Advice for first-time managers

I mentor first-time managers. Recently, one of my mentees asked about a path to becoming a good manager. I asked a question back: “What do you think makes a good manager?” She shared some great points:

The definition of a good manager can be different for different people.

Yes! To become an effective people leader, one has to realise that every person on the team has different needs and expectations.

A good manager should be approachable and friendly.

Of course. What’s the use of a manager who has no time for you or whom you are avoiding because every conversation is stressful?

They should foster team spirit and collaboration. They should make sure team members are aware of what others are working on. A good manager should set clear expectations and define responsibilities. A good manager should make sure there is a bit of fun at work.

I would not have said it better.

A good manager is like an umbrella. You feel protected from chaos and company “politics”. A good manager clears the field for you so that you can do your job without interruptions.

I pushed back on this last point. “If your manager becomes a shield and does not expose you to the challenges they have to deal with, what happens when they leave?”

It’s a disaster. It happened to me. I was happy working with a “protective” manager, but when he left, I did not know where to start. It was a shit show and a lot of stress.

Exactly.

As first-time managers our initial instinct is to protect “the herd”. This feeling can be stronger if you ever worked with a “protective” manager and back then it felt good. It does feel good when your manager has a big umbrella always open over your head. It never rains.

But remember what happens when this protection disappears. Not only does it rain. It pours. You do not understand the complexity of the world outside of your immediate team. You are not ready to have a conversation with your manager’s manager or an executive sponsor. You are not able to face the reality that you are not familiar with.

As managers, we are not superheroes. Our role is not to lock the team in a castle and protect them from the hostile world. As managers, we are teachers. Our role is to empower our people to become independent and ready to face challenges. With or without us by their side.

Here comes the paradox: the biggest success of a manager is when they are no longer needed to manage.

Think about how you can make yourself redundant. Think about how you can empower your team. Show them how to find the right path, without an umbrella over their heads. Even if it pours.

Photo by Matt Heaton on Unsplash