What to Do When You Become the Boss summary

Meet Sarah. Sarah was recently promoted to team manager based on her stellar performance as a marketing specialist. Excited about building relationships with her new team, she focuses on creating a positive atmosphere and being approachable. But then comes the surprise. Her boss says the team is underperforming.

Confused, Sarah talks to her team. That’s when she uncovers the real problem: people don’t know what’s expected of them. They’re unclear on priorities. They don’t know what good work looks like. And they aren’t sure how they’re being measured.

Sometimes feedback sounds like this: “So...great weather we’ve been having, right? Anyway, the project is coming along nicely. Oh, and your reports have been late and missing detail. That presentation last week? Good job, though.”

If you’ve ever delivered feedback this way – or been on the receiving end of it – you know it doesn’t work. This approach buries the message in pleasantries, mixes praise with criticism, and leaves everyone confused about what matters and what needs to change.

You’ve cultivated team spirit, established clear expectations, and enhanced performance through thoughtful feedback. Your team now runs smoothly. However, the dynamic nature of teams means people will inevitably come and go. Learning to effectively hire and fire is essential for maintaining your team’s excellence over time.

Good hiring begins long before the interview stage. Start by thoroughly analyzing the position through conversations with those who understand it best. Ask them about critical situations or challenges that someone in this role typically faces. These insights will illuminate the truly necessary attributes, experiences, and behaviors required for success, beyond what might appear on a typical job description.

Unless you’ve been promoted straight to CEO – kudos if you have – you’ll need to manage more than just your direct reports. Managing sideways and upwards is equally important for your success.

Sideways means working with peer managers from other departments who rely on your team’s cooperation. You might coordinate with marketing on product launches, align with finance on budgets, and collaborate with IT on system upgrades affecting your workflow. These partnerships require skillful negotiation, especially when priorities compete.

Let’s meet Elena. She’s a marketing manager with a big problem. Her team consistently delivers outstanding campaigns. She’s built strong relationships with other department heads. Her boss showcases her work to senior leadership. By all external measures, Elena exemplifies management success. Have you spotted the problem yet?

But here’s what you don’t see right away. Elena checks email at midnight, cancels vacations repeatedly, and deals with constant headaches. Last week, she missed her daughter’s recital to fix a client issue her team could have handled. This morning, she snapped at a colleague over a minor miscommunication. She manages everything – except herself.