Here's how you can navigate the contrasts between managing a team and being an individual contributor.

Transitioning from an individual contributor to a team manager requires shifting focus from personal tasks to team oversight. Individual contributors excel in specialized tasks, work independently, and measure success by personal output. Managers, however, guide and develop team members, delegate responsibilities, and ensure effective communication and collaboration. This role demands leadership, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking. Trusting your team, building relationships, fostering a positive culture, setting clear goals, balancing objectives, maintaining technical skills, and seeking feedback are crucial. Embracing these responsibilities and skills ensures a smooth transition to effective team management.

Transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager requires a shift in mindset from doing tasks to enabling and empowering others to succeed. Focus on developing leadership, communication, decision-making, and coaching skills essential for managerial roles. Stay updated on industry trends, management practices, and leadership techniques to effectively guide and support your team.

The best way to maintaining differences is by being true to yourself. No two managers behave the same when managing their teams. Some are authoritative and some practice servant leadership. We should know that we don't just control the flow of things, we are in it as well. This makes the line in the sand easier to see and easier to navigate.

Thriving in both managing and individual contributor roles requires a mindset shift. As an individual contributor, I excel at diving deep into tasks and driving them to completion. Now, I leverage that skill to empower my team. I delegate effectively, ensuring each member plays to their strengths, and celebrate individual accomplishments while fostering a sense of collective achievement. This allows me to maintain a touch on the technical aspects while fostering a high-performing team. It's a balancing act, but the rewards of seeing my team flourish are incredibly motivating.

The shift from individual contributor to manager requires a mindset switch. While I thrived on executing tasks, leading a team is about orchestrating their strengths. It's about empowering individuals, fostering collaboration, and celebrating collective wins. The key is to leverage my expertise strategically, guiding the team without micromanaging. This allows me to stay connected to the core work while nurturing a high-performing team.

It's easy to fall back into the familiar after a jump into management. I like to remember that I now not only have my own expertise, but the expertise of my team to make up for what I lack. And on that same track, you are there to make up for what your team lacks. It's a two way bridge, and both lanes have got to be humming for true leadership to take place.

We don't exactly manage time, we can manage ourselves - actions and reactions. To become good at time management it's important to organize and book events, time slots, meetings, in advance AND book time to prepare for them. Put everything in the calendar where you can see it and follow-up. Practice having a good balance between time-specific and time-flexible events. If you have too many time-specific ones in a day, you won't be able to do anything else during that day. Plan buffer time between meetings to dissolve all emotions, sort notes, internalize what was discussed in the previous one and go into the next with a fresh mind. Most of your time should be spent with your people, upskilling, coaching and supporting them.

Managers must align decisions with broader organizational goals, strategies, and priorities. Consideration of how decisions impact the team’s objectives and the organization’s mission is crucial.

I like the sandwich method, Give them a positive report (something small), tell them what you need them to improve on, then tell them something good about themselves (bigger this time). It softens the blow for some, and gives others motivation to fix the one bad and use the two good as fuel to do so.

Seek opportunities for training, certifications, or courses that enhance your skills. Attend workshops, webinars, or conferences to expand your knowledge base. Network with peers and professionals to gain insights and perspectives from others in your field.

Make informed decisions that benefit the team and the organization as a whole. Address challenges and obstacles, leveraging the strengths and expertise of team members to find solutions.