Things I wish I knew before becoming a new manager –

  • That my success depended on making my employees successful
  • My real job is to make sure my people have what they need to do their jobs
  • Coaching skills so I could “teach them to fish instead of giving them the fish”. A good manager asks the questions that helps folks think their way to the right answer.
  • That being a manager entails being part coach, part parent, part therapist, part teacher, part cheerleader, part actor and part politician. It’s one of the hardest jobs there is.
  • Most companies promote the best worker into a management role, but then don’t provide the support to learn how to do that. The skills are teachable.
  • Sometimes companies make decisions that make no sense and you’ll have to get your team to buy-in
  • A leader without followers is just a person taking a walk

My toolkit for first time managers includes:

  • DISC – to understand different communication preferences and know how to adjust yours
  • Coaching Skills for People Leaders – how to get results with and through people without triggering their reptilian brains
  • How do give actionable, constructive feedback
  • Work/Life Integration
  • Goal setting best practices
  • Accountability techniques
  • People management best practices – from one page plans to one-on-one status meetings, to how to deliver a performance review, etc.
  • HR fundamentals
  • Creating development plans for yourself and your people
  • How to budget and create your annual plan

Hope this helps!