Over the weekend, I helped throw a baby shower for a good friend, and as I watched folks gather to offer their support and congratulations, it occurred to me:
Wouldn’t it be great if we threw a shower for a new manager?
Like parents-to-be, new managers are embarking on a new stage of their lives. They’re taking on unfamiliar tasks and new (terrifying) responsibilities. Wouldn’t it be nice to shower them with gifts and good wishes? Shouldn’t we come together to give them the tools and support (and cupcakes) they need to embark on the management journey?
While fun to imagine, it’s probably not going to happen. But one element of the baby shower that did stick with me was the opportunity for guests to share a piece of advice for the new parents.
“Sleep when the baby sleeps” “Always carry two of everything”
As I wrote down my words of baby wisdom, I considered what I would write if I could only give one piece of advice to a new manager. Here’s what I came up with:
It’s okay to admit you don’t know everything. Your team knows you’re new to this. Be confident in your abilities but ask for help when you need it. Your team will respect you for it.
How about you? What singular piece of advice would you give to a new manager?
The Management Maven 
Just like a baby is watchful of the surroundings born in, a new managers needs to observe and grasp the culture of the organization.
Yes, the socialization process of a newborn is a good analogy. Thanks for sharing!
My words of advice would be to listen to your staff! They want to help you and will share really valuable advice with you if you’re open to listening. It will also help you bond with them and vice versa.
Great advice, Kristen. Your team is in the trenches day to day, making them your best source of information. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
In the past 4 months I went from never having managed anyone to having two employees and put in charge of a temporary team to plan a charity ping pong tournament. I was definitely overwhelmed at first but am starting to figure things out. At first it was tough not to get frustrated with people when they don’t understand what I am asking for but I am realizing that the problem is my ability to articulate what I want and not their ability to comprehend. I’m glad the ping pong tournament is over so I have more time to do my own work.
You raise two common struggles for new managers: learning how to communicate as a leader and learning to juggle existing work with new management responsibilities. Thanks for sharing your experiences and I’d love to hear how things progress for you.