A leadership Playbook for the new manager

You got the job! Congratulations! You're stepping into the manager's hot seat! This is your chance to hit the ground running with a team ready to shine. Over the years I have learnt a few things about managing people and so I hope this article is helpful to you. This playbook is packed with practical advice to build a high-flying team that’s happy, productive, and crushing goals.

The opportunity to make a fresh start with your team.

As a new manager, you have the opportunity to make a fresh start with your team. The first few months are critical: You have the chance to set the tone for your time as manager and establish expectations for both yourself and others. If you do this well, you can build strong relationships with your team members, receive their respect and commitment, and set up a good foundation for future success.

As part of this process, it’s important to be clear about what is expected from everyone on the team. You should define goals for yourself and each member of your group based on their strengths and interests as well as organizational goals at large that would benefit from having specific individuals contribute in particular ways.

Once everyone knows what they’re meant to do (and how they are supposed to provide value), it will be easier for them (and by extension you) stay engaged in activities that drive results while avoiding distractions that keep us busy but don't help us achieve our objectives

Communicate with Clarity

In the first few weeks on the job, you'll be trying to figure out how to use your newfound power. This is a time when it's especially important that you are crystal clear about what you want. You won't get it if you don't ask for it and you won't be able to fix problems if they're not presented clearly. So make sure whatever decisions or projects or ideas are coming from your desk are well articulated, even if they're simple ones that everyone knows will work out okay anyway (like sending an email).

Here are some tips for communicating effectively in this area:

• Use Language That Everyone Understands: When explaining tasks and projects make sure employees understand what's expected of them. If you need someone else's input before deciding on something, let them know right away so they can give feedback before moving forward without their input or get a response back quickly so things keep moving smoothly without delay.
• Be Consistent: This might seem obvious but being consistent means using language consistently across all departments within your company so everyone understands what needs done regardless of where they work within its structure (e.g., sales manager vs lawyer). It also means keeping track of which level(s) of communication has been addressed by each department (e.g. marketing director vs CEO) throughout different stages of project completion this way anyone involved knows exactly where progress stands at any given moment.

Recognize and Give Feedback

Feedback is a two-way street. It's important to remember that you are not only responsible for giving feedback, but also receiving it. As a new manager, you may find it hard to receive negative feedback at first because you don't have the experience to evaluate whether or not criticism is justified.

But there will always be people who disagree with how you do your job, they might even say things that seem unfair or unwarranted at times.

When this happens, ask yourself :

• what could possibly motivate them?
• What do they want? To see you succeed? Or perhaps they're trying to protect themselves from being affected by any changes in the department as a whole and don't know how else to communicate their concerns without feeling personally attacked by them ( in which case I would encourage that person to come forward with an alternative solution rather than simply undermining yours ).

Regardless of the motivation behind their comments and suggestions though, I find that most constructive criticism boils down to three key areas:

1) What am I doing wrong (and how can I improve)?

2) Do my ideas align with our company's values/vision/goals enough so that everyone feels confident moving forward together?

3) Is there anything else we need before starting this project/task ?

Build Trust with Your Team

One of the most important things you can do to build trust with your team is to be honest. Be clear about your expectations and don't sugarcoat them. If you want employees to show up on time, for example, say so and then hold everyone accountable for doing just that.

Be consistent in how you communicate with your team members both at work and outside of it. If an employee calls out sick one day because they're sick and then uses vacation days later in the week when they're not feeling well again, it'll make people wonder what's really going on with them or if there are other issues at play here (like maybe they really don't like their job).

And even though it feels good to vent sometimes at home after a stressful day at work, try not too talk smack about coworkers, this could get back around and make them feel unappreciated by management.

Finally, show empathy! Put yourself in others' shoes every now and then if someone has been struggling recently or had a bad day yesterday (or has ever been fired from another job), ask them how they’re doing before jumping down their throat over something small like being late once again today.

Develop your team's skills and capabilities

Once you have identified your team, it's time to think about how each individual will contribute and what skills are needed to accomplish the team's goals.

Team members may have different levels of experience and abilities. Some might be new to their roles and others could be seasoned veterans. Some may be highly skilled in one area but lack other necessary skills for the job. Some might need training or development before they can add value to your company and its products or services.

This is where coaching comes in, It’s your responsibility as a leader to help each person on your team develop his or her unique talents, skills, and competencies so that everyone can thrive within an organization that operates at its best potential with every person contributing their best efforts toward common success.

Delegate whenever possible

New managers often feel like they need to handle every task themselves, but this can quickly become overwhelming and potentially negatively impact the quality of work being done as well as morale among other employees who may start feeling undervalued because their suggestions or ideas aren't being taken seriously by management (or even worse, because they're not allowed any input at all).

Rather than micromanaging everything yourself, empower your team members by giving them responsibility for certain projects or tasks within the larger scope of work that needs doing. This will make them feel more invested in their jobs and more committed.

Lead By Example

It's easy to forget that you are a role model, but it is important to remember that your actions are being watched by your employees. If you want them to come in early and stay late, then you need to do the same. If you want them to be focused on their work and not distracted by social media, then don't check your personal email account when there are meetings going on around you.

Leading by example is also about being consistent in your actions. If people see that a new policy works for one group of employees but not another, questions will arise about why or believe others have received special treatment. It's better for everyone if everyone follows the same rules with no exceptions.

Define Accountability

To begin, we will define accountability. Accountability is a word that gets thrown around quite a bit as a synonym for responsibility, but it's much more than that. When you are accountable, you hold yourself responsible for your own success and the success of others. You take ownership for your decisions and actions good or bad and you don't shy away from ownership when others fail to do so themselves.

Solve Problems and Handle Conflict

As a manager or leader, your role extends beyond simply identifying issues. It's about steering your team towards a positive, forward-looking trajectory. Dwelling on the past can hinder progress. Instead, channel your energy into envisioning and creating a better future. Encourage your team to look ahead, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to capitalize on them.

Collaborative Problem-Solving

Blame is counterproductive. It creates division and hinders collaboration. Instead, foster a culture of accountability where everyone takes ownership of their actions and works together to find solutions. Crises and conflicts are inevitable in any organization. However, how you respond to these situations can significantly impact your team's morale and productivity. Maintain a calm and composed demeanor, and focus on finding workable solutions that address the root causes of the issues.

Conclusion

The best thing you can do as a new manager is to create an environment where your team members feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their ideas. The more you know about what’s going on across the organization, the better equipped you will be to make good decisions. If you focus on creating an environment where everyone feels heard, valued and respected, you will build trust among your team members that will help them do their best work together as a unit.

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