Top 4 Tips For New Managers: (The First Time Manager Tips)
Are you a first time manager? If you have ever wondered what some management tips are for new managers, this article is for you.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years working in management, it is that employees never quit for a job. They quit because of management.
I know this because I used to be that employee. I was also that manager.
Everyone you have ever worked with, whether it is a sports team, other employees at work, or a collective group of other people fighting for a cause, there will all the time be someone to help that team along the way. road.
That person is you.
There’s nothing worse than a hostile work environment that you hate to be a part of, and we have all honestly been there.
But whose job is it to make sure that employees want to come to work every day? To enjoy what they do?
To not must worry about Jane in accounting wishing she could quit but survive only for the money? That’s the Manager’s job.
My goal for you is that by the end of this strategy guide, you’ll have the mandatory skills to carry your team to the ultimate goal, and make it across the finish line, while respecting one another, and those around you.
That all being said, there is a reason why you decided to read this article today, and that I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
These first-time tips for managers can be used anywhere, particularly in the workplace, and so long as you apply them to your daily life, you can be the differentiator your employees need.
Let’s get all the way down to business.
Top 4 Management Tips For New Managers:
1. Know Your Team
Every expert knows their business inside and out.
They know the tools they use, and how to use them with infinite precision. As a Manager, or Team Leader, you are skilled in the art of leading people, and your team is your tool.
You need to ensure you know every little detail about your tool so that you can use it effectively, otherwise, like any other tool (drill, hammer, screwdriver, etc.) your employees will grow dull, and burn out.
When that happens they will be less willing to get the job done.
One of the most vital things a Manager forgets to do when first in command is get to know their team.
I’ve seen too many times that a new Manager takes over a team and instantly starts forming opinions about employees based solely on what the rest of the team says about them.
Remember when you start working with a new team, some of them may want to burden you with gossip about other employees so they can begin to put you on “their side.”
This will benefit nobody, particularly you.
As a Manager, you need to ensure to make a conscious effort to get to know each of your employees.
Find out what makes them tick.
Watch them and learn what their strengths and weaknesses are. Find out what drives them, and what might hold them back.
This may sound easy, and it’s.
But that requires you to have keen eyes and ears. Most employees won’t ever tell you what is bothering them, or whether or not they’re bothered at all.
A great way to make sure you are engaging effectively with your team is to have regular one-on-one meetings with them, and assess their performance.
You shouldn’t only ask them questions about how they’re feeling, but make sure to compliment them on things they do well at work.
This is probably one of the most vital steps that many managers seem to forget.
2. Create a Roadmap
There’s nothing worse than being thrown into a situation entirely blindsided, with no idea where to go or what to do.
As a new Manager, it’s important for you to understand the importance of setting clear and concise goals for your employees, and laying out concrete plans that they haven’t got to think twice about.
I’ve received blind instructions as an employee, and there is nothing more frustrating than your boss criticizing your work because it isn’t “As they imagined it would be,” despite no prior instructions.
First of all you want to ensure that YOU understand the goals you want to accomplish, and that you have a clear understanding of how to accomplish them yourself.
After all, if you do not know the way, how can you give others the right direction?
Some ways I’ve found useful to do this are by writing notes, making a “mind map” by writing your goals in the center of the paper, and connecting thoughts & ideas with them through lines drawn from the center.
I also find it helpful to record yourself talking out loud about ideas and plans while recording to a device for playback.
In the age of technology, you should have the ability to do this with the push of a button on your smartphone or tablet.
Even computers have recording options 90% of the time.
Once you are clear with yourself what your end goal is, be ready to present it to your team.
Remember, when you present your plan, make sure to be as clear as possible about what the main goals are.
This can be done by giving flyers to employees with pictures & an overview of goals, or perhaps a “class” style presentation if possible.
Making sure they clearly understand what the end goal is, means less chance of mistakes happening along the way.
Now that they’ve a complete understanding of what the goal is, I suggest asking them questions.
You have already got them in your head about how to accomplish your goals, but they may have insights that you have not thought of.
By asking them how they plan to accomplish their goals, you can make sure that they’re on the right track, whether through the ideas you come up with or the ideas they come up with.
Now you have created a roadmap.
You have given your employees a starting point, an end goal, and a path to get there.
This ensures a smooth process for you and your employees, and will offer you peace of mind that they can complete tasks smoothly, and without errors.
3. Give Feedback
This is quite possibly one of the most vital things for a new Manager to remember.
Throughout the process, and after your team achieves goals, make sure to provide employees with feedback on their performance.
This is a very important part because it reminds employees that you care about their work, and that you’re grateful for their help.
Remember they’re people too, and you are all on the same team so make sure to treat them as partners, and not just cogs in a machine.
When an employee communicates a problem to you, it’s your job as coach to make sure that you provide them with constructive feedback on how to fix the problem, how they can improve their performance, or how well they’re doing the job.
Be sure to convince your employees (1) and keep your message as positive as possible, but do not be afraid to hold back if something needs fixing.
You must all the time be honest with your employees, as you expect them to be.
Make sure when you give them feedback you remember to:
- Precise & Precise
- Give Example
- Don’t Sugar Coat
- Tell and Show them how it should be done if done wrong.
Remember that when all is claimed and done, and goals are achieved, give credit where it is needed.
Constructive criticism is just constructive if it helps them become better, and achieve their original goals.
Let them know that you’re paying attention, and that they’re using your critique properly.
4. Listen & Understand
Managers are often so busy with what they’re doing, that they don’t pay attention to what is going on on the front lines.
This is essential for any Manager because if you can’t identify what’s going on with your team then how can you expect to fix it.
Quite a lot of this boils all the way down to the easy task of listening.
The main thing to remember here is that Listening and Hearing aren’t the same thing.
Listening is the process of absorbing the information that’s presented to you, and really processing it so that you can come up with an clever response.
This will lead to a real understanding of what’s going on.
So many employees out there tell me, “My manager doesn’t listen to my problems,” or “They said they would fix it, but when I checked back with them, they forgot.”
That’s an example of Managers hearing what they’ve to say, but not really listening.
If they listened, they would bring up the matter rather than putting it on the back burner.
The best way to ensure your employees know you understand what they’ve to say, is to relay the problem back to them, devise a plan for dealing with it, and make sure to get back to them after the fact so you can ensure everything goes smoothly.
Problems amongst your team will ultimately lead to poor morale, and an absence of motivation to do well (2).
Therefore, it’s important that you’re all the time aware of what’s going on amongst your employees and listen when they come to you with a problem.
Final Thoughts
While this may not be a novel, my hope for you is that you take these steps,
and apply it to your management style. Let’s recap:
- Get to know your team. There’s nothing worse than a Manager who does not know anything about his employees.
- Set clear and concise goals for your team, and work with them so they understand how to accomplish them properly.
- Give them feedback during and after the process to ensure everything is running smoothly, and provide them credit for doing a good job when necessary.
- Listen. Listen. Listen. Employees want to know that their boss is listening to them when they’ve a problem. Be sure to reassure them that you understand the problem, devise a plan to fix it, and follow through.
Making sure you follow these easy steps will make sure that your team operates like a well-oiled machine, with fewer interruptions along the way.
Remember you’re a team, you are on the same side and have the same goals, so ensure you all work together.
Thanks for reading this article on management tips for new managers and I actually hope you take action on my advice.
I wish you good luck and that I hope that its content has been a good help to you.