First time manager role

[SweetPeaPods]

I am starting a new job in a couple of weeks. I will be managing a small team for the first time. I really want to get off on the right foot. The company are going to support me with some management training but that could take come time.
I wondered if anyone had any dos and don’t, or anything they would be able to share from their experience?
Sounds like the company is going through a period of lots of changes so I’m conscious I may be the middle person between top and bottom and get all the grievances initially.

Don’t try to be chummy
Work the hardest of the team - set a good example
Listen to them, genuinely listen

Good advice above. I would add, consider your own previous experiences of being managed. What motivated you to work your best? What didn't? Who did you admire and why?

Remember praising means a lot. Some managers just dont bother. There are tons of useful books that are helpful too.

My top tips

• Be the manager you would like to manage you
• Listen to your team, be open as much as you can.
• You will not know every answer, be honest work it out together.
• If you respect them, they will respect you
• The buck stops with you (unless gross misconduct)
• You can be friendly but remember you don't need to be their best friend nor do you want to blur boundaries.
• I personally feel I have responsibility for my staff to ensure they have the tools to do the job, develop and grow as individuals. I do not molly coddle, micro manage, I expect them to get on with the job, figure things out and grow as they do. It is important for me that my team can take the skills they learn and work anywhere and support their families.

By yourself, you deserve this and have worked for it.
First you learn to manage, your team the day to day business and then suddenly you find you can be a leader - strategize, big picture, road map. It comes but not over night.

Look at managers you admire.
Best of luck

These are all really good answers so far!! I would add:

-treat people how you want to be treated

if you’re having a bad day, that’s nothing to do with your team and they shouldn’t know about it really (used to have a manager who was in a bad mood every single Monday and a total atmosphere hung over the office because of it!)

don’t ask your team to do something that you wouldn’t be willing to do

show them your work ethic, you’re setting the example for them

a little bit of goodwill goes a long way

foster a culture where it is ok to admit to not knowing something - you will always find a way to find out the answer but it’s important to demonstrate that it’s ok to not know, or not be sure.

and enjoy it!! I really enjoy managing people and I get a lot out of it (and I put a lot into it!) but it can very fulfilling.

i always think that part of a managers job is to prepare each team member for their next job. People should not apologise for being ambitious, and if you can help them to access skills that help them move on and up, that’s great!!

Get the basics right, and prioritise them. Dont guess stuff, be ok with saying you don’t know or cant confirm and will get back with a confirmed response.

Assume theres a system, policy or procedure for pretty much everything until confirmed otherwise. Easier that way then finding you haven’t been going through correct approval processes for months because you didn’t know the existed.

Know your delegation of authority eg. Can you approve leave, budget, expenses, bonuses, pay rises, sickness etc.

Find out who your HR contact is in the first couple of days. Set up regular check ins with them. That will help you stay right on the basics. Keep a list of questions running for them in between those check ins. Ask them to do you an intro session on relevant processes and systems.

set up regular 1:1s with your team. Ensure each person has clear objectives, they know what they are and you know what they are. Get some kind of handover on any relevant matters for each team member (performance issues, promised development, pay reviews etc).

All the other stuff is style and personality customising. That’s all important, but cant make up for not getting the core line management stuff right. Without that foundation everything else flounders.

Really helpful stuff thank you.

Really recommend the one minute manager books. V short but brilliant. Sign up to the businessballs website. Excellent resources. Good luck!

Remember their children/ partner / dogs name but don’t discuss too much of your own personal life with them.
with moaners ask them how they would like how to solve the issue. Don’t always be one to problem solve. Don’t ever ever ever gossip or even discuss one team member with another and never give impression you prefer one person to another. Keep absolutely neutral in any conflict

Learn to say no. Be fair but firm. Do not tolerate poor performance - nothing pissed off a team more if they see one person shirking/ doing a poor job and the manager letting it slide and the rest of the staff needing to pick up the slack.

Never shout.
you are there to manage not order.

Avoid being patronising- never refer to your team as subordinates.

respect goes both ways.