I was promoted to lead a branch after being less than 3 years in the business. Like many young managers, I walked in thinking I had it all figured out.
Well, you’ve guessed it! I didn’t!
I thought I knew everything.
“I got promoted because I’m good at my job, right?”
WRONG! Being good at the job doesn’t mean being good at leading people. Leadership is about learning with our team, not proving we’re the smartest in the room.
I was impatient with strugglers.
“If I can get it, why can’t you? It’s so simple!”
WRONG! Math and P&L sheets were easy for me, so I couldn’t understand why my team struggled…until my boss told me to adjust my expectations. Turns out, coaching is part of the job.
I avoided tough conversations.
“Maybe time will fix things?”
WRONG! It didn’t. Not only did things not improve, they blew up. We need to address problems early, even if it’s hard. Remember, awkward now is better than a disaster later.
I hoarded credit and passed blame.
“I worked so hard on this and what did you do?!”
Classic WRONG! Of course, I didn’t do it alone. The team did the work too. Real leaders share wins and take responsibility for failures. Not the other way round.
I craved being liked. (the deadliest!)
“I want my team to like me, so let me try cringe things to win their love.”
So, so WRONG. I learned the hard way that being respected matters more than being liked. Be tough but also be fair. And that’s what earns trust.
Young managers, you are not alone.
And that’s how I created the Leadership Reboot Workshop – because leadership isn’t just about managing people, it’s also about managing yourself first.
Come to me and PeopleSyence. We will run a 3D scan of you and build better leaders, starting with you. 😘
xoxoxo, AuntyHR
P.S. More details on the workshop here: https://www.peoplepsyence.com/leadership-reboot-workshop-fix-the-manager-fix-the-team-with-auntyhr/
