How New Managers Can Help Their Teams Succeed: Just Ask

How Can New Managers Help Direct Reports to Succeed?
We know from people manager assessment center data that stepping into a new leadership role means balancing expectations, relationships, and results — all while trying to prove that you belong. Yet the most powerful leadership skill doesn’t come from having all the answers. It comes from knowing how to ask the right questions.  The best way new managers can help their teams succeed: Just Ask.

It is a simple, yet powerful concept.  Rather than assuming, directing, or overexplaining, great managers practice curiosity. They ask questions that uncover motivation, remove barriers, and build trust. The result? A stronger, more engaged, and more capable team.

You’d be surprised how many new manager training participants are afraid to not only get feedback from their direct reports but also to ask them how they can best help them to succeed — personally and professionally.

Being a New Manager is Not Easy
Going from counting on yourself to having to rely on others can be a big change.  Letting go of your ego after you are promoted can also be tricky.  And because more companies are flattening their organizational structure to gain efficiencies, many managers have wider responsibility over more employees.

Managing Others is Getting Harder and is No Longer a One-way Street
Combine this with the fact that a stunning 81% of front-line managers report not being satisfied with their own performance, and it becomes pretty clear that the old-fashioned hierarchical style of management no longer works to get consistently high performance.

What To Do as a New Manager
So, back to our original question — how can new managers help their teams to succeed?  As a new manager, your success depends upon the success of those who report to you.  Because of this, often the first step learned in management development programs is to simply ask — “How can I best support you and your success?”

Put Your Ego Aside
Then be ready to put your ego aside as a new leader, truly listen to the answer, and to do something meaningful about it.  Asking questions works only if you listen deeply to the answers. Active listening builds psychological safety — the confidence that it’s safe to speak up, share ideas, and take risks.

Research by Harvard’s Amy Edmondson shows that teams with high psychological safety outperform others on innovation and learning. Listening is what transforms managerial questions into insight and insight into team action.

The key is not to be patronizing but to be sincere in your intention to help. At worst, you will have opened the door to future, frank communications. At best, there will be tangible steps you can take to help you and your team to succeed.

Four Types of Employees Who Need Your Help
Some new managers stay out of the way of their employees (especially when things are going well) because they don’t want to interfere or hover. While you do not want to micromanage your team, think about how welcome a gesture of support would feel to an employee who:

• Is struggling.
• Needs a morale boost.
• Feels underappreciated.
• Would welcome help in obtaining more resources to get the job done.

Four Steps to Take

1. Ask What Success Looks Like — for Them
   Every direct report defines success differently. When managers ask questions like “What does success look like for you this quarter?” or “What part of your work gives you the most energy?” they send a clear message: I see you. I care about your goals.

   According to research published in the Harvard Business Review, employees who feel their managers understand their goals are 3.5 times more engaged. These conversations create alignment between personal ambition and organizational strategy — fueling both motivation and accountability.

2. Ask How You Can Specifically Support Them
   It’s easy to assume you know what your team needs — but those assumptions can be wrong. Asking, “What do you need from me to be successful?” encourages honest communication about what’s working, what’s not, and where you can help.

   Gallup research shows employees who feel supported by their manager are 70% less likely to experience employee burnout. Support begins not with direction, but with curiosity.

3. Ask for Feedback—Early and Often
   Effective leaders invite feedback. Asking “How am I helping — or getting in your way?” builds trust and accelerates growth.

   A study by the Center for Creative Leadership found that leaders who actively seek feedback are rated far higher in overall effectiveness. For new managers, this is one of the fastest ways to build credibility and self-awareness.

4. Ask About the Future
   Too often, new managers focus on immediate deliverables. But career conversations — asking “Where do you see yourself in a year or two?” — signal genuine investment in employees’ futures.

   We know form organizational culture assessment data that these discussions strengthen engagement and retention while helping managers identify emerging talent. It’s a simple act with lasting impact.

The Bottom Line
New managers don’t need to have all the answers — they need curiosity, humility, and the courage to ask. When leaders replace assumptions with genuine inquiry, they help direct reports succeed and strengthen the trust that fuels performance. The best way to help your team grow? Just ask!

To learn more about being an effective manager, download 3 Must-Have Ingredients of High Performing Teams for Managers