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!
