The First-Time Manager summary

Unfortunately, we still see the old-school autocrat in management. This autocratic manager wants complete control over everything and expects robot-like performances from his team. Autocrats believe that they should make every decision. They also believe that a softer approach is a sign of weakness.

On the other hand, diplomatic managers spend time explaining what and why things should get done. Diplomats know that involving their teams in decisions pays off in productivity. As a result, their teams feel like they’re working with their boss rather than for their boss.

One of the keys to successful management is learning how to delegate. Delegating means giving a task, project, or job to an employee in order to develop her skills and increase the organization’s overall effectiveness.

New managers are often hesitant to delegate because they’re more confident in their own abilities than that of their employees. Still others harbor insecurities that their employees will outperform them.

Have you ever attended a meeting that felt like a complete waste of time? Well, as a manager, you can learn to plan, lead, and participate in meetings in a way that’s more effective for your team.

The fact is that meetings are expensive. For ten people with an average salary of $80,000 a year and two weeks of vacation, a two-hour meeting costs approximately $800. Though it can be nice to bring your team together, meetings should be used sparingly. If you’re simply disseminating information, an email with attachments is a better use of everybody’s time. But some meetings are unavoidable. When you have tasks or topics that require a group discussion, schedule a meeting with a clear agenda and try to keep the participant list as small as possible.

Making a bad hiring decision costs time and money. Not only do you risk having to rehire the position, but you also have to solve the problems the bad hire caused. So when it comes to hiring, it’s important to get it right the first time. Your decision must be based on actual data, references, tests, and any other tool available to you. 

Most managers focus on education, experience, and qualifications when considering a potential candidate. But the most important ingredient is a good attitude. 

There will inevitably come a day when you need to terminate a staff member. In some cases, they might have been violent or dishonest, calling for immediate dismissal. But more often than not, there will be some kind of formalized process before expulsion.

Most effective managers are extremely conservative about terminating someone because of the mounting costs associated with severance pay, outplacement assistance, replacing the role, and more. But for when it’s unavoidable, learning how to sever the tie is an important skill shrouded in discomfort for both parties. 

As a manager, one of your main responsibilities is to motivate your team. You want them to want to perform well. Doing this is a surefire way to improve your working environment and your team’s performance.

But don’t confuse motivating with leveraging your power. Using fear tactics might seem effective in the short run, but eventually, it undermines your authority. Your team will try to do the least amount of work to get by without punishment.

Imagine a direct report is dealing with personal problems at home. One day, he snaps and begins to yell at you. How do you respond? Calmly? Or would you start yelling back?

If you’ve been an individual contributor up until your recent promotion, you’re probably more used to managing tasks than emotions. So, you’re not alone if you find the most challenging part of your new job to be managing people.