Promoted to Manager: The 3 Questions You Must Answer

What to Do Once You Are Promoted to Manager
Congratulations — the red balloon is yours! You’ve earned your promotion, and now your success is tied directly to the performance of your team. Research from people manager assessments shows that most new managers face significant challenges in the months following a promotion, often because the skills that got them promoted aren’t the same ones that make them effective leaders.

Do Not Wait — Be Proactive
The transition to management can feel isolating, and the stakes are high. If you haven’t had formal new manager training, don’t wait for someone to hand you a roadmap. Take initiative by seeking out knowledge, observing successful leaders, and identifying the new manager skills you need to develop immediately. Your early actions set the tone for your leadership credibility and influence.

Seek Guidance and Build Your Network
Don’t hesitate to ask for advice from experienced managers you trust. Mentors, former bosses, or even peers who have navigated similar transitions can offer insight and perspective that textbooks cannot. At the same time, take ownership of your development — prioritize your tasks, clarify expectations, and chart a path for both your growth and your team’s success.

Three New Manager Questions You Need to Answer as Soon as Possible
Based upon management training program data over 25 years, make sure that your new mangers can confidently and competently answer these fundamental questions.

1. What is Most Important from the Onset?
   A good start is often based upon clear expectations.  Our organizational alignment research found that strategic clarity accounts for 31% of the difference between high and low performing teams. Meet with your team and set up one-on-one meetings to learn about who they are on both a personal and professional basis.

   Then plan what is most critical to accomplish in the first 30-, 60-, and 90-days for you and your team.  Identify one or two key areas where you can make a tangible impact quickly. Early successes build confidence, demonstrate your capability to your team, and help establish the norms and expectations you want to set.

2. Who Is Be Most Critical to Success?
   Plan to meet with the stakeholders in the organization upon whom you will depend upon for resources, support, and collaboration.  Your key stakeholders are those individuals and groups who have a direct impact on the success of your team.  For each stakeholder, identify what they need from you, what you need from them, how success will be measured, and if there are any barriers to success.
3. What Are the Current Gaps and How Can You Fill Them?
   Increase your self awareness as a new manager.  Get help to identify your strengths and weaknesses as a manager and those of your team in areas like communicating, decision making, allocating resources, managing change, solving problems, managing projects, and making business presentations.  Then have a clear plan to play to strengths while augmenting and improving weaknesses.

   Do not underestimate this step.  Poor management transitions create poor new managers.

The Bottom Line
Being promoted to manager is just the beginning — your success now depends on how quickly and effectively you adapt to leading others. Proactive learning, building a support network, and clarifying expectations for yourself, your team, and your stakeholders are critical. The choices you make in these first months will shape your credibility, influence, and long-term impact as a leader.

To learn more about how to succeed after being promoted to manager, download The Top 6 Management Best Practices that Make the Difference Between Effective and Extraordinary