One day you find out that you get promoted. You are a manager now! Although, is it as easy as it seems from the first look? Let’s take a look at some common mistakes that freshly promoted managers make.
I know everything!
If you just got promoted to become a production manager, you may think that you know all about the production. Even if it is so, you probably are not so familiar with the main thing here which is managing people. Listen to people around you. Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions. Be open to cooperation.
I’m the boss here!
Believe me; everybody knows who their new manager is. You don’t have to throw a fancy presentation on occasion of your promotion. In contrary, you need to show your colleagues that you are different from the previous manager and that you are better.
I’ll alter everything to my taste!
Don’t change a working mechanism only because you would have built it differently. If it works and brings the company good profit, keep it this way and don’t try to make everything how you like it.
I’m afraid of actions
Maybe you didn’t ask for this promotion. Or you are not entirely sure that you can cope with responsibilities. Don’t let these thoughts to get on your way of working your best and showing people all you’ve got. Remember that your bosses wouldn’t put you in this position if they didn’t think you could deal with it.
I’m not interested in my employees
Maybe you’ve worked with these people for years. But it does not mean that you know them very well. Watch your staff, see what they are like, how to stimulate them to work better, etc.
I don’t have time to meet my boss, I’m the boss myself now
Since your boss has promoted you, he realized that you’d become very busy and not have time to meet him. Right? Actually, not. The essence of your job has not changed. You still have to help your boss. Learn how to find time to meet your boss and to share all your working matters.
I’m not interested in the problems of my employees
You don’t turn your back on the problems in hope they will go away. When something happens in your team, your first responsibility is to deal with this problem or help dealing with it. It means that you are this person who has to help the whole team and every one of them separately.
I’m the manager, I’m not allowed to laugh and to joke
The fact that you are in change now doesn’t stop you from having simple human weaknesses: laughing, showing emotions or making mistakes. It is even great for a manager to be able to make your colleagues laugh and bring them into good spirit.
I’m not standing up for my team, it’s their fault!
There are possibilities that your employees will be under pressure and have some troubles. Other departments may demand excessive cooperation, your boss may shift his or her responsibilities on your people. HR department may suddenly decide that your workers have excessively high salaries. Your main task is to protect your team from similar troubles. You should do everything in your power here.
I’m afraid of responsibilities
Whether you like it or not, you bear the responsibilities of everything that is going on in your department. You are responsible no matter if you’ve approved certain actions or had no idea about them. Everything that happens in your team reflects on you.
So, managing jobs are not very easy to cope with. If you get one of those, make sure you don’t fall for the same mistakes most young managers make. Keep it cool, watch your team and don’t rush into anything and you will be fine.