The first few weeks of any new job are usually full of a combination of excitement and nerves, especially if you’re a new manager! Those first weeks set the tone and establish yourself as the leader. It often feels like there is a massive spotlight on you, with everyone around you watching to see what move you make next. During these initial weeks, there are a few common first-week woes new managers experience. Here are four common struggles new leaders experience in the first few weeks of the job and how to avoid them.
1. Forgetting to Listen First
We’ve all been on a team where, when a new manager gets hired, they come in guns blazing, ready to turn everything on its head. While a good shake-up is necessary on certain occasions, week one isn’t the time to do it. In the first few weeks of a new manager role, just listen. Talk to the team to get their opinions and perspectives. Make sure they know you value their insights and knowledge. That way, after a few weeks, when you present your vision and plan for the team, they feel a sense of co-ownership over the strategy. They’ll know you listened and took what they said to heart before creating a finalized plan for the team.
2. Not Being Visible and Accessible
In order to begin building trust and relationships with your new team, they need to be able to see you. It’s easy to get bogged down in tasks and meetings, but you don’t want to come in on day one with a closed-door mentality. This applies whether you work in-office, hybrid, or remotely. If you are in the office, schedule “floor time”. Set aside some time, even if it’s just 15 minutes, to walk around the floor, shake hands, and talk to people.
If you’re working remotely, you’ll have to get a little more creative with this. Depending on the size and makeup of your team, this will look a little different for everyone. You can spend that time sending out personal messages to people throughout the team to check in. Another idea is to take that 15minutes and make it a team thing where everyone who is available can hop on a video call together. Whatever makes sense for your specific situation is great.The main point is to be visible and accessible to your team to show you’re open to talking and collaborating.
3. Don’t Talk About Your Last Gig
Every person in the workforce who has had more than one job knows you always take what you learned from your last job and apply it to the next. Drawing on your experiences is natural when starting a new role. However, especially in the first few weeks, you should avoid talking too much about your last job. This is particularly relevant if you’re coming from a competitor of your new company. Anew manager who comes in and starts every sentence with “well, at my last job…”isn’t going to make a great first impression. Not only can this alienate your team, but it will also make them feel like you don’t value how they’ve been doing things up to this point. Sharing relevant experiences or telling stories occasionally can be extremely beneficial, but don’t overdo it. Avoid making comparisons that might undermine your team’s confidence in the way they do things.
4. Set the Right Example with Your Time
As a new manager, your team will look to you as a role model. They’ll also be gauging your commitment to the company and if being a manager has given you a big head.It goes without saying (hopefully) that you shouldn’t arrive late or leave early in those first few weeks for any reason. However, you also shouldn’t just be on time. New managers should be the first ones in the office each morning and the last ones to leave at the end of the day. This shows your team that you’re dedicated, humble, and determined to succeed.
In Conclusion
The first few weeks as a new manager are absolutely critical for establishing your leadership style and building trust with your team. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can get your new job off to a great start.