New Manager Tips to Go Slow to Go Fast

New Manager Tips to Go Slow to Go Fast
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What New Manager Tips Matter Most?
New manager tips should help to improve performance.  One thing we know from new manager training – new managers are often so eager to make their mark that they plan changes without enough forethought and thus undermine their success in managing their team before they even truly begin.

Go Slow to Go Fast
The best new leaders go slow to go fast. New managers need to move slowly with any changes…especially if they are inheriting a previous manager’s team. If they make too many changes too quickly, they could jeopardize their standing with the team, lose trust, and sabotage their dream of creating a good first impression.

A New Manager Example
This situation recently reared its ugly head at a global client who hired a new person to run their Asia Pacific Region. He seemed like a great hire, but he started making sweeping changes with broad assumptions before spending the time to learn the business, the organizational culture and the people. Although he had a great pedigree and high hopes, he was fired 60 days into the job. It was a real shame for him and for the organization.

Five New Manager Tips About What NOT to Do If You Want to Start Off on the Right Foot
Based upon thousands of new manager training participants here are some new manager tips based upon the most common mistakes new managers make which lead to delays in achieving their objectives. New managers error by:

1.  Criticizing the Previous Manager
It is not only poor form to place blame for problems on someone else, but it also ignores the loyalties that team members may have had for their previous leader. Until you understand the interpersonal landscape of your team and the problems they faced, focus on figuring out what needs to change and why to improve overall performance.

2.  Making Personnel Decisions before Assessing Actual Performance
You should not hold on to poor performers too long. If you do, you risk losing your high performers. We know that employee engagement suffers if poor performers are not held accountable and if good performers are not recognized. With that said, make sure that employees are clear about what is expected from them and where they stand before letting them go.

3.  Not Reaching Out for Help Early and Often
Smart new managers look for a coach or mentor who can help advise them along the way. Managing well is a very different challenge from succeeding as an individual contributor. Assess your own skills and match them up to what you know a good manager needs for the current strategy and organizational culture.

Do you know how to point the team in the right direction? How to create a high performance environment where people consistently perform at their peak? How to attract, develop, retain and engage top talent? If not, find a way to learn how. Participate in a proven, interactive program designed to train new managers for the job ahead.

4.  Ignoring the Forest for the Trees
New supervisors need to clearly understand what is being asked of their team and how they fit into the overall organization before they can assign roles and responsibilities. Get to know your team members on an individual basis so you have an understanding of what motivates them, what they like to do and where they hope to grow.

Start with the big picture strategy which includes the vision, mission and values of the organization as a whole, and then build your team’s culture to fit and assign your talent to the tasks which best suit them.

5.  Not Soliciting Input from the Team
Some new managers are reluctant to show what they don’t know. On the contrary, they would be wise to show a bit of humility and work with the team to design the step-by-step plan for achieving team goals. If you show respect for and confidence in your team’s abilities, you can earn their trust and begin to capitalize on what they do best.

The Bottom Line
New managers have a tough job. They often inherit a ready-made team and, along with it, problems that were never addressed and internal conflicts that need resolution. There may be much to repair. Our general New manager tips, however, are based on the idea of balancing stability and change. Take advantage of what you can learn from the existing team and move slowly to make improvements. Don’t rock the ship so that it takes on too much water!

To get more great new manager tips, download our Research-Backed Manager Toolkit Now

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