How did you learn to manage your first team?
Mike Nash
4 replies
If your first manager role started like mine, your boss slid a promotion document across the table and said, "Congratulations, you're now a first-level manager. Good luck"
I didn't find good support as a new manager trying to navigate the jump from engineer to "engineer + people manager". Instead, it was a slog, lots of missteps, and eventually got easier with more experience. But developing the right soft skills, learning to better manage priorities, and simply being comfortable even 'being' a manager took time.
What advice would you give a new manager just starting in the role? If you could start over, how would you make yourself a great manager, faster?
Replies
Steven Birchall@stevenbirchall
My advice would be to try and get out of the weeds as quickly as you can.
I know for me, when I first started managing people, I made the mistake of trying to do everything expected as a manager (strategy, resource development, etc) as well continuing to do too much of the work I was doing before as an individual contributor.
It's not at all feasible and you are highly likely to burn yourself out. It also deprives someone else in your team the opportunity to step up and making your direct reports feel trusted and empowered is essential for long term success.
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@stevenbirchall did you have a mentor or any other help along the way? Or just lots of self reflection and personal learning?
Be humble - your team's performance is a reflection of you. For example, I used to be frustrated my team wasn't getting their work done, but it was because I wasn't clear on deadlines + didn't provide the necessary resources for them to do the work (had to be proactive and give the resources / check in regularly).
@jenniferentrylevel - yes, been there! I also ran into a related problem - I would talk with my team weekly about the bigger goals we were tracking to, trying to make sure we're on the same page, and then let the team figure out how to get there. The trouble I had was assuming everyone nodding their heads in a group setting was the same as everyone individually agreeing with the direction and path forward. Not always true!
This is why 1:1s are so critical - individuals need the space to share concerns, clarify, understand. Not everyone's comfortable speaking up in front of a larger group - but after a couple months of 'thinking' I was being perfectly clear and empowering the team to get the job done, it was pretty clear something else was wrong. But yes - check in regularly!