10 Common Mistakes of Newly Appointed Managers

New supervisors frequently encounter common challenges that can result in predictable mistakes. It is essential for managers to be aware of these typical errors in judgment and actions.

Manager's mistake 1:Taking control and holding onto it:?

New supervisors often struggle with embracing their role as leaders. They see their new position as a chance to have power, thinking that by making all the decisions themselves, they can strengthen their authority. But they don't realize that by empowering others, they actually gain more power. The key is to develop the team, remove obstacles, and give others the ability to make decisions. By doing this, supervisors can create a culture of empowerment and achieve greater success.

Case Study: At a popular tech company called Innovatech, they hired a new manager named Victor. He was known for his expertise, but he had a flaw—he wanted power.

When Victor started his job, he saw it as a chance to show his authority. He thought that by making all the decisions himself, he could become the top leader.

But the company already had a culture of collaboration and empowerment. The previous manager, Olivia, encouraged employees to take ownership and make decisions.

Unfortunately, Victor didn't understand that holding onto power too tightly would create problems. Instead of empowering his team, he controlled everything.

He micromanaged their work, not allowing them to be creative or make decisions on their own. This made the team frustrated and less motivated, as their ideas were ignored.

Because of Victor's need for control, obstacles started to pile up, and the team's productivity went down.

Manager's Mistake 2: Not seeking feedback:?

New supervisors need feedback to improve. But sometimes they are afraid to ask for it because they worry about what they might hear.

This fear stops them from getting valuable insights and perspectives. Overcoming this fear and creating a safe environment where feedback is encouraged is important for their growth as leaders.

Case Study: In a family-owned restaurant called "Taste Haven," Andrew, the eldest son, took over as the new manager. He was excited to bring new ideas but made a common mistake.

Andrew didn't ask for feedback from his team. He was afraid they would criticize him. This fear stopped him from getting helpful insights.

As time went on, Andrew's decisions started to show problems. He made changes to the menu without listening to the experienced chefs and ignored suggestions from the waitstaff about improving customer service. This made the morale in the restaurant go down, and customers noticed the changes.

Tech Innovators was a company known for its diverse workforce and talented individuals. However, their new manager, Rachel, made a big mistake—she treated everyone the same.

Rachel had recently been promoted to a managerial position and was excited about her new role. She believed that treating everyone equally would be fair and prevent any favoritism. But she failed to see that each team member had different strengths, motivations, and needs.

In meetings, Rachel didn't consider the individuality of her team members. She gave the same instructions to everyone without taking into account their unique skills and aspirations. She missed the opportunity to support and motivate each person in the way that suited them best.

As time went on, Rachel's approach showed its flaws. Some employees felt frustrated because they were not recognized for their strengths, while others felt ignored because their specific needs were not addressed.

Alex, an analytical and introverted software developer, preferred clear written instructions that allowed him to work independently. Maya, a creative and extroverted designer, thrived on collaboration and brainstorming sessions. Sarah, a hardworking employee, sought support and clear directives with oral clarification.

Unfortunately, Rachel didn't adapt her management style to meet the different needs of her team members. She missed the chance to leverage their strengths and empower them to do their best work.

As a result, the team's performance suffered. They felt undervalued and demotivated because Rachel failed to acknowledge their individuality. Innovation and productivity declined, as team members struggled to fully utilize their skills and talents.

To address this issue, Rachel needed to recognize and appreciate the unique qualities of each team member. She should have adapted her management approach to support their individual growth and success. By doing so, she could have created a more inclusive and productive work environment for everyone.

Manager Mistake 3: Delegating without authorizing.?

Sometimes managers forget to give their team members the authority they need to get things done. This mistake isn't just made by new supervisors—it can happen to anyone. They might want to keep control and make all the decisions themselves, but that doesn't work well. When managers don't empower their team members, it leads to frustration and doesn't help the organization achieve its goals. Let's look at a case study to see how this mistake played out in a marketing agency called Creative Edge. They were known for their cool campaigns and talented team. When Sarah became a new manager there, she accidentally made this mistake. Sarah was experienced and wanted to do a great job as a manager. But she ended up assigning tasks to her team without giving them the authority and resources they needed to do the work properly. For example, Sarah asked Mark to create an advertisement for a client. He needed to buy licensed graphics for it, but he couldn't do it without Sarah's permission. Unfortunately, Sarah was away for training and couldn't be reached. As a result, Mark couldn't finish the job on time. When Sarah came back, she blamed Mark and said he was being irresponsible. After some thinking, Sarah realized that she had made a mistake by not authorizing the graphic design purchase. She apologized to Mark and took responsibility for what happened. She understood that she needed to give her team members the authority to make decisions and take action.

Manager's Mistake 4: Embarrassing employees in front of others.?

Sometimes managers make a mistake by criticizing their employees in front of everyone. This can make everyone feel uncomfortable and unhappy. No one likes to be told they did something wrong, especially when it's done in a mean or threatening way. When managers point out mistakes or scold employees in front of their colleagues, it can make them feel small, disrespected, and unmotivated.

This kind of behavior isn't a good idea. It doesn't consider how it affects employee morale, teamwork, and productivity. It can even lead to the belief that "whoever gets unionized deserves it," because it shows a lack of understanding and respect for employee well-being and rights.

A better approach is to give feedback in private. That way, managers can have more positive and respectful discussions. Creating a supportive environment, where mistakes are addressed kindly and opportunities for growth are identified, helps employees feel valued and engaged.

Let's look at a case study to see how this mistake played out in a company called Precision Products. The company was known for its high-quality work and dedicated employees. But when a new manager named David joined, he made a big mistake by embarrassing his employees in front of others.

David was strict and didn't understand how his actions hurt his team. Whenever someone made a mistake or didn't meet expectations, he would scold them in team meetings or in front of their coworkers.

This had a terrible effect on the employees. They felt embarrassed and unmotivated when their mistakes were shown to everyone. The constant public scolding made the work environment tense and unhappy, which made it harder for everyone to do their jobs well.

One day, during a company meeting, David blamed John, one of his team members, for losing a client. But the situation was more complicated, and it wasn't clear whose fault it really was. David accused John of being irresponsible and even made a hurtful joke about John's personal life. Some people in the room laughed, which made John feel even worse. After the meeting, John decided to quit because he couldn't take the embarrassment anymore.

David's actions had a big impact on Precision Products. They lost a good employee, and the work environment became even worse. The laughter at the inappropriate joke showed that disrespectful behavior was allowed, which made employees lose trust and confidence in the management.

Mistake 5: Treating everyone the same

Tech Innovators was a company known for its diverse workforce and talented individuals. However, their new manager, Rachel, made a big mistake—she treated everyone the same.

Rachel had recently been promoted to a managerial position and was excited about her new role. She believed that treating everyone equally would be fair and prevent any favoritism. But she failed to see that each team member had different strengths, motivations, and needs.

In meetings, Rachel didn't consider the individuality of her team members. She gave the same instructions to everyone without taking into account their unique skills and aspirations. She missed the opportunity to support and motivate each person in the way that suited them best.

As time went on, Rachel's approach showed its flaws. Some employees felt frustrated because they were not recognized for their strengths, while others felt ignored because their specific needs were not addressed.

Alex, an analytical and introverted software developer, preferred clear written instructions that allowed him to work independently. Maya, a creative and extroverted designer, thrived on collaboration and brainstorming sessions. Sarah, a hardworking employee, sought support and clear directives with oral clarification.

Unfortunately, Rachel didn't adapt her management style to meet the different needs of her team members. She missed the chance to leverage their strengths and empower them to do their best work.

As a result, the team's performance suffered. They felt undervalued and demotivated because Rachel failed to acknowledge their individuality. Innovation and productivity declined, as team members struggled to fully utilize their skills and talents.

To address this issue, Rachel needed to recognize and appreciate the unique qualities of each team member. She should have adapted her management approach to support their individual growth and success. By doing so, she could have created a more inclusive and productive work environment for everyone.

Manager's Mistake 6: Keeping the challenging work for themselves.

Sometimes managers make a mistake by keeping the most interesting and challenging tasks for themselves, instead of assigning them to their team members. This often happens when new managers feel overwhelmed by their new responsibilities and lack confidence in their leadership skills. They prefer to stick to tasks they are comfortable with, rather than learning how to delegate effectively.

When managers hoard the interesting work, it prevents their team members from growing and reaching their full potential. To address this issue, managers need to focus on developing their leadership skills, understanding their team's strengths, and learning how to delegate tasks properly. By empowering their team members, removing obstacles, and creating a supportive environment for growth and learning, managers can unlock the team's full potential and achieve greater success together.

Let's look at a case study to see how this mistake played out at a creative agency called Creative Minds. The agency was known for its innovative campaigns and talented creative team. However, when a new manager named Lisa joined the company, she made a big mistake by keeping all the interesting/challenging work for herself.

Lisa had been promoted to a managerial position because of her exceptional design skills. She was excited about her new role but found comfort in doing the tasks she was already familiar with. Unfortunately, Lisa didn't realize that she was neglecting to give her team members the chance to work on creative and challenging projects.

As a result, the employees were stuck doing routine and uninteresting tasks that didn't allow them to showcase their skills. They felt unappreciated because they didn't have the opportunity to contribute to exciting projects. The team members started to voice their frustrations, pointing out that Lisa's reluctance to delegate interesting work came from her own fear of letting go and giving up control.

This mistake hindered the growth and development of the team members. It limited their chances to learn and improve their skills. To address this issue, Lisa needed to recognize the talents and abilities of her team members and delegate the interesting work to them. By doing so, she could empower her team and create a more productive and fulfilling work environment for everyone.

Manager's Mistake 7: Picking favorites among the team.

Sometimes managers have a habit of favoring certain team members over others. This is more common when new supervisors are friends with some of their team members. But it's important for managers to be fair to everyone and not let personal relationships affect their decisions. They should balance the needs of their team members with the goals of the organization to create a positive work environment.

Let's see an example to understand this mistake better. The Bright Ideas-Marketing agency promoted Adam, a talented marketer, to be a manager. Adam had close friendships with some of his former colleagues, and he cared about their well-being. But when conflicts arose, Adam struggled to be objective. He often sided with his friends, even when their actions hurt the organization.

Once, there was an important project with a deadline. Two team members, Sarah and John, had crucial tasks to complete. Unfortunately, Sarah consistently missed deadlines and didn't do quality work, which caused delays and affected the project negatively.

Adam knew that Sarah had challenges at home as a mother and wife, so he gave her extra support and didn't hold her accountable for her mistakes. He felt sympathetic because of their friendship. But this made John, who was hardworking and dependable, feel frustrated and overlooked. Adam's favoritism created an imbalance in how he managed his team and affected the project's progress.

Manager's Mistake 8: Keeping distance from the team.

Some managers think it's necessary to keep a distance from their team members. They believe that being too close to their employees can cause problems. They worry about familiarity leading to negative consequences. However, this approach often damages relationships and creates a negative work environment. Managers need to find a balance between being approachable and maintaining professionalism.

Let's look at an example to understand this mistake better. Innovate Designs, an architectural firm, promoted Rachel, a talented architect, to be a manager. But Rachel thought she needed to create distance from her team members. She believed that being too close to them would make it difficult to give objective feedback and make tough decisions.

Because of this belief, Rachel created a barrier between herself and her team members. She avoided social interactions, canceled in-person meetings, and ordered food to her office instead of having lunch with her subordinates. When someone wanted to talk face-to-face, Rachel always asked them to email her instead.

Her team members felt like she was distant and unapproachable. They didn't understand her expectations and didn't get the support they needed. This created a strained work environment, lowered morale, and reduced productivity. It's important for managers to be accessible and supportive so that their team members feel valued and motivated.

Manager's Mistake 9: Dividing the team into "us" versus "them."

Sometimes managers create an atmosphere where it feels like there are two sides within the organization. This can happen in different ways. For example, a new supervisor may blame upper management for not supporting the team enough or for changing priorities too often. On the other hand, some supervisors may develop a negative view of their own team members, thinking they are lazy or not creative enough.

But both of these attitudes ignore two important things. First, employees see their supervisor as a representation of the organization. So, when a supervisor creates division, it affects how everyone sees the whole company. Second, a supervisor's main responsibility is to help their team grow.

When supervisors foster an "us versus them" mentality, it harms teamwork, trust, and overall performance. Instead, supervisors should build good relationships with both their team members and higher management. They should work towards alignment and open communication. This creates a culture where everyone feels valued and works together towards shared goals.

Let's look at an example. "TechSolutions" was a well-known technology company that valued collaboration and inclusivity. But when Mark became a new manager there, he unintentionally promoted an "us versus them" attitude.

Mark cared about his team members, but he thought that upper management didn't support them enough. He blamed them for changing priorities too often and not giving the team enough resources. This created a divide between his team and upper management.

Additionally, Mark started to have negative opinions about some of his team members. He saw them as lazy or lacking imagination. This attitude made the team feel divided and less cooperative, which hurt their productivity and development.

As a result, an atmosphere of "us versus them" grew within the company. Team members felt isolated from the rest of the organization, and trust and camaraderie suffered. The work environment became divided, and everyone had a hard time working towards common goals.

Manager's Mistake 10: Breaking the rules and regulations.

Some new supervisors engage in behaviors that are not appropriate. Often, they've seen their previous supervisors or other leaders in the organization doing things they shouldn't. These actions can be against the rules and regulations, and they can lead to disciplinary action for individuals or even the whole organization. Without realizing it, new supervisors may start doing questionable things that could be illegal.

New supervisors must understand the organization's policies, procedures, and legal responsibilities. They need to learn about the right ways to behave and seek guidance when they're not sure. Talking openly with colleagues, superiors, and the human resources department can give them important advice to navigate ethical problems.

Following high ethical standards and acting with integrity is crucial for new supervisors. This helps create a positive work culture and protects the organization's reputation. By making informed decisions and asking for help when needed, supervisors contribute to a healthy and lawful work environment.

Here's an example. "Harbor Bank" was a well-known financial institution that had a strong ethical culture. But when Eric became a new manager there, he made a mistake by breaking the rules and regulations.

Eric was promoted because he had great financial skills. But during his time as a regular employee, he saw some supervisors doing things they shouldn't. Eric thought these actions were normal in the organization. So, when he became a manager, he unintentionally continued these behaviors, thinking they were okay.

For example, Eric didn't follow certain compliance regulations. He did unethical things like giving special treatment to certain clients, ignoring questionable transactions, and manipulating data to get the outcomes he wanted.

The bank had a system to reward employees for selling new credit cards to existing customers. Eric took advantage of this by giving customers new credit cards without their permission. He thought it was harmless because it would raise their credit limits and give him and his team bonuses.

But Eric's actions went against the bank's code of conduct and broke legal and ethical rules.

Unknown to Eric, Sarah, a dedicated employee who believed in the bank's integrity, noticed what he was doing. Sarah decided to report her concerns to the bank's ethics hotline because she knew Eric's actions could have consequences for him and the whole organization.

The bank's senior management took the report seriously and started an investigation. They found out that Eric was engaging in unlawful behaviors that could harm the bank's reputation and put it at risk legally and with regulators.

Eric was immediately suspended pending further investigation. The bank took quick action to fix the situation. They provided rigorous training on compliance and emphasized the importance of ethical behavior to all employees.