The Most Important Things a New Manager Should Know

Last updated: October 21, 2021
Estimated reading time: 4 min

A reader asked us:

“I’m a brand-new manager, and I want to be great at it. I’m readingyour book, but I wonder what the absolute most important things are for me to know as I get started?”

The most significant change you need to embrace as a manager is that your success in your role is no longer about what you can get done on your own; now, it’s about what you achieve with and through other people. That takes a whole different set of skills and mindsets.

While we can’t sum up everything managers should know in a single article, we can tell you thateffective managers为他们的团队创造公平、可持续地取得好成绩的条件。他们通过建立牢固的关系、设定雄心勃勃的目标、发展高效的团队、寻求意见和给出明确的反馈来支持团队取得成功。

Here are five things new managers should keep in mind:

1. Make it your priority to build and cultivate relationships.

As a new manager, you are responsible for creating and shaping an environment where people—and the work—can thrive. This starts with building supportive relationships where you 1) inspire authenticity, 2) build trust, 3) navigate power, and 4) generate a sense of shared purpose. When you combine thesefour relationship-building competencies, you show people they can count on you, turn differences or conflicts into learning opportunities, and lay the groundwork for greater equity, sustainability, and results.

2. Get aligned with your team on what success looks like.

作为管理者，为你的团队设定目标是你能做的最重要的事情之一。当你清晰地描绘出一幅成功的画面时，你就可以把真正的重量和所有权交给你的团队成员，这就灌输了一种共同的目标感和完成伟大成果的动力。想想你不用事事亲力亲为的时候能完成什么。Usestrong, clear goalsto measure progress and guide staff performance and development.

3. Invest in developing your team.

The makeup of your team has an enormous impact on your ability to advance equity, sustain the work, and get results, so be proactive about shaping it. Put significant energy into hiring, retaining, and developing people all the time—not just when you have a vacancy or onboard a new staff member. This includeshiring wellfrom the start,setting people up for successwith clear role expectations and coaching, andhandling performance problemsproactively.

4. Guide more, and do less.

If you’re like most managers we work with, you probably need to spend more time guiding and less time doing. Invest your time inaligning on expectationsfor the outcomes and process. Then, be proactive aboutchecking in关于进展以及通过汇报建立问责制和反思机会。Remember thatseeking feedbackandgiving feedbackare both critical parts of an effective manager-staff relationship. Ask questions. Tell people what’s going well, and be forthright when things should be going differently. Be kind and direct.

If you do this well, you can be less in the mix when it comes to actually doing the work, which is the whole point of managing a team: to get more done than you would on your own.

5. Own your authority.

Even the most experienced managers feelimposter syndromesometimes, especially when we have faced significant bias at work and in the world. As you seek input and offer guidance, show curiosity and humility, but don’t hide the ball when you’re exercising authority. It’snotalways your job to know the answers, but it is your job to find solutions, bring your expertise, and be decisive. Be transparent about your decisions (especially the tough ones) and share your rationale. Mitigate your own defensiveness and own your mistakes. Be clear about when you’re delegating an assignment and, above all, treat your staff with dignity and respect, even during the toughest moments, like letting someone go.

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