The Seven Mistakes New Managers Make

Book excerpt: Whether you are a manager of many, or a team leader of a few, being a leader requires letting go of the day-to-day work tasks you did so well as an individual contributor and, instead, encouraging production and success through others. New managers are usually promoted because they were outstanding individual contributors: they spoke up in staff meetings, shared good ideas, and executed on time and within scope. Yet, these characteristics are not necessarily the same ones that will make you successful as a frontline manager. Often, organizations invest little in new manager development; thus, new managers are left to guess at what effective leaders do. They often find themselves pressing forward through trial and error. If this sounds familiar, then this book, which examines the seven most common mistakes new managers make, is for you. Each chapter highlights a common challenge that new managers will recognize and then describes strategies and behaviors to build the skills needed to avoid mistakes and achieve success. This book is ideal for the new manager who hopes to evolve into a great leader.