Starting a new job can be a challenge. You have to learn about the new company, find your way into the company culture, meet new co-workers, and deal with a whole new set of professional issues and problems. However, one thing that can make a new job even harder is taking on a role you’ve never filled before, like that of a manager. So to ensure that you have a good experience with this and are taken seriously with both your male and female direct reports, here are three tips for crushing your first managerial job.
Meet One-On-One With Direct Reports
To be an effective manager, you first have to know the people that you’re managing. One great way to do this, according to Craig Cincotta, a contributor to Entrepreneur.com, is to hold one-on-one interviews with your direct reports. When you do this, you can get to know them both personally and professionally as well as find out more about your department and how to make it better. This is also a great venue to talk about what the employees can do to improve as well as what your team as a whole should be focusing on.
Steer Clear of Micromanaging
If this is your first time taking the reins of a team, you may have previously been used to doing a lot of the work and being down in the trenches when it came to accomplishing projects. But now that you’re a manager, you’ll have to trust those that you’re working with to get the work done. While you should be leading and directing your team, Melissa Lamson, a contributor to Inc.com, warns against micromanaging. When you micromanage your team, not only do you not allow them to do the job they were hired for, but your subconscious tell your team that you don’t trust them to get the work done appropriately. As long as you have the right people working for you, you shouldn’t need to micromanage your team.
Find Someone You Can Turn To
While you’re likely working closest with the members of your team on a daily basis, you still need to make sure that you’re seen as their manager and not necessarily their friend. Instead, Adrian Granzella Larssen, a contributor to The Muse, suggests that you find a mentor that you can talk to and confide in. Ideally, this will be someone who has had a position similar to yours before and that you can ask for advice and counsel when you’re stuck. While this might be your boss or something else within your organization, it’s perfectly fine for this to be someone else entirely.
If you’re about to become a manager for the first time, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you start off on the right foot.
