Tips for Developing Leadership Skills as a First-Time Manager

Want to get into leadership? It's a VERY different job than you do now. I've promoted dozens of people into leadership and here are the 5️⃣ things I make sure they agree to before I offer them the job. 1️⃣ Acknowledge the jobs are different → what made you a successful rep or IC (individual contributor) will NOT make you a successful leader. 💡 A great headstart into leadership is to begin to explore what those differences are. How can you begin to develop leadership skills before you need them? 2️⃣ Reverse where you index → most people index on either relationship or process. Leaders need to be proficient in both. Process people can be rough and short. Those strong in relationships can lack the teachable "how to" process provides bc of their magic people skills. 💡 Identify where your strength is and begin to understand your weakness. Where can you lean into your weakness in your current role? If you need more process, study the ones you have and start to manage yourself in them first. If you lean to process already, how can you take that extra beat to build deeper relationships now? 3️⃣ Don't super rep → the most common mistake of new leaders is making their team admins that "bring their manager" on a call to do the real work. This leads to reps reliant on their manager to get results, rather than developing self-sufficiency. 💡 You can start to "manage" now by leveraging your current resources better, e.g. more effective syncs with your SDR, better prep for you SE, more guided responses for support pros. Be a leader with the team you already have as an IC! 4️⃣ Choose good ideas over "my" ideas → new leaders are ready to change the world...even if it means repeating mistakes unnecessarily. When your idea always wins or you have strong inner conflict accepting someone else's idea bc you are worried about getting credit, you kill the momentum of your new role. 💡 When's the last time you sought out feedback on an idea you had? I'm sure you are like "ALWAYS!," but when did you change what you were doing? Try that. Get used to choosing good ideas that aren't yours! 5️⃣ Be a learner → Just bc you are leader doesn't mean you know it all or are expected to have every answer. Instead, find your wells of knowledge and draw from them daily. 💡 The best way to learn is to teach. Find something the team you are on needs, go learn it, then give it as a gift to your teammates. There's nothing better than helping someone be successful - that's leadership...and something you can do right now.

I'm delighted to share my newest piece for Newsweek-out today-on how to successfully navigate the transition from individual contributor to people leader. Too often, stellar individual contributors are promoted into people leadership roles without adequate training, development, support, or recognition that the skills that make people talented individual contributors are distinct from those that make them successful people leaders. Here, I share high-impact strategies that dramatically accelerate success for new people leaders: 🎯Recognize that you're moving into a new professional role and identity. Understanding the differences between successful individual contributor and people leadership skills is an important first step, as is learning to work on a more strategic versus tactical level. 🎯Develop your leadership values, voice, and vision. Understanding what guides you as a leader will help you better prioritize the day-to-day actions and ways of working that help you embody the kind of leader you aspire to be. 🎯Prioritize relationship building within and beyond your team. New people leaders often make the mistake of prioritizing day-to-day work over building relationships. But relationship building and creating alignment is central to success as a leader. 🎯Be strategic about how you and your team invest your time, energy, and resources. Learning to move from time management to priority management is a high-impact investment. Setting aside a weekly planning meeting to prioritize your and your team's work and defaulting to 85% rather than 100% effort will help you and your team deliver the highest impact results while protecting against burnout. 🎯Invest in and prioritize your own professional development and growth. Carving out regular time to deepen your skills as a people leader on an on-going basis will help you continue to develop your leadership skills and support your success as you grow into your new role. Recognizing that your own ongoing professional development is foundational to your success rather than taking a when-I-can-squeeze-it-in approach is critical. And, whether you're feeling confident, excited, overwhelmed, uncertain, anxious, or any of the other very common and normal mix of emotions, don't forget to make time to celebrate this significant career milestone! #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipCoaching #NewManager #NewManagers #WorkSmarterNotHarder #CareerAdvice

Before I knew 5 things about management, I would stress about these 5: •Holding my team accountable •Feeling like I had to know everything •Managing my time - between my team, stakeholders, leaders and myself •Delegation, feeling like I was losing control •Giving my team critical feedback Then I focused on these 5 and I started winning: 1. Delegation = Growth (for you and your team member) ↳Accept that team members will not do things exactly like you would. Provide the necessary context and resources, set the right expectation and have checkpoints along the way for support. 2. Learning is a Continuous Journey ↳Lean on your curiosity, ask questions and admit when you don't know something. Accept the fact that you can't know everything. Your value lies in your ability to learn. 3. Goals are Empowering ↳Set goals with each team member (for growth and delivery), review them regularly. This will enable autonomy, drive ownership, support accountability and promote growth. Leverage frameworks such as SMART or OKRs for crafting effective goals. 4. Crucial Conversations drive High Performance ↳Provide feedback on a timely basis and be precise about what was done vs. what was expected, and the resulting impact. Agree and follow-up on next steps. Be firm on the result and caring in your approach. 5. Time Management Own your calendar. Block time in advance for your priorities (key initiatives, 1:1s, self-care and personal time etc.). Leverage productivity methods such as Eat the Frog (get the hardest task done first thing) and Deep Work. From an overwhelmed rookie manager → to a confident, effective manager. 🔁 Useful? I would appreciate a repost.

What helped you succeed in the trenches won't help you lead the team. Going from an individual contributor to a leadership role requires more than just the technical skills you acquired. Here's 10 things you can do now, to get into the leadership mindset, the mindset required to lead effectively. 1.  ❌ I need to be the smartest in the room ✅ I need to bring out the smartest ideas in the room ➡️ You lead a brainstorm by asking sharp questions, not giving the first answer 2. ❌ I solve problems myself ✅ I build teams that solve problems at scale ➡️ You delegate the root analysis of a vendor breach and coach through tradeoffs 3. ❌ I measure success by what I do ✅ I measure success by what I enable ➡️ Your team launches a new security initiative, without you in the room 4. ❌ I need to get everything right ✅ I need to make the right decisions, even if they’re uncomfortable ➡️ You sunset a legacy tool your team loves but slows the business down 5. ❌ I execute ✅ I prioritize ➡️ You say no to five urgent asks to protect one strategic initiative 6. ❌ I manage tasks ✅ I align people to vision ➡️ You connect your security roadmap to company growth, without jargon 7. ❌ I avoid risk ✅ I assess, accept, and own risk ➡️ You greenlight an AI project with guardrails, knowing it’s not zero-risk 8. ❌ I fight for technical accuracy ✅ I translate tech into business value ➡️ You explain MFA fatigue to the CFO in dollars, not acronyms 9. ❌ I chase perfection ✅ I ship when it’s good enough to win ➡️ You roll out version 1 of a GRC process knowing iteration will improve it faster 10. ❌ I succeed through technical skill ✅ I succeed through influence, clarity, and direction ➡️ You get buy-in on budget by telling a confident risk-reduction story 💬Which one do you struggle with most? ⬇️ 🔄 Repost to help others shift to a leader mindset 📲 Follow Wil Klusovsky for wisdom on leadership & business

Sometimes you need a life jacket ... not because you can't swim, but because it gives you the confidence to try something new. My dog, Ranger, donned his life jacket on Saturday for his first dock diving class. Being new to the sport, I wasn't sure how quickly dogs took to swimming. I wanted both of us to feel confident in our latest adventure! The experience had me considering how we can give our teammates "life jackets" to wear when wading into new waters. As leaders, we can't be the only ones diving into the deep end. We need our staff to learn how to tread water and have the confidence to jump into the unknown. Here are a few ways to build your team's confidence: • Say “I trust you.” — People who have worked under micromanagers may second-guess their instincts and recommendations. Acknowledge their expertise and decision-making abilities. When team members feel trusted, they’re more likely to take calculated risks and explore new opportunities. Knowing their supervisor has their back can give them the confidence to push forward. • Compliment their communications. — When you observe someone handling a tough situation well, point out what you saw them doing right. For example: “During that conversation, you handled their concerns well. I appreciate how steady you are in conflict and how you pulled in the data to support your recommendation.” Positive reinforcement boosts confidence and motivates them to keep pushing boundaries. • Give people talking points for tough conversations. — For a new manager, providing constructive feedback can feel daunting. Share best practices and give them a handful of sentences you would use if you were in their shoes. • Offer training and professional development opportunities. — Send webinars, workshops and cohort-based groups to help your team strengthen skills and grow confidence. One of my most valuable experiences as a new leader was a 360 degree review through Eager Labs! It helped me see my skills from new perspectives. • Normalize feedback. — Create an environment where feedback is constructive and frequent. Encourage peer-to-peer feedback, and emphasize its importance for growth. With writers, I like to encourage peer editing because it strengthens the skills of both the writer and the reviewer! And, when everyone participates in giving feedback, it becomes less intimidating. • Share insights from “below the surface.” — As a leader, there are decisions and discussions your team might not be a part of. When it’s time for them to become involved, share relevant information (as appropriate) to give them context and history to support better decision-making and problem-solving. 💡 How do you ensure your team feels prepared and supported as they explore uncharted waters?

It was unbelievably painful. When I became a first-time manager years ago, I made all the mistakes in the book. I thought I was on the right track. In reality, something had gone awry. By avoiding hard conversations about quality of work, I hadn’t setup my report for success. And when her presentation to senior leaders fell flat, I felt devastated. I knew it was my fault. Here’s 3 things I wish I knew as a new manager: 𝟭/ 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿 I focused on building rapport (good manager), but delayed giving candid feedback to my report about her work output (bad manager). I was avoiding confrontation—procrastinating until the “right moment” struck (never did). Since then, I’ve learned to lean into the discomfort. If there’s a performance concern, sit down privately with your report, explain the concern openly, point to specific pieces of work, share examples of what “good” looks like, and invite them to give their feedback. 𝟮/ 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 The beauty and curse of managing people is that each person is a unique combination of skills, motivations, and behavior. While I can “get out of the way” for certain skilled and motivated high-performers, the same approach would be a disaster for reports who are struggling due to weaker skills. The challenge is to listen and observe your report intently—so you understand which style to use to help them perform at the next level. 𝟯/ 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 As a manager, my reports frequently raise concerns about other people. Early on, I would immediately jump into problem-solving mode. This got me overwhelmed. Fast. Later, I learned to first ask, “Have you talked to the person about your concern?” 80% of the time, the answer is no. Then I would make it my mission to coach my report to independently resolve their conflict. If I succeeded, they’d be empowered to handle a wider range of situations on their own. **** P.S. If you’re making a change, I coach tech professionals to make career transitions and build wealth abroad. Slide into my DMs and join my past clients at companies like Google, Meta, Square, & Stripe.

When I was selected to lead my first squadron, I was excited for the opportunity, but I was also a little nervous because I wanted to set the example, live up to expectations, and be the leader that I thought everyone expected me to be. Starting a new leadership role is both exciting and perhaps a bit daunting. Whether you're stepping into your first leadership role or transitioning to a new position, here are a few considerations: ▶ Share Your Why: Communicate your vision, values, and purpose with clarity and transparency. When team members understand the "why" behind your decisions and initiatives, they are more likely to feel motivated and aligned with organizational goals. ▶ Listen and Learn: Take the time to understand team member perspectives, insights, and concerns. Their experiences and expertise can inform your decisions and enhance team collaboration. ▶ Take Charge and Make Decisions: Leadership requires decisiveness and the ability to take charge, especially in challenging situations. While seeking input and feedback is essential, don't hesitate to make tough decisions when needed. Trust your instincts, rely on your expertise, and be willing to take calculated risks. ▶ Delegate and Ask for Help: Recognize that you can't do everything alone. Delegate tasks and responsibilities to capable team members, empowering them to take ownership and contribute to shared objectives. Don't hesitate to ask for advice or seek support from mentors, colleagues, or other leaders. ▶ Focus on What Matters Most: With numerous priorities competing for attention, it's crucial to focus on what's most important. Identify key objectives and initiatives that align with your vision and strategic goals. By prioritizing effectively, you can guide your team towards meaningful outcomes and results. Each day, each challenge, presents new opportunities for learning, growth, and the ability to make a positive impact. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Give yourself some grace. Learn from mistakes and do it better the next time. #leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #FlyingInTheFaceOfFear

🌟 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐞𝐭𝐞-à-𝐓𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 ™! 🔍 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: I was promoted to a leadership role within the last year, how can I navigate the challenge of recognizing and addressing gaps in my leadership skills without feeling vulnerable or jeopardizing my position within the organization? 📝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞: Your question within itself is already you working to address the gaps you mentioned, and it took vulnerability for you to reach out! It is very common for leaders, whether newly appointed or not, to face challenges when it comes to recognizing and addressing gaps in their leadership skills. Here's how you can navigate this: 💡 𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: The path to change starts with acknowledgement and recognizing that the leadership journey is one of continuous learning and growth is a great start! It is normal for all people to have areas of development and seeking out opportunities to address those areas is a sign of strength, not weakness. 💡 𝐀𝐬𝐤 (𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲) 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤: Actively seek feedback from your team members, peers, supervisors, and direct reports (if you have them) to gain insights into your leadership strengths and opportunity areas. 💡 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬: Once you’ve gotten insights from others, coupled with your own, identify specific areas where you'd like to improve and set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals to guide your development efforts. Enlist accountability partners to help you stay on the course and bring awareness to how you are progressing. 💡 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮: Take proactive steps to invest in your leadership development. If there are areas you believe are gaps, e.g., managing others, understanding an aspect of the business, managing up, there are ways you can support your own growth. Consider whether attending leadership training programs, workshops, or seminars, as well as mentorship or coaching may be able to support you. 💡 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Vulnerability, though for some uncomfortable is part of the leadership journey, and admitting your areas for growth can foster trust and authenticity with your team. People will help, but they need to first know you need help. ⚡ 𝐇𝐑 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐬/𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐝𝐝? If you missed last week's Tete-à-Tete, check it out here: https://lnkd.in/eVWkxGWU For a chance to have your workplace or leadership question featured and answered next week, don’t forget to DM me or comment (if you’re comfortable) with your question on this post (tag me) before 5pm EST this Friday, May 10th. #TeteATeteTuesdays #HRInsights #LeadershipDevelopment

Employees don't quit their companies. They quit bad managers. And we're all bad at first. Here are the 7 skills every new manager must master: 1️⃣ Active Listening Two ears, one mouth. Keep that ratio. 💡Tip: Summarize their point. It forces you to listen rather than plan your response, and it makes them feel heard. 2️⃣ Clear Communication Deeply consider your audience. Thoughtfully select your medium. 💡Tip: Record video updates. They're more personal and require less perfection. Let them see and hear you. 3️⃣ Explicit Expectations They'll never meet your secret expectations. Agree on the What and the How. 💡Tip: Co-author the plan together. Your team is much more likely to stick to the script they wrote. 4️⃣ Productive Feedback Send signals early and often. Small bites are easier to digest. 💡Tip: Start by asking, "Did that meet your expectations?" People are often their own worst critic. This lets you step in as a coach. 5️⃣ Compelling Selling We're all in sales. Always. Be. Closing. 💡Tip: Don't sell people--your existing team or new hires--on the What. Sell them on the Why. We buy based on emotion, not logic. 6️⃣ Continuous Improvement If you're standing still, you're falling behind. Every problem is a puzzle towards progress. 💡Tip: Take one day each month to prune. Waste adds up. Every useless step you eliminate or delegate gives your team valuable time back. 7️⃣ Confident Vulnerability Lead with your faults to personally connect. Own your mistakes to command respect. 💡Tip: Show and tell. It's critical to name the behaviors that lead to success. But it's even more essential that you live them. Master these skills, and you won't just be managing. You'll be leading. What essential management skills did I miss? Please share in the comments. P.S. Repost to help your network too ♻️. And follow Dave Kline for more content like this. 📌 Want more practical insights like this infographic? Join my free newsletter: https://mgmt.beehiiv.com You'll get 60+ of my best playbooks and templates for free.

This is the situation where self-doubt is unavoidable. Because according to a Harvard report, the average age of a first-time manager is 30. Whereas 64.7% of the U.S. workforce in 2022 was 35 or older. So even if you’re brimming with leadership qualities… You could still struggle to manage a more seasoned crew with confidence. The solution? Avoid micromanaging and focus on micro-understanding. When you ‘micro-understand,’ you know what the job is and how it’s done. But you’re responsible for the results. And your main priority is to support the team to do their work. You can do this by... (1️⃣) Understanding the nuts and bolts of their role. Once you grasp their value, guiding them becomes a breeze. (2️⃣) Breaking the ice by discussing the hurdles they face. (3️⃣) Figuring out what makes your team tick and then tailor your leadership style in a way that keeps them pumped. (4️⃣) Keeping your finger on the pulse of what matters. (5️⃣) And finding out who's the Batman to your Robin? This means building bridges with the power players whom your team leans on for backup and resources. At the end of the day... You're the leader for a reason! It's not about outsmarting them. But bringing out the best in them. 💛 Repost 🔄 to empower more leaders to lead with better belief & confidence. #leadershipdevelopment #professionalwomen P.S Which one of these do you think is most important?