If you’ve recently been promoted to the position of administrative manager, no amount of schooling can prepare you for “battling in the trenches” of management. You’ll want to avoid some of the more common mistakes made by newbies. Here are six to stay clear of:
The know-it-all who never asks questions. Erudition is no substitute for experience, so ask your superiors questions if you’re not sure about how to handle something or perform a task. Seek out mentors. Ask and learn. Everyone knows you’re new. And you’re only new once, so this is your chance to ask and learn as much as you can without looking foolish.
The micromanager who hovers and annoys. This is a common problem for first-time managers. They feel the need to drill down every assigned task to the minutest detail, hovering over subordinates, cross-checking and engaging in “monitor madness." Resist the urge to micromanage and learn to delegate tasks. Have your subordinates “own” their assigned tasks and projects. Make them accountable, but be accessible if they need support or have questions.
The “panic-and-vent” manager. Resist the urge to panic if something goes wrong. Close the door to your office and calmly assess the situation. Never let them see you sweat, as the saying goes. Don’t use your subordinates to vent your frustrations with the job (or anything else). If things fall apart, people will be looking to your for rock-steady leadership. So avoid being loud, hysterical or resorting to histrionics.
Fixing blame instead of fixing the problem. Don’t blame your subordinates if things go wrong. Accept it as a failing of the team, fix what caused the problem and move on. If the problem was clearly caused by one employee, admonish and educate him or her in private. Blaming individuals publicly just makes you look like a weak leader.
Being blind to office politics. Everyone has an agenda. Recognize that right off the bat. It’s a “zero sum game” with winners and losers. Keep your ears to the ground for subtle hints by people who may want to jeopardize your career or step over you to get to the top.
The inaccessible manager. Shutting yourself in your office, ignoring or being slow to answer emails and phone calls is not a good idea. Like you, subordinates will always have questions. And superiors like to hear updates. Both admire a manager who has an open door policy. Do more listening that talking.
For an added perspective, check out this video:
Got any thoughts on new manager mistakes? Feel free to share them in the comments section.
Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Nexxt.
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