7 Mistakes First-time Team Managers Must Avoid

Getting promoted isn’t all fun and games. With an increase in salary and benefits and a more prestigious role comes added expectations. As that memorable line from a famous movie goes: “[W]ith great power comes great responsibility.”

Yes, those privileged enough to be rewarded for their hard work with that proverbial climb to the corporate ladder gain more power. But they will have to deliver more than they ever have, too. Case in point: One of the most common tasks linked to a promotion is people management.

The phrase might sound innocuous. But if you have stayed in a strictly structured working office environment long enough, you would know that people management is one of the most challenging duties one could ever assume. The task entails being in control of a team, without coming off as controlling.

If you are assigned managerial duties, the first order of business is avoiding the common mistakes first-time managers commit. And the first mistake you could commit as a manager is assuming you know everything. Accept the fact that you have a lot to still learn and take it from there. Once you’ve opened yourself up to new insights, consider the following blunders and why you should avoid them.

 

7 Must-avoid Mistakes for First-time Team Managers

 

1. Asserting Your Authority Too Strongly

 

Follow your instinct, they say. In most instances, that aphorism might apply. But if you’re a newbie manager and your first instinct is to strongly assert your authority so everyone knows who’s the boss, that instinct is better turned off.

 

Your team expects guidance and leadership in a business environment. If those manifest organically from you, there’s no need to be authoritative. Instead, you can opt to be collaborative. The latter is where you let everyone shine in their respective duties and expertise, while you act as a sort of lighthouse leading everyone in the right direction.

 

2. Zero Delegation

 

This is the exact opposite of strongly asserting one’s authority—and it’s just as problematic.

 

Novice managers commit this mistake due to either of two reasons. The first reason is they do not want to upset their staff. Instead of delegating tasks that their staff might frown upon, they’d rather do the job themselves. The second reason is they do not trust their staff to come up with an output that’s up to their standard. Both of these reasons will work against you in the long run.

 

Remember that your job is to supervise and when needed, coach. Train if you must. You cannot do away with the art of delegation, which is a barometer of a good leader.

 

3. Perfectionism

 

It’s understandable if you want to prove your worth as a new manager. It’s valid to feel that to gain the respect and confidence of both your staff and superiors, you need to keep everything running smoothly. However, that’s not always possible. Expect glitches to happen. When they do, troubleshoot accordingly.

 

Troubleshooting is integral to people management. If one of your staff under-delivers, you must be ready to come up with ways to right the wrong. While it’s recommended to be proactive at all times, it can be detrimental to aim for perfection. Instead, always be prepared for contingencies.

 

4. Failure to Offer Feedback

 

It’s normal for newbie managers to fall short here. After all, giving feedback was never part of their job before getting promoted. It takes some time to adjust to the task. In fact, for some, it might feel a little awkward. However, there’s no getting around it.

 

If you keep postponing giving feedback, your team members won’t know their growth opportunities. Meanwhile, you are left with underperforming staff. With that said, seize every opportunity for a coaching and feedback session. Initiate team engagement activities, too. The goal is to encourage open communication among your team.

 

5. Not Establishing Boundaries

 

It’s human nature to want to be liked and appreciated, and first-time managers usually fall into this trap. They wrongly assume that being liked is the same as being respected. That cannot be farther from the truth. You cannot chum your way to becoming an effective leader. Even if you feel like you’re friends with all the team members, that won’t translate to them acknowledging your integrity at work.

 

If you want to establish integrity, there’s no other way but to consistently do a good job. Furthermore, it might be in your best interest to keep things professional as much as you can.

 

6. Indecision

 

Your subordinates smell fear. They know if you’re ill at ease with your responsibilities and the decisions you have to make. Indecision is a grave mistake you might commit early on, which will set the tone for the rest of your stint as a manager. It matters to avoid this blunder with conviction. That is if you want to communicate to your team that you know exactly what you’re doing.

 

On top of affecting how your team members will regard you as a manager, indecision has more crucial consequences, too. For instance, you might end up with failed projects because you couldn’t decide how to go about them.

 

7. Focusing on Details

 

When you excessively focus on details, you become a micromanager. That’s one of the surest ways to turn off your subordinates. Micromanagement is counterproductive to your organization’s drive to improve employee retention. And if you’re not contributing to that cause, you’re failing as a leader.

 

Instead of zeroing on details, focus on goals. Prioritize output. Regardless of how they were completed, the important thing is your staff has achievements to show for all the hours they spent at work. In the end, your job boils down to ensuring that objectives are met, regardless of the details that went into their accomplishment.

 

Wrapping Up for First-Time Managers

Sure, people management can be a daunting task. But it’s possible to make the role more manageable, even for novices. The key is to avoid the mistakes typically committed by those who came before you, which you do not quickly learn from any leadership or management course; instead, experience takes the take. 

Start on the right foot by getting things right the first time. Avoid the managerial blunders listed above at all costs.

On top of gaffe avoidance, commit to excellent managerial practices. Be consistent in your managerial style, and before you know it, you’ve gained everyone’s trust enough to make work light and pleasant.

Remember that people management boils down to human relations. Treat those under you the way you want to be treated by your superiors. Think of that as the golden rule of managing people. When you fall short, own it up and vow to do better. Lastly, never forget you’re not just in charge of a team; you are a part of it.