happen for the best interests of the organization, the people it serves, and the people who work for it. Find someone who can help you. Take them to lunch, bring them coffee, ask questions and listen to the answers. After all, it’s not just about you any more.

Would you like to learn more about successfully navigating first-year management?

Listen to a free archived webinar on Survival Skills for First-Year Managers.

Transitioning into a management role for the first time does not need to be complicated. But it does require a change in focus, some planning, and the development of new skills.

That’s because management requires a focus on others and on helping other people to do their tasks. Your job as manager is to get the best from the people you manage. The measure of how well you’re doing as a manager is how well each individual on your team performs, especially when you aren’t around.

In this seminar, Master Certified Coach and cofounder of Coaching Services Madeleine Homan will show you how a focus on both people and results is the best way to create an environment that results in individual growth, purposeful action, and sustained improvement.

As a new manager, you need to create and maintain relationships, set new boundaries, and establish your credibility. Don’t miss this opportunity to develop your management skills. It’s the best way to help accelerate others toward a higher level of performance.

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