4 Keys to Success as a First Time Manager

Reaching your first management position is an exciting and challenging highlight of your career. Once the elation of winning the role wears off, however, you may feel daunted by the task ahead. Don’t be derailed by nerves. There are several approaches which can focus your mind and help you negotiate the next stage of your working life.

From “I” to “we”

As soon as you become a manager, you start to work in a totally different way. It’s no longer about completing tasks yourself. You must ensure that others complete the majority of tasks for you. Some new managers feel compelled to keep working in a task-oriented way, finding it difficult to delegate work they’ve always done themselves. This is an ongoing learning curve. Also, as manager of a team, you must take the rap as well as share the success. If your team fails, it reflects badly on you as a manager. And if it succeeds, the accolades need to be shared equally among the team to boost morale and motivation.

Open your mind

Management is a whole new ball game, and it takes time to orientate yourself to new demands. Take things steadily, learn as much as you can, and talk to your team members, colleagues and supervisors to work out who’s who and what’s what. Get to know your team personally, encouraging each member’s input. Let them know you are available to discuss any concerns they have – on an ongoing basis. This helps win people’s trust and encourage strong work practices, building a high performing team as you go.

Become multi-faceted

One of the most challenging things for a first-time manager is getting your head around the sheer scale of the job brief. You used to do what the boss told you to do. Now you’re responsible for creating the department’s goals, campaigns and strategies, predicting and fixing problems without waiting to be prompted. You must manage your team, calming anxieties, boosting motivation and handling conflict – as well as factor in unscheduled meetings, phone calls, presentations, reports, assignments and dramas. Stay calm and take things one step at a time. Your supervisors know the demands of the role, and will appreciate a thoughtful, measured approach.

Be resilient

Success is a slow build, and a first-time manager can’t get everything right the first time. When things go wrong, admit to mistakes and always try to learn from them. This way, you keep people on-side, and you’ll do it better next time around.

If you are looking for your first managerial role, please contact one of our specialist construction consultants today.